Administrative Response to Activism

Abstract

College student activism can cripple a campus for decades, as evidenced by the tragedies of Kent State University and Jackson State University. To prepare for the engagement of students, college administrators must prepare themselves, both in plans and in mindset, for the possibility of disruptive activism, and this begins with the identification of what acceptable activism can and should include. Building on the mindset that activism can indeed be a good thing, for both students and the institution, administrators must create priorities that protect the welfare of all involved, including the institution's brand and student learning. Subsequent thinking by campus leaders must maintain a humane and liberating response for students, and ultimately, although prepared, campus leaders must have a set of priorities planned that can incorporate and ultimately value the process of students speaking out on campus.