Updated: 8/25/20

• I. Anticipating a Crisis Communications Event

  Every organization, whether public or private, wishes to maintain a favorable public image. Unfortunately, events sometimes occur that require a time-critical media response beyond normal, routine organizational requirements. Increased public scrutiny can occur because of perceived concerns related to animal rights; certain agricultural production practices; selected research projects of a controversial nature; accidents; sabotage of ongoing projects by internal or external groups; charges of unprofessional, unethical, or criminal behavior on the part of an organization’s employees; and many more.

  The Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources is no exception. Given that the Division is comprised of three aspects – the Ferguson College of Agriculture and two statewide agencies: the Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station and Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service – there is an obvious and great need to ensure that every employee, whether the individual is headquartered at the main Stillwater campus or elsewhere across the state, be familiar with and have easy access to the Division’s Crisis Communications Plan.

• II. Handling a Crisis Communications Event

  When a crisis that requires media/public notification strikes, it is essential the Division take immediate and appropriate action. The key to success is to obtain all relevant information, confirm its accuracy, disseminate the information as quickly as possible, and prepare to address the situation as it unfolds. The following steps should be taken as soon as a crisis communication event occurs:

  Gather the facts
  As with any crisis, the Division must have accurate information upon which to base an appropriate response.

  Convene the Division’s Crisis Communications Team
  Core team members should be informed of the event as quickly as possible, so decisions can be made about what information is released, who speaks for the Division, who must be notified, what role media relations staff will play, and logistical details. Core members should take the lead, and then bring in the rest of the team, and possibly other Division and/or University personnel, as needed and appropriate.

  Prepare a statement and background information
  If the situation warrants an official statement, tailor the standby statement and/or talking points to the unfolding events, and prepare background information for the media. In all documents, stick to the facts and avoid speculation.

  Contact appropriate officials
  If the crisis involves the public welfare, official agencies other than the Division must be notified. This might include police, fire departments, government agencies, or others, as appropriate to the specific crisis. Stick to the facts and avoid speculation.

  Work with the Division’s Crisis Communications Team
  Individuals are on the Division’s Crisis Communications Team because they possess needed knowledge and/or skill sets relative to handling a communications crisis, whether state- or field-based in origin. Depending on the nature of the problem, decisions will be made on the following issues:

  • • expansion of team resources/knowledge for the specific crisis in question, adding team members on a temporary basis, if required;
  • • what information will be released and how it will be distributed;
  • • identification of the appropriate spokesperson(s);
  • • the role of OSU Agricultural Communications Services staff and/or OSU Brand Management staff;
  • • additional people to contact;
  • • meeting places, times, participants and agendas;
  • • prioritization of activities; and
  • • establishment of a timeline for further actions.

• III. Who to Contact

  When a Division crisis communications event occurs at the state level (Stillwater campus), contact the following individuals/team members as soon as possible, and always speak to a person. Do not ever just leave a voice mail or e-mail without ensuring that a living, breathing person has been contacted.

  • • Appropriate Department Head or Unit Administrator
  • • Office of the Vice President, Dean, and Director (405-744-2474): The message will be forwarded to all appropriate members of the Division's Administrative Team: Thomas Coon, Damona Doye, Cynda Clary, Deborah VanOverbeke, Keith Owens, Randy Raper, Randy Taylor, Bob Klein, Steve Beck and Gina Peek.
  • • Ferguson College of Agriculture (405-744-5395): Ask for Academic Program Administrator Cynda Clary or Deborah VanOverbeke.
  • • OSU Agricultural Communications Services (405-744-4065 or 405-744-4079): Begin by asking for Lyndall Stout, Director. If Lyndall is not available, you should be assisted by Brian Brus or Lindsey Davidson, both of whom work with news and media relations efforts.

  When a Division crisis communications event occurs at the field-based level (Experiment Station locales; county, area or district Cooperative Extension offices), contact the following individuals/team members as soon as possible, and always speak to a person. Do not ever just leave a voice mail or e-mail without ensuring that a living, breathing person has been contacted.

