DASNR Crisis Communications Plan

I. Introduction

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 College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources 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. Anticipating a Crisis Communications Event

Anticipation is a vital element of crisis communications. Division employees responsible for designated activities should periodically assess crisis risks. Worst-case scenarios should be ascertained and steps to alleviate and/or answer public concerns and media questions should be prepared in advance, where appropriate and possible.

III. 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 that 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
Tailor the standby statement to the events that are unfolding, 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;
• identification of the appropriate spokesperson(s);
• the role of OSU Agricultural Communications Services staff and/or OSU Communications staff;
• further persons to contact;
• meeting places, times, participants, and agendas;
• prioritization of activities; and
• establishment of a timeline for further actions.

IV. 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: Robert E. Whitson, Robert Westerman, Gary Sherrer, James Trapp, Clarence Watson, Ross Love, Charles Cox, and Glenn Muske.

• College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources (405-744-5395): Ask for Academic Program Administrator Ed Miller.

• OSU Agricultural Communications Services (405-744-4065, 405-744-4081, or 405-744-4079): Begin by asking for Garvin Quinn, Director, or Donald Stotts, News and Media Relations Manager. If Garvin and/or Don are not available, you should be assisted by Ron Dahlgren, Trisha Gedon, Katie Reim, or Janet Reeder, all 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 District Director:

1. Brent Westerman, CRO Experiment Stations (405-744-9607)
2. Bill Stacey, NE District Director (918-686-7800)
3. Dee Cooper, NW District Director (580-233-5295)
4. Claude Bess, SE District Director (580-332-4100)
5. Steve Smith, SW District Director (580-255-3674)

• 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: Robert E. Whitson, Robert Westerman, Gary Sherrer, James Trapp, Clarence Watson, Ross Love, Charles Cox, and Glenn Muske.

• College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources (405-744-5395): Ask for Academic Program Administrator Ed Miller.

• OSU Agricultural Communications Services (405-744-4065, 405-744-4081, or 405-744-4079): Begin by asking for Garvin Quinn, Director, or Donald Stotts, News and Media Relations Manager. If Garvin and/or Don are not available, you should be assisted by Ron Dahlgren, Trisha Gedon, Katie Reim, or Janet Reeder, all of whom work with news and media relations efforts.

V. University Communications

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

• Office of Oklahoma State University Communications (405-744-6260): Every effort should be made to contact Gary Shutt, Director of Communications and official spokesperson for the University on many crisis communications matters. At the very least, OSU Communications should be contacted so that relevant information may be relayed by OSU Communications staff to Gary Shutt. It is understood and expected that 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. Whitson’s request or in matters of extreme urgency when the Division’s main office is unable to initiate contact.

VI. 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

• OSU Agricultural Communications Services News and Media Relations 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 Directors

• Other Division Administrative Team members

• Gary Shutt, Director of Communications, 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.

VII. 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 media provides 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.

VIII. Reduce ‘Bad Exposure’ Moments

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.

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
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. Deal with the media long enough and you will be misquoted, no exceptions. Careful word selection can help reduce “bad exposure” moments.

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 media often portrays people and/or organizations as victims, villains, or heroes. It may not be fair. It may be an oversimplification. 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.

IX. Safety Net of Crisis Communications Contacts

Need an address for contact persons? Here are a few key ones.

Office of the Vice President, Dean, and Director
Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources (including the Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station and Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service)
002 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
College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources
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 or 405-744-4081
Fax: 405-744-5739

OSU Communications
413 Whitehurst Hall
Oklahoma State University
Stillwater, OK 74078-1011
Phone: 405-744-6260
Fax: 405-744-9073

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

X. OSU Agricultural Communications Services

Professionals in OSU Agricultural Communications Services can be reached directly by calling 405-744 and the following extensions:

Ron Dahlgren (x3737)
Senior TV Producer/Director (Writer)

Trisha Gedon (x3625)
News and Media Relations (Writer/Editor)

Vince Giannotti (x3662)
TV Producer/Director & Displays

Kevin Gragg (x4075)
Oklahoma Gardening TV Producer/Director

Mandy Gross (x0442)
FAPC Communications Specialist

Sherry Grussing (x8061)
TV Producer/Director

Janis Harrington (x4065)
Financial Assistant to the Director

Gayle Hiner (x3659)
Publications Coordinator/Graphic Designer

Todd Johnson (x5731)
Communications Specialist (Photography)

Jamie McReynolds (x4079)
Unit Assistant

Ursula O’Hara (x9930)
CNEP Communications Support

Garvin Quinn (x4065)
Unit Administrator

Janet Reeder (x3651)
Communications Specialist

Katie Reim (x6792)
News and Media Relations (Writer/Editor)

Donald Stotts (x4079)
News and Media Relations Manager
Managing Editor of “Ag at OSU” magazine

Craig Woods (x3618)
TV Producer/Director (Video Stores)

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

News and Media Relations: OSU Agricultural Communications Services takes the lead in providing news and feature stories 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. As such, OSU Agricultural Communications Services news and media relations staff has access to state and regional media that can prove invaluable to working through a crisis communications event.