In the wake of…

Leadership and governance in the aftermath of tragedy
By Richard A. Skinner, senior vice president, AGB*

Much is asked and much is expected of university and college trustees, but seldom is more asked than when disaster strikes a campus, whether from natural forces such as earthquakes or hurricanes or from human-triggered violence. Best-laid plans and prudent preparations cannot always prevent destructive events or actions, nor is it always possible to mitigate fully the tragic consequences of nature or man. Accordingly, trustees are obliged to think about what can and should be done in the wake of tragedy, when the tenets of leadership emerge from the shadows of routine into the stark glare of the world.

As a start, trustees are likely to do more than anything else in preparing for crises when they exercise the fundamental duty of hiring a new president. Boards will strive to choose a president whose experience and judgment give good reason to expect that he or she will act prudently in the attendant chaos of crises that involve the safety and well-being of people on campus.

Beyond hiring wisely, trustees also must insist that administrators demonstrate that safety and security are institutional priorities and that emergencies have been considered beforehand and prepared for in advance. Recent history shows all too clearly that colleges and universities are not removed from violence, destruction, and death. From the tragedies that have befallen some institutions, there are lessons to be learned, among which are the following:

More often than not, many incidents will outstrip the resources of even the largest, best-prepared college or university. Establishing, maintaining, and utilizing close ties with local and state public safety and health officials and organizations is critical, as they are likely to be called upon to assist with the emergency and its aftermath. Boards serve their institutions well by establishing policy calling on presidents to develop clear, unambiguous protocols for ensuring safety, most especially that of communicating with local and state officials. Moreover, the board should review the policy at regular and frequent intervals.
In the immediate aftermath of an emergency, the board must provide unqualified support to the president, the institution’s principal spokesperson. This is of particular importance when, as is the case with today’s coverage of events, demands for information overwhelm the capacity of the institution and the president, however diligently they may try to provide reliable data. In some cases, law actually prohibits the disclosure of some information.
Mental health professionals point out that in the wake of tragic events people need to come together in order to talk freely about what has happened. Boards can help their institutions in responding to this need by demonstrating very publicly their presence on campus with the president.
Trauma and grief are natural reactions to tragedy and occasions for public mourning can help those on campus who grieve. But continuity and a return to routine also can help communities; boards should help their institutions by adhering to the traditions and ritual ceremonies that are the hallmark of academia.
In the wake of a campus tragedy and preferably as part of an annual assessment of presidential performance, the board should revisit institutional performance in:

safeguarding against crisis,
responding to crisis, and
restoring the institution in the aftermath of tragedy.

Accountability, not recrimination, is the purpose of such an appraisal, and the scrutiny is applied every bit as much to the board itself as to the administration and with an eye toward being better prepared.

We construct social institutions such as universities at least in part to withstand the foibles and frailties of individuals, be they from within or from outside. The durability of these institutions should give us a measure of comfort that we indeed do survive intact. We in America choose to govern universities and colleges by citizens as trustees, and in so doing repose with them the awesome responsibility of governing so as to prevent and endure tragedy as best they can and to lift up those institutions in the wake of tragedy. In so governing, they lead.

In the wake of…

Leadership and governance in the aftermath of tragedy By Richard A. Skinner, senior vice president, AGB*

Related links: A “grim primer”

Leadership and governance in the aftermath of tragedy
By Richard A. Skinner, senior vice president, AGB*