  • • Other members of the field-based unit
  • • Appropriate Experiment Station Administrator or Extension District Director:
  1. Keith Owens, Associate Vice President (Experiment Station) (405-744-9707)
  2. Randy Raper, Assistant Director (Experiment Station) (405-744-9607)
  3. Nancy Johnson, NE District Director (918-686-7800)
  4. Cindy Connor, NW District Director (580-233-5295)
  5. Claude Bess, SE District Director (580-332-4100)
  • • Office of the Vice President, Dean, and Director (405-744-2474):
    The message will be forwarded to all appropriate members of the Division's Administrative Team: Thomas Coon, Damona Doye, Cynda Clary, Deborah VanOverbeke, Keith Owens, Randy Raper, Randy Taylor, Bob Klein, Steve Beck and Gina Peek.
  • • Ferguson College of Agriculture (405-744-5395): Ask for Academic Program Administrator Cynda Clary or Deborah VanOverbeke.
  • • OSU Agricultural Communications Services (405-744-4065 or 405-744-4079): Begin by asking for Lyndall Stout, Director. If Lyndall is not available, you should be assisted by Brian Brus or Lindsey Davidson, both of whom work with news and media relations efforts.

• IV. University Communications

  When a Division crisis communications event occurs, the following will be contacted by the Office of the Vice President, Dean, and Director; Ferguson College of Agriculture, or OSU Agricultural Communications Services, as appropriate, in as quick a manner as possible:

  • • Oklahoma State University Office of Brand Management (405-744-6260): Every effort should be made to contact Monica Roberts, Director of Media Relations and official spokesperson for the University. It is understood and expected that OSU's office of Brand Management (OSU Communications) will share information with the OSU Office of the President and other University offices, as appropriate.
  • • Office of Oklahoma State University CEO and President (405-744-6384): Ideally, the President’s Office will be contacted by the Division’s Office of the Vice President, Dean and Director, but may be contacted by others at Dr. Coon’s request or in matters of extreme urgency when the Division’s main office is unable to initiate contact.

• V. Division’s Base Crisis Communications Team

  Individuals holding the following positions are considered permanent members of the Division’s Crisis Communications Team:

  • • Vice President, Dean and Director
  • • Associate and Assistant Vice Presidents of the Division
  • • Associate Dean and Directors of the Division
  • • Assistant Dean and Directors of the Division
  • • Director, OSU Agricultural Communications Services
  • • Director, DASNR Technology Services and Support
  • • Sr. Director, DASNR Integrated Digital Strategies Team
  • • OSU Agricultural Communications Services News and Media Relations team and social/digital media team

  In nearly all instances, a communications crisis will also expand to involve one or more of the following:

  • • Appropriate Department Heads, Unit Administrators or District Director
  • • Other Division Administrative Team members
  • • Monica Roberts, Director of Media Relations, Oklahoma State University
  • • Other University personnel, as directed by the Office of the President

  Additional faculty and staff from either the Division or University can and should be included as necessary, based on the specific crisis and the skill sets/knowledge they bring to addressing problems and concerns.

• VI. Crafting a Communications Message

  Use the following as guidelines to promote effective communications during a time of crisis, thereby helping to ensure needed information is shared while helping to protect the organization’s public image.

  Identify key audiences
  Determine which of the Division’s stakeholders need to be informed of the situation, and in what order.

  Designate a spokesperson
  It is best to have only one spokesperson, if possible, as this helps to ensure a unified, consistent message to the public. However, given the Division’s land-grant mission and work with many aspects of society, designating a single spokesperson will not always be possible, especially when sharing scientific-based information.

  Respond to media requests quickly and fairly
  The news media provide a way for the Division to get its message out to the public. The media also will play an important role in shaping public opinion about how the Division is responding to the crisis. Be cooperative, be sensitive to media needs and deadlines, and provide all reporters with the same information. Do not provide exclusives.

  Respond to social media postings
  Be proactive rather than reactive. Monitor social media sites and respond quickly and fairly.

