Preventing Crises at Your University

"Barker lays out how colleges can anticipate and avoid negative effects on their reputation from potential adverse events and trends. He also explains how they can minimize the occurrence of crises and effectively manage through those which do occur in ways that mitigate harm to the institution's reputation. Drawing on the author's deep experience with risk, this book is full of very good insights and advice on managing crises."

"Barker illuminates the distinct nature of organizational reputation and its strategic value, urging colleges and universities to use a proactive, systematic, and values-aligned approach to identifying and managing risks. He makes the case for elevating shared responsibility for mitigating risk to reputation within the organization and creating clear structures for doing so. Barker also offers abundant practical guidance on establishing and running effective crisis management teams."

"A readable and meaningful cookbook for integrating the roles of issues, emergency, and crisis planning for departments and roles across institutions of higher learning. An essential reference for sharing with executive leadership and with college and university board members, this book describes clearly the essential steps to prepare an organization for the worst—incident, emergency, or crisis."

"Reputational risk is frequently at the top of an institution's risk register. With the introduction of new reputational risk frameworks and clarity around the frequently confused concepts of crisis management, emergency management, and issues management, Barker's book provides clear insight into how to assess, mitigate, and manage this most important but nebulous of risks."

"Preventing Crises at Your University should be part of the core curriculum for all higher education presidents and senior leaders. Barker makes a persuasive case for reputation management as a discipline worthy of investment, strategy, and rigor and an essential component of every institution's comprehensive risk management strategy. The focus on leadership equips campus communications teams to cultivate collective accountability for executing a reputational risk strategy, preserving the president's credibility, and aspiring to become a 'crisis-proof' institution."

"An engaging directive to think strategically about reputational risk management. Simon understands the complexities of the modern university and the need to manage issues before they escalate. Discipline, values, and above all teamwork must inform the process. This is essential reading across the university, not just the communications department."

"Simon Barker's book is indispensable reading for every president and chancellor of a university or college. It will be especially important for anyone coming into a leadership role in higher education, whether as an administrator or trustee, so that they can assess the capacity of their new institution to deal strategically with reputational risk and respond wisely to whatever challenges may—and almost inevitably will—arise on their watch."

"As a faculty member at Berkeley's Executive Leadership Academy, Simon's insight into how to strategically and proactively manage reputational risk has been both thoughtful and practical. This book should be read by anyone leading, or aspiring to lead a university, in what is perhaps the most challenging and complex of times for higher education."

"If you wait until a crisis occurs to read Simon Barker's book, it's going to be too late. At a minimum, every university president, cabinet member, board chair, and CMO should read it now so they can get ahead of a crisis when it inevitably hits."

"The changing nature of "mainstream" and social media has fundamentally altered the way institutions and their boards need to think about reputational risk. Barker's book defines the threat. It breaks down misconceptions about reputation, risk, and readiness. It challenges the reader to think creatively and proactively. This book should give hope to every leader that it is possible to manage this fundamental risk—and thrive."