Liberty University Media Crisis Communications Plan

Purpose

This action plan exists to ensure that Liberty University responds effectively in every public relations crisis and establishes clear guidelines for handling a crisis.

For the purposes of this document, a crisis involving media communications is defined by any unexpected event that has the potential to negatively impact the university’s public reputation and brand or threatens the health and safety of any members of the Liberty community. This plan encompasses internal and external communications, including local and national press members.

The Office of Communications & Public Engagement manages all media crisis communications for the university, from determining whether an issue warrants a response to coordinating timely statements with appropriate members of Liberty leadership for consistent messaging, monitoring, and reporting, to reviewing all outcomes post-crisis for future planning.

Objectives

• The goal of all communications with media during a crisis is to prioritize the safety and well-being of students, faculty, staff, and visitors. Staff will focus on timely and accurate information dissemination, maintaining transparency with the media and all stakeholders, and mitigating the impact of crises on the university community.
• An effective communications plan includes a coordinated, unified response from appropriate staff, with the goal of speaking with one voice utilizing approved messages throughout the crisis and providing continuous updates to the campus community and media as the crisis unfolds and new information becomes available and necessary to report.

Crisis Identification

All media requests and notices of a crisis or potential crisis will be received and reviewed by the Vice President of Communications & Public Engagement or his designee, who will determine if the matter necessitates a response from the university. All media are asked to send their requests in writing to news@liberty.edu, and all requests will be addressed in a timely manner.

Determining factors for issuing a public or internal response include whether the issue tarnishes the reputation of Liberty University, could lead to a loss of trust in the university by key interest groups (students, faculty, staff, parents, donors, and alumni), or threatens the safety of the LU community.

Coordinated Response

The Vice President of Communications & Public Engagement or his designee will be the sole university staff member to correspond with press during a crisis on behalf of the university. Following an initial threat assessment, each situation will be classified into one of four tiers of notification based on severity, scope, and potential impact. These classifications are subject to change as more information becomes available or as the situation escalates and reaches broader audiences.

Updated: 6/16/25
This plan will be reviewed and approved annually, before the start of every academic year.

Media contact:
Ryan Helfenbein, Vice President of Communications & Public Engagement
news@liberty.edu
(434) 582-7751