• VII. Reputation Management

  There are literally thousands of things that can set off a crisis communications event. Yet, through it all, it is important to remember a few key ingredients that can help alleviate and/or prevent public image problems and better protect the organization's credibility in the long run.

  Set good policy
  The setting of a good policy is one of the best ways to avoid unwarranted criticism. No amount of good public relations can make up for a bad policy.

  Do the right thing
  Being ethical and doing what is right during a crisis generally will be noticed and appreciated by both members of the media and the public. It might not make a bad situation go away, but it can help reduce the level of criticism and pay dividends later.

  Choose words and phrases carefully
  Prepare talking points, statements, contact information and other facts to submit to a reporter during an interview. Watch what is said, because as much bad press has resulted from ill-considered statements as the events themselves. In addition, there are always going to be instances where a person is misquoted or a reporter gets facts wrong. Reporters take notes. Reporters are making subjective decisions about a story while they are covering it. Careful word selection can help reduce “bad exposure” moments. Develop a landing page online for posting crisis updates.

  Know what court you are playing in
  Always try to anticipate potential liability concerns and work with University Legal Services. The court of law is not the court of public opinion. The Division has a responsibility to (1) release as much accurate information as possible without (2) jeopardizing possible forthcoming investigations and/or litigation.

  Victim, villain or hero
  In a crisis, the news media often portray people and/or organizations as victims, villains or heroes. Portrayals may not be fair and may be oversimplified. While the media ethically is supposed to strive for truth and accuracy, complex issues are often lost in the telling of stories. Doing the “right thing” and making sound decisions represent the best public relations strategy.

  Evaluate and debrief
  Experience can be a great teacher. After the crisis is over, everyone associated with the communications effort should get together for an evaluation of what worked and what did not work, taking care to identify the reasons why. Once problem areas are identified, take steps to ensure they are corrected before the next crisis communications event.

• VIII. Crisis Communications Contacts

  Office of the Vice President, Dean and Director
  Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources
  102 Agricultural Hall
  Oklahoma State University
  Stillwater, OK 74078-6009
  Phone: 405-744-2474
  Fax: 405-744-2480

  Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service/
  Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station
  Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources
  139 Agricultural Hall
  Oklahoma State University
  Stillwater, OK 74078-6019
  Phone: 405-744-5398
  Fax: 405-744-5339

  Office of the Associate Dean
  Ferguson College of Agriculture
  136 Agricultural Hall
  Oklahoma State University
  Stillwater, OK 74078-6017
  Phone: 405-744-5395
  Fax: 405-744-5339

  OSU Agricultural Communications Services
  141 Agriculture North
  Oklahoma State University
  Stillwater, OK 74078
  Phone: 405-744-4065
  Fax: 405-744-5739

  DASNR Technology Service and Support
  008J Agriculture Hall
  Oklahoma State University
  Stillwater, OK 74078-6024
  Phone: 405-744-5536
  Fax: 405-744-1290

  OSU Brand Management
  307 Whitehurst
  Oklahoma State University
  Stillwater, OK 74078-1011
  Phone: 405-744-6262
  Fax: 405-744-8445

  University Legal Counsel
  220 Student Union
  Oklahoma State University
  Stillwater, OK 74078-7044
  Phone: 405-744-6494
  Fax: 405-744-7998

• IX. OSU Agricultural Communications Services

  Professionals in OSU Agricultural Communications Services can be reached by calling 405-744-4065 or contacting individual ACS staff members.

  Although not everyone in OSU Agricultural Communications Services is part of the Division’s base Crisis Communications Team, any ACS staff member can and will assist callers in contacting the official team.

  OSU Agricultural Communications Services takes the lead in developing strategy and providing news and feature stories, video, photos and digital content about Division activities, people and programs to the mass media, as appropriate by subject and target audience, and for all Division program areas: Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station, Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service and Academic Programs. The OSU Agricultural Communications Services team has access to state, regional and national media and numerous social media outlets that can prove invaluable to working through a crisis communications event.