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Cornell University

Office of Emergency Management

ESF-15: University Relations

Emergency Support Function 15: University Relations

PURPOSE

ESF-15: University Relations generally coordinates communications and engagement with the university community, local community, general public, elected officials, government agencies, and members of the media.

ESF-15 does not include the functions of emergency public warning and notification as outlined in ESF‑16: Incident and Operational Communications. The Vice President for University Relations, Associate Vice President for Communications and heads of Strategic Communications, Media Relations, and New Media will coordinate with the Office of Emergency Management to develop clear and consistent messages and dissemination strategies.

CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS

Coordinating Unit: Cornell University’s Division of University Relations

Strategic Communications develops and implements university communications plans; develops and publishes university statements and community-wide messages on university-owned platforms; provides internal communications support to Cornell’s academic and administrative units; and monitors/manages response strategy for social media.

Media Relations serves as the university’s liaison to local, regional, national and international media organizations, including development and dissemination of official statements to the media; provides external communications and media-related support to Cornell’s academic and administrative units, and supports the dissemination of information to the general public.

Community Relations, State Relations, and Federal Relations serve as the university’s liaisons to the local, state, and federal elected officials and local and regional community leaders.

ESF ACTIONS

Vice President for University Relations

  • Incident notification and coordination with Cornell administrators.

Strategic Communications and NewMedia

  • Support development of pre-scripted emergency and incident related messages for use by Cornell Police and the Office of Emergency Management.
  • Develop and distribute non-emergency university statements and related messages.
  • Monitor social media and manage responses.
  • Post emergency messages on official Cornell University social media accounts.
  • Coordinate and collaborate with college and administrative unit communication directors and social media ambassadors.

Media Relations

  • Monitor media and coordinate response to media inquiries; act as university liaison to the news media.
  • Distribute university statements, media advisories, and press releases to news media.
  • Host and manage press conferences and media facilities.
  • Manage media outlets that may come to campus during or after an incident.

Digital Experience and Visual Communications

  • Manage Cornell.edu and CUINFO websites; post Cornell ALERTs, university statements and other relevant messages to University Relations managed websites.
  • Support web development and create new sites as needed.
  • Provide photography coverage and graphics.

Community Relations, State Relations, and Federal Relations

  • Serve as university liaison to government at the local, state, and federal levels
  • Share relevant university communications with local, state, and federal officials and community leaders.
  • Coordinate campus visits by government officials and community leaders during events and incidents

Emergency Support Function Annexes