Dive Brief:

• After Michigan State University President Lou Anna Simon abruptly resigned over the mishandling of sexual abuse allegations of a former university physician, Inside Higher Ed provides an initial tip sheet for college communicators on presidential departures. During presidential transitions, it says, college and university communications offices are critical to shoring up public confidence and assuring the college community of the path forward. 
• Announcements of a resignation, retirement or departure should be backed by a sound communications strategy that engages important stakeholders and supporters while explaining the hand-off of leadership responsibilities and how the college community will be kept abreast of important developments. 
• Tips included: be honest and straightforward. Don’t hide or sugar coat negative information. Call personally or speak face-to-face with those who will be most affected. Assess the extent to which you might need to communicate and repair relations with certain audiences. Get active and engaged the president, board members, community leaders or someone close to situation. Stick to your game plan and listen to feedback.  

Dive Insight:

College reputations matter to students, donors, employers and the public at large. In many ways, a college’s story is one of its biggest assets and communications offices tasked with telling that story to world. Steep competition in the marketplace for students and resources means that colleges must be on top of their game when it comes to marketing and communications. Particularly in a time of crisis, communications and marketing teams need to be strong and direct, address the situation immediately and avoid the temptation to be defensive in feedback, rather try to be as transparent and open as possible to preserve stakeholders' confidence in the university leadership. 

But in general, even when it isn't crisis time, university communicators play a big role in recruiting potential students, nurturing potential and existing partnerships, and building positive relationships with the public. Two Detroit area colleges have been standouts in this arena. Despite the area’s poor reputation, colleges like University of Detroit Mercy and Wayne State University have boosted their college enrollments, in part, by capitalizing on positive narratives and clearly connecting their brand to the city's history.