When to Speak Out—and When to Stay Silent: A Strategic Framework for Institutional Communications
In the world of higher education communications, the stakes have never been higher. At the CASE All Districts Online Conference, I had the opportunity to present alongside Tracy M. Sweet, Chief Communications Officer at Phillips Academy Andover, on a topic that’s become both urgent and increasingly complex: how—and when—institutions should publicly respond to events outside their campuses.
For more than a decade, I’ve advised colleges, universities, and independent schools on strategic communications, particularly in moments of crisis. That perspective is grounded in my earlier career as a broadcast journalist with ABC News, where I reported on reputational threats facing public figures and institutions alike. Today, higher education faces its own high-wire act—balancing transparency, values, and community expectations in an increasingly polarized media landscape.
There was a time when campus communications focused mostly on good news: academic achievements, athletic wins, and alumni updates. But in 2024 and beyond, institutions are expected to engage with the world’s most pressing social and political issues—from racial justice to war, from free speech to climate change. And with engagement comes risk.
Since the events of October 7, 2023, more than 60 colleges and universities have come under scrutiny for how they did—or did not—respond to protests and political pressure. One institution’s choice to speak out becomes another’s standard. As a result, silence can be interpreted as complicity—or as a principled stance. The debate over institutional neutrality has reignited across the country. According to The New York Times, 148 schools had adopted neutrality policies by the end of 2024, with most of those emerging after October 7.
Some leaders argue that institutional silence creates space for diverse viewpoints and dialogue. Johns Hopkins and Tulane have both framed neutrality as a commitment to academic freedom. Others, like the former president of Notre Dame, have described silence as a failure of moral leadership—especially for institutions with a religious or social justice mission.
So, how should communicators navigate this terrain? The key, as Tracy and her team at Phillips Academy have so wisely articulated, is consistency. Their framework—The Andover Principles—offers a roadmap grounded in institutional mission, values, and founding commitments. The headlines are:
Schools teach students how to think, not what to think.
Schools should prioritize the safety and wellbeing of its campus community.
Information does not always need to be shared beyond campus.
Schools should not pronounce outrage without being able to take responsive action or advance the conversation.
To respond with a statement, a societal event should directly impact an institution’s values and mission.
Importantly, not issuing a statement doesn’t mean doing nothing. Dialogue, support, and educational programming can be powerful alternatives to public comment. But when you do speak, clarity and tone matter deeply. You need to meet your community where they are emotionally—and avoid missteps that sound tone-deaf or performative.
We’ve seen what happens when a statement is rushed or misjudged. In spring 2020, a college president faced intense backlash for linking systemic racism to pandemic-related campus closures. The initial message fell flat. It took a follow-up letter—more empathetic, more visceral—to regain the community’s trust. The lesson: you should aim to get it right the first time, because second chances come at a reputational cost.
In today’s climate, your words can—and will—be twisted, misinterpreted, or weaponized. Be precise. Avoid polarizing language. And always pivot back to your unifying values and what you are doing to support your community.
Communicating effectively in times of crisis or controversy means striking the right balance of empathy, authority, transparency, and restraint. It’s not about perfection—it’s about alignment. And as we emphasized in our session, listening to your community should shape not only what you say, but whether you say anything at all.
Interested in learning more? Check out The Andover Principles for a values-driven approach to institutional messaging in complex times.
