NEW YORK — From crisis management to fan engagement, the annual Intercollegiate Athletics Forum allowed leaders in the collegiate landscape to touch base and exchange ideas.
Crisis management
In the not too distant past, the timeframe for publicly addressing pressing issues and crises in college sports or other institutional emergencies was 24 to 72 hours. Now it is two to three minutes. Panelists on the Crisis Management: Proactive Steps for Mitigating Risk and Being Prepared When a Crisis Strikes panel said they could not emphasize enough the importance of being proactive.
Jim Livengood, former athletic director of the University of Arizona, UNLV and Washington State University, said social media will jump on the information almost instantly—in many cases before administration even knows about it—so a complete crisis plan must be in place.
While instincts may prompt administration to try to keep things under wraps until some resolution can be found, that isn’t a viable option in the present day. Carrie Gerlach Cecil, CEO of Social Media Sports Management, said tell the truth and tell it quickly. If the crisis leads to litigation, a digital footprint showing the institution did the right thing is crucial.
Obviously, different situations require different reactions—whether it’s an incident of sexual misconduct or a cheating scandal—and an institution must react accordingly. In advance, think through many possible scenarios and establish who will be making public statements.
Former athletic director Dan Beebe, now a private consultant, said it’s important to have an independent outside entity set up the crisis procedures so that every possible angle is examined. Beebe also advised to reflect diversity in the decision making process and also in the group examining any crisis issue.
