Crisis Communication...

... at Champlain College

The chapter on Crisis Communications reminded me about the pamphlets in each Champlain classroom that walk you through the steps to take given an emergency of any kind. I find these little pamphlets to be kind of amusing, because in all honesty, if there actually WAS a crisis or emergency situation, I highly doubt anyone would take the time to thumb through a bunch of papers tacked onto a wall next to the door. It’s too bulky and time consuming to read in a situation like that.

It’s my fourth year here at Champlain and I can’t ever remember having any sort of “crisis management” seminar where the school talks about steps to take during an actual emergency. There may have been some sort of precursor speech my freshman year during orientation, but I can’t really remember, so it must not have been very poignant if such a thing did take place.

Preparing for a crisis beforehand will make everything flow smoother if something does happen

As Champlain is a privately owned university, I’d be curious to know what kind of precautionary measurements have been taken outside of the pamphlets in each classroom. Surely there must be a master plan in regards to approaching stakeholders, donors and the media. But as a student, I think it would be beneficial if Champlain were to revise their emergency information by simplifying it into an easy-to read poster or image that is quickly read just by glancing at it, instead of having to stop and leaf through to the appropriate section.