How Colleges Can Prepare For An Upsurge In Campus Protests This Fall

As colleges and universities prepare to welcome back students for the start of the fall semester, campus leaders must be ready to address potential – and disruptive -student-led protests.

Nationwide pro-Palestine protests began last spring with the closure of Columbia University. Fourteen days after dozens of students staged a “Gaza Solidarity Encampment,” classes were moved online, over 100 students were arrested, commencement was canceled, and House Speaker Mike Johnson called for Columbia University President Minouche Shafik to resign.

Protests then spread to schools nationwide, triggering a third congressional hearing.

With the war between Israel and Hamas ongoing during a heated U.S. presidential campaign, the political climate is highly charged. Campuses need to prepare for the likelihood that student protests will resume. Summer provides campus leaders with time to plan for the next round of protests.

Consider the Cost of Chaos

When a campus protest disrupts a peaceful learning environment, it can also disrupt an institute’s future. To effectively prepare for protest chaos, college and university leaders must assess the stakes if the response falls short. When a school’s reputation takes a hit, so does the bottom line. There is an actual cost to the damage. When donors lose faith in a college president’s ability to handle a protest, they may stop supporting it. Alumni, in particular, may withdraw valuable donations.

When donors pull support, support for the president goes with it.

Donors are abandoning Harvard University and jeopardizing its $50 billion-plus endowment, the largest in the world. The latest billionaire to retreat due to antisemitic incidents on campus is Harvard Business School alum Len Blavatnik. It was reported that Blavatnik’s family foundation suspended donations to Harvard in the wake of President Claudine Gay’s disastrous congressional testimony remarks.

These disruptions not only erode the trust of current students and parents, but they also impact admissions. Emerson College admitted in an email that pro-Palestinian protests contributed to a drop in their fall enrollment. “The size of our projected incoming first-year class for Fall 2024 is significantly below what we had hoped,” the school reported. In addition to negative press and social media, contributing to the lower admission numbers were protesters “targeting campus tours and other events.”

Planning an effective response to campus disruptions includes knowing fully what is at stake if plans aren’t followed.

Revise Policies and Codes of Conduct

When he appeared at a congressional hearing on campus antisemitism in May, Northwestern president Michael Schill admitted that the university’s existing rules and policies fell short. During his testimony, he remarked, “We must improve our processes to meet the current challenge.” However, under his direction, Schill shared that Northwestern’s student conduct code and other policies “will be in place before students return to campus.”

One of the most valuable parts of a crisis management plan is the evaluation stage. Understanding what worked well during a response is helpful, but knowing what didn’t work is invaluable. Summer is the perfect time to update policies based on lessons learned.

Redraft social media policies that explicitly cover public-facing content. Specify what the communication department can publish and what comments to remove.

A must-have policy for all colleges and universities is a set of clear-cut rules around student-sponsored events. Policies must define the boundary between campus safety and student freedom. Students should know their rights before the semester begins. Managing expectations is the key to managing a crisis.

Get Crisis Plans in Place

Campus protest management requires informed decision-making. That’s why it is critical to have a proactive risk management plan in place well before students arrive on campus in the fall. The consequences of school presidents not responding effectively were made clear by Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) during the hearings last May. “You will be held accountable.”

An issues management plan keeps you ahead of any potential crisis, while a crisis management plan provides a roadmap for managing a crisis when it occurs.

However, a crisis plan is only as effective as its assigned roles and tasks. Heading into a crisis without clear instructions for every team member can jeopardize the response. It is imperative to include public safety in the plan to ensure a comprehensive and effective response.

A crisis communication plan shows you how to tell people how the crisis happened and what you plan to do about it. An effective strategic plan begins with having one in place.

Hope is not a strategy.

Create Constituent Communications

Campus protests last spring highlighted social media’s uncontrollable nature. Viral posts, real-time updates, and misinformation can make managing the narrative difficult. The key to controlling the narrative is to communicate proactively. Back-to-school communications should emphasize resilience and competence.

Effective communication with both external and internal audiences helps maintain trust and ensures crisis readiness. A well-communicated plan reassures constituents that the institution will not be caught off guard.

Effective Crisis Management Begins Now

Colleges and universities experiencing a protest-free summer must capitalize on this opportunity. By proactively addressing the potential for campus protests, they can better manage future disruptions. Given the high costs, college and university leaders must review and update policies, create protest-specific crisis plans, and communicate effectively with constituents. A solid plan will help campus leaders maintain trust during an academic year of likely unrest.