Policy Prospectus

Briana Rodriguez & Ariana Sanchez

1. Describe the selected topic

● -The topic selected is campus crisis readiness. Over the last 2 decades we have
had a heavy influx of campus crises arise. Specifically, school shootings and hate
crimes. We are interested in pursuing this avenue because it is such a prevalent
topic and that can affect essentially anywhere at any time.

2. Articulate the significance of the topic

● How does this topic emerge from current public debates related to higher
education?

-It relates in the way that after incidents occur at institutions, they are followed by
assessments of whether the proper procedures and policies were appropriately
adhered. Therefore, it is vital for institutions to be current with said protocols to
avoid further incidents or losses in the field.

● Why is it important to the public?

-This topic is important to the public because any institution in the United States
is subject to a multitude of crises at any point in time. Therefore, in order to avoid
damage and fatalities, it is important that the public be aware of the guidelines
institutions have to address these incidents. Or to avoid them in the first place.

● How/why are you personally invested in this topic?

-We are personally invested in this topic because as an undergrad student one of
our group members was at an institution where a crisis incident occurred. The
accuracy of the information was unknown immediately following the incident,
students were unsure of what had happened, many were displaced and there was a
lot of uncertainty as to what would happen in the hours and days following the
situations. Therefore, we are interested in diving into this topic and learn how
other institutions reacted to crises on their campus and what orders are or have
been put into place since.
3. Discuss the research question
● What is the key question that will guide your final paper?

-The key question that will guide this final paper will be how institutions can better
mitigate, prepare and respond to such situations through transparent measures and
practical crisis planning.
 References
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Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.

Gow, G. A., McGee, T., Townsend, D., Anderson, P., Varnhagen, S. (2009).Communication
Technology, Emergency Alerts, and Campus Safety, IEEE Technology and Society
Magazine, 28(2), 34-41.

Kelly, K. T. (2015). Campus Readiness for Dealing with an Active Shooter. Long Beach, CA:
California State University, Long Beach.

Knox KS, & Roberts AR. (2005). Crisis intervention and crisis team models in schools. Children
& Schools, 27(2), 93–100.

Markwood, S. E. (1988). When the Television Cameras Arrive, NASPA Journal, 25(3), 209-212.

Sattler, D., Kirsch, J., Shipley, G., et al. (2014). Emergency Preparedness on Campus: Improving
Procedural Knowledge and Response Readiness. Journal of Homeland Security and
Emergency Management, 11(2), 257-268.

Shaw, M. (2018). Teaching Campus Crisis Management Through Case Studies: Moving Between
Theory and Practice, Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice, 55(3), 308-320.

Wang, J., & Hutchins, H. M. (2010). Crisis Management in Higher Education: What Have We
Learned From Virginia Tech? Advances in Developing Human Resources, 12(5),
552–572.