Crisis Management Resource

This resource was part of the former Group on Student Affairs and is being retained here as a professional development resource.

The purpose of the Crisis Management Resource (formerly GSA-CRIER) is to provide representatives with information and shared examples from colleagues for creating a crisis response and intervention plan and for responding to a crisis situation. Resources include understanding the nature of crisis situations; sample Crisis Management Plans including procedures for responding to medical emergencies, bomb threats, death and suicide attempts; Crisis Management Teams structures; Emergency Preparedness, and Responding to an unexpected student death. The Crisis Management Resource also includes templates that can be adapted to your specific institutional needs, and a contact list for additional peer support and resources.

Introduction

Crisis management is the process by which an organization deals with a major event that threatens to harm the organization, its stakeholders, or the general public.

Crisis Management Model (Gonzalez-Herrero & Pratt):

1. Issues or crisis detection
2. Prepare to avoid crisis or plan how to react to it
3. Limit effects of the crisis
4. Efforts made to “get back to normal”
5. Evaluate and learn from crisis

Crisis Intervention: Understanding the Nature of Crisis Situations (Springtide Resources)

Types of Crisis:

1. Medical Emergency – epidemic or poisoning
2. Violent Crime or Behavior – robbery, shooting, personal injury (existing or potential), etc.
3. Political Situations – riots, demonstrations, etc.
4. Off-Campus Incidents/Accidents Involving Students, Faculty and/or Staff
5. Environmental/Natural Disasters – fires, flood, chemical spills or leaks, explosions, etc.
6. Bomb Threats
7. Student, faculty or staff deaths (accidents, homicide, or suicide)

Crisis Management Plan Examples:

• Cowley College Crisis Management Plan
• Creighton University School of Medicine: A Practical Guide to Crisis Management (PDF)
• Duke University Crisis Communication Plan

Crisis Management Team Structures:

• Students of Concern Team (University of Colorado, Boulder)
• Students of Concern Team (University of Kansas)

Emergency Preparedness Resources

• Emergency Response Plan (Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California)
• Campus Ready at Ready.gov (Department of Homeland Security)
• Crisis and Emergency Management Plan (Virginia Tech)
• AAMC Committee on Student Records (COSR) Emergency Guidelines for Records Officers (PDF)

Resources for Responding to an unexpected student death

• Postvention: A Guide for Response to Suicide on College Campuses (Higher Education Mental Health Alliance)
• Death of an International Student (Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University)
• Student Death Response Checklist (Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University)
• Guidelines for Medical Schools Managing Unexpected Student Death (UC San Diego School of Medicine)
• Responding to a Student Death: How to Create a Proactive Response Plan for Your Campus (Van Brunt & Steinfort)
• Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences Guidelines for Sudden Student Death
• Prepared by RBHS Office of Academic Affairs Responding to Grief, Trauma, and Distress After a Suicide: U.S. National Guidelines (Survivors of Suicide Loss Task Force, April 2015)

Contact List and Peer Support

COSA has developed a contact list of individuals with experience and/or expertise in crisis situations, who are willing to provide support and resources to other members experiencing a crisis situation. Please contact learnersupport@aamc.org to be connected with one of these individuals or to have your name added to the list as a resource.