3 higher education crisis communication examples (and what universities can learn from them)

Higher education is a microcosm of the world – and currently embodies much of its uncertainty. The zeitgeist on campus ranges from environmental concerns to the increasing cost of living, as well as to political and social unrest around the world. For universities, that means there’s a higher chance of a crisis hitting. And in turn, for communications professionals in universities, there’s a greater need to be prepared for unexpected events.

We’ve already seen poor crisis handling lead to senior staff resignations and cost universities millions. We’ve even seen universities be threatened with defunding in the wake of crises (although, we might add – the motivation behind this type of defunding is political in nature).

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So what can you do? 3 crisis communications examples to learn from

More than ever, universities have to know what to say, when to say it, and how. That’s why we’ve got into different crisis communication examples in higher education. We’re outlining how they panned out to help guide your strategy and get you to shore safely.

1. Howard University financial aid scandal

Six Howard University staff members were fired in 2017, after an internal investigation found they had misappropriated university financial aid.

What happened?

These employees received funds on top of tuition discounts, which exceeded the overall cost of tuition – and they kept the difference. The total amount that was misappropriated was $369,000.

The scandal was first brought to light via an anonymous post on Medium (now deleted). Students on campus staged a protest in response, occupying the main administration building for days. They called for the resignation of Howard University’s president.

How did the university communicate?

One day after the Medium post shared the allegations, Howard University president, Wayne Frederick, shared a statement that financial aid misappropriation had taken place.

Frederick did not comment on how much money the staff members had received. He did communicate that he had been alerted to possible misappropriation in 2016 and had launched an internal investigation.

He reported the findings to the Department of Education in 2017 and said six employees were fired two months later due to “gross misconduct and neglect of duties”. He listed revised processes for financial aid and announced that a new Chief Compliance Officer had been appointed.

What worked and what didn’t?

Accountability. Once the Medium post was shared, the university didn’t deny wrongdoing. The president confirmed the allegations and fired the people involved.

Corrective action. Howard University shared detailed steps to improve transparency and fairness in financial aid.

Stakeholder engagement. Frederick acknowledged feelings of mistrust from students and staff in the crisis. He said “I know our campus community deserves better” and committed to operating with integrity moving forward.

Delay in disclosure. The misappropriation of funds had been happening for a long time before it was made public. The scandal breaking via an anonymous source took some control away from the university’s communications team.

Inconsistent figures. The exact amount of money involved in the scandal wasn’t clear at first. The Medium post reported $1 million, but it was later confirmed to be $369,000. The discrepancy cast doubts for some people.

Unaddressed demands. Some students called for Frederick to resign and he didn’t. Others believed the action taken wasn’t sufficient to prevent similar crises happening in the future.

2. Munster Technological University data leak

Munster Technological University (MTU) was hit by a cyberattack in 2023. Hackers breached the university’s system and gained access to more than 6GB of internal files, including staff and student data. Ransomware was used to encrypt files and prevent the University’s access to these files.

What happened?

The attackers demanded money for the data but MTU did not engage. Representatives from the university later confirmed that some of the data was published on the dark web. The Cork campus of the university was closed for one week following the cyberattack.

How did the university communicate?

MTU notified staff and students that a cyberattack had taken place. The university also created a knowledge base, where people could access what had happened, FAQs, advice and crisis updates. It then published a statement listing the university’s response, including securing an injunction, monitoring the web and working with relevant authorities.

MTU used a High Court order to stop the attackers, and others who knew the data was stolen, from sharing it further. It implemented an iterative plan to restore IT systems, with priority given to “core business-critical elements”.

What worked and what didn’t?

Speed. MTU quickly informed staff and students about the data breach.

Clear action plan. The university laid out a five-stage plan to deal with the hack, and provided informative tips for students to stay safe.

Partnerships. MTU highlighted that it was working with the National Cyber Security Centre, Data Protection Commission, and other government departments to find solutions. 

Details. The university couldn’t specify what data had been stolen at the time of the first statement, which may have heightened anxiety.

Existing failures. The breach showed that MTU’s cyber defense had gaps, and this vulnerability wasn’t acknowledged in the communications.

Support for the affected. Crisis communication didn’t mention whether the university would offer help to people whose data had been leaked, such as credit monitoring or identity protection.

3. Florida Gulf Coast University and Hurricane Ian

In 2022, Hurricane Ian struck the Fort Myers/Naples area of Florida, where the Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) is located, causing catastrophic damage.

What happened?

The university was affected by high winds, flooding, loss of power, disruption to phone and internet services, and closed its doors for two weeks.

How did the university communicate?

In the days leading up to the Category 5 hurricane’s landfall, FGCU sent daily updates to students and faculty. These updates shared class cancellations and new schedules, as well as advice about how to stay safe.

When reports confirmed the severity of the hurricane, the university communicated that there were emergency shelters for students who could not leave. Once the hurricane had passed, FGCU set up a number of support systems. It shared an emergency fund to assist affected people, a storm recovery call centre and counselling for staff and students.

The university additionally told faculty to be flexible with students, accommodating disruptions by extending deadlines and allowing remote learning. A programme was launched too, for university members to volunteer in community recovery. 

What worked and what didn’t?

Proactive comms. FGCU organised its crisis comms before the hurricane arrived. It published updates and resources ahead of time for everyone to prepare.

Support mechanisms. Emergency shelters, counselling and more demonstrated that the university cared about staff and students’ wellbeing.

United messaging. FGCU’s statements, call centres and digital platforms all presented clear, connected comms.

Infrastructural limits. Power outages caused by the hurricane would disrupt digital communications. The university didn’t offer alternatives.

Longer-term recovery. Comms didn’t specify how long resources would be available, nor how disproportionately-impacted individuals would be supported.

Closure coordination. FGCU didn’t elaborate on what the two-week closure meant for students in terms of course content, grades and academic progress.

Crisis communication takeaways for higher education leaders

The above crisis communication examples are only a small slice of what universities have dealt with over the years. Still, they present common ‘dos’ and ‘dont’s’ that can guide institutions through effective crisis management now.

Do

• Be empathetic: Howard University, MTU and FGCU all made sure to recognise the effects of the crises on people. Empathy goes a long way to not only maintain trust, but to actively build it in difficult circumstances.
• Communicate quickly: Time is transparency in a crisis. The sooner you speak, the sooner you can reassure people and get a hold on the narrative. You want to make sure that you’re controlling the crisis, not the other way around.
• Be proactive: Show stakeholders what you’re doing to analyse the crisis, keep everyone safe, and implement solutions. Howard University, MTU and FGCU all brought solutions to their crisis comms.
• Be consistent: Your tone and terminology need to have a common thread in your crisis communications so that staff, students and media can easily understand what’s happening. Remember that not everyone will encounter your crisis comms from the first released statement. 

Don’t

• Leave delays: Silences allow for speculation. FGCU didn’t relay what data had been breached, which could have amplified uncertainty. 
• Only address the short-term impact: Crises can have a rippling effect well past their end date. Take care to consider the longer-term fallout of events.
• Omit reactions: If there’s a clear sentiment around your crisis comms from stakeholders, acknowledge it and suggest how it’s informing your crisis strategy moving forward.

Final thoughts

Crisis management requires skill, but it’s also about being human and still making smart business decisions. The examples in this article reinforce that crisis communication should reassure, resolve, and review – and have the lowest possible impact on revenue and reputation.

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