Keeping One's Head Above Water During A Media Storm

It is every head's worst nightmare: an incident that draws lots of media attention. At some point, rather than just reporting, the tone of the stories in the daily newspaper or on the web site shifted toward commentary on whether or not school leaders had acted appropriately. From the beginning, these are high stakes moments for school heads. Get it right and you and your school will emerge damaged but still in business; get it wrong and your career is over and the school takes a lasting hit. The trouble is that no one can predict where the "right" and "wrong" diverge!The Chronicle of Higher Education, whose readership among university administrators knows the above all too well, has this piece on surviving a media blitz. Good reading before an incident happens and essential to have on hand when it does.