Leadership Communications
Guiding Principles for Leadership Communications at William & Mary
As a public university in the Commonwealth of Virginia, William & Mary is bound to the Constitutions of our Commonwealth and of the United States. Consistent with our educational mission, William & Mary embraces a culture of open debate, reflection and listening. We recognize that honorable people may deeply disagree. When we create space for respectful debate we grow in understanding – benefitting from the different perspectives and experiences of our diverse community in our pursuit of knowledge as a public good.
It is the role of a university to hold open such spaces of respectful debate both inside and outside the classroom. As the Alma Mater of the Nation, William & Mary has affirmed this role since our founding and we exercise it as an essential function of a healthy democracy. Consistent with this role, when William & Mary takes institutional positions, it does so in a non-partisan way, on matters impacting the university and our educational mission.
President Rowe routinely engages in and encourages every member of the university to practice “second-day responding” on complex matters, to ensure that we gain full and clear facts before drawing conclusions. The president does not respond to unsigned messages, anonymous petitions, or form letters.
With the above context in mind, the following principles guide administrative communications when determining whether events internal or external to campus warrant an official response. Please note: only the president or designee speaks for the university; only the rector or designee speaks for the Board of Visitors.
Application of these principles is a matter of W&M leadership's best judgment, considering all that may be known about a specific matter or event:
- The Emergency Management Team (EMT) and William & Mary Police have the lead on all crisis communications involving campus public safety. The EMT has an established emergency communication protocol for immediate public safety incidents and imminent or pending threats such as weather events and/or university closures.
- When considering communications and messages regarding non-imminent public safety matters, members of the Executive Leadership Team (ELT) are empowered by the president to reflect the university's position on matters that fall within their domain. Members of the ELT will consider the facts as known and consult as needed with members of the campus community. Decisions will be guided by several considerations:
- Direct and indirect impact on the university and its community
- Appropriate responder
- Platforms to be considered (one or all may be used):
- Campus email message
- Message posted to W&M News
- Message distributed to media
- Message shared on W&M social media sites
- Message included in W&M Weekly Newsletter