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University Comms Workshops
Crisis Comms for Faculty and Effective Issue Reporting for Graduate Students
Universities invest heavily in institutional crisis communication, but individual community members (graduate students and faculty) are often left to navigate high-stakes situations alone. My two specialized workshops fill this critical gap.
Effective Issue Reporting for Graduate Researchers addresses the hidden reputational risk that graduate students face when reporting issues caused by others, teaching them to communicate strategically without being labeled difficult to work with or oversensitive.
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Surviving the Spotlight: Crisis Communication for Individual Faculty prepares faculty to manage personal reputational crises from viral social media backlash to formal allegations with confidence and strategic clarity.
Both workshops provide practical, actionable frameworks that acknowledge the emotional toll of these situations while empowering participants to protect their careers and professional identities. The workshops are delivered virtually in flexible formats (2-4 hours) and serve as proactive investments in community resilience, institutional risk management, and the well-being of your most vulnerable stakeholders.
Module 1: The Hidden Reputational Risk
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Understanding the unique vulnerabilities of graduate students
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The psychology of the “empathy problem” and victim-blaming
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Introduction to real-world case studies
Module 2: Pathways and Power
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Understanding institutional power structures
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Choosing the right reporting channel (Formal vs. Informal)
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Interactive exercise: Pathway mapping for case studies
Module 3: Strategic Communication
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The core methodology: Issue-Centered Communication
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The power of emotion-neutral language
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Recognizing and responding to deflection tactics
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Interactive exercise: Reframing communication
Module 4: Protecting Yourself
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Best practices for strategic documentation
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Managing the emotional toll of reporting
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Building a support network
(Core) Module 1: Understanding Academic Crises
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How crises begin and why they escalate so quickly in academic contexts
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The difference between institutional crises and personal faculty crises
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Why university crisis communication teams serve the institution, not the individual
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Common crisis triggers: lecture clips, student complaints, research misinterpretation, social media posts, FOIA requests
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Why corporate crisis communication strategies don't work for faculty
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The role of tenure (and its limitations) in crisis situations
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How precarious contracts increase vulnerability for non-tenure-track faculty
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The intersection of professional and personal identity in academic crises
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Why faculty crises feel uniquely personal
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Common emotional responses and their impact on decision-making
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The difference between processing emotions and acting on them
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Introduction to composite case scenarios representing common faculty crises
(Core) Module 2: The First 24 Hours (Crisis Response Protocol)
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Why immediate public response usually makes things worse
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The power of strategic silence in the first hours
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How to assess crisis severity and potential trajectory
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Creating a personal crisis response team (trusted colleagues, legal counsel, communications advisor) and support network
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The Stabilization Framework (core methodology for the first 24 hours)
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What to share with your chair vs. dean vs. HR vs. legal counsel
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How to request institutional support without ceding control of your narrative
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When university communications will help vs. when they will prioritize institutional reputation
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Red flags that indicate institutional interests diverge from yours
(Core) Module 3: Strategic Communication
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Writing emails to notify chairs and deans
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How to request support without appearing defensive or emotional
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Managing gossip, assumptions, and departmental tension
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When to involve faculty unions or professional associations
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The difference between apology, acknowledgment, and clarification
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Why over-explaining usually backfires
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How to address student concerns without compromising your position
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When to issue public statements vs. when to remain silent
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Understanding journalistic norms and deadlines
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On the record vs. off the record vs. background
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How to bridge to your key messages during interviews
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Sample responses for declining media requests professionally
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Case Studies: Participants identify who needs to be contacted for three case studies, in what order, with what information, and through what channel, allowing them to practice under simulated pressure
(Core) Module 4: Social Media
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How social media amplifies and distorts crises
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The psychology of online pile-ons and mob dynamics
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Why setting the record straight online usually amplifies the crisis
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The strategic value of disengagement
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When to delete vs. when to leave content up
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How to use privacy settings strategically
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The risks and benefits of issuing social media statements
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Protecting yourself from screenshots and archiving
(Extended) Module 5: Media Interview Preparation
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Message development and bridging techniques
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Handling hostile questions
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Video interview best practices
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Practice interviews with feedback
(Extended) Module 6: Media Interview Preparation
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How to re-anchor your professional narrative after a crisis
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Strategic visibility and thought leadership
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Rebuilding trust with students, colleagues, and administration
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Long-term reputation management
(Extended) Module 7: Media Interview Preparation
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Identifying your personal risk areas (teaching, research, public engagement)
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Building a crisis-resilient academic identity
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Social media preparedness strategies
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Creating professional boundaries
(Comprehensive) Module 8: Formal Allegations and Investigations
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Understanding Title IX, HR, and academic misconduct processes
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Your rights during institutional investigations
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Working with legal counsel
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Documentation strategies for formal proceedings
(Comprehensive) Module 9: Formal Allegations and Investigations
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In-depth analysis of real (anonymized) faculty crises
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What worked, what didn't, and why
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Lessons learned from faculty who survived crises
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Participant case study discussions (optional, confidential)