In the event of a crisis, the Oregon State University (OSU) community and constituents associated with the university must be informed of decisions and be prepared to respond. To do so effectively, they must be made aware of relevant information through clear, consistent and complete communications. These timely communications provide for the health, safety and security of the OSU community, and, in some cases, the larger Corvallis community as well. Additionally, OSU communications will be in full compliance with the Clery Act, HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) and FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) requirements. This plan is based on knowledge of past OSU emergencies, as well as potential future emergencies and includes specific communication needs of such incidents. 

This plan provides policies and procedures for the coordination of communication within OSU’s Corvallis campus as well as between the university, the media and the general public. Incidents requiring activation of the plan are wide-ranging and include — but are not limited to — natural disasters, weather, student or employee deaths, threats or acts of violence, power outages, personnel actions, arrests or protests regarding social/civil issues, crimes or similar incidents, and other significant controversies requiring a response. This plan incorporates processes for Timely Warning/Emergency Notification (TW/EN) as required by the Clery Act. 

The plan is designed to complement the crisis response process of the university and does not supplant that process, which should also be clearly documented and communicated. 

This Crisis Communication Plan was formally updated on April 5, 2023, as part of an annual review process and was created by representatives from University Relations and Marketing. For more information about this plan, please contact Annie Athon Heck, associate vice president for University Relations and Marketing, at 541-737-0790 or annie.heck@oregonstate.edu.