Crisis Management in an Era of Pandemics and Political Upheaval

Crisis management has long been an area that International Student Services (ISS) professionals have had to navigate. Collaborations with student affairs offices and other intra-institutional partners that are indispensable for the day-to-day support of international students are even more crucial when responding to crises. The coronavirus pandemic, political unrest, and humanitarian crises experienced between 2016–2023 surpassed conventional crisis response planning. These overlapping and highly visible crises required ISS offices to anticipate student and stakeholder questions, provide information at an unprecedented pace, and collaborate with campus colleagues at even greater levels. This chapter outlines offices that are essential to a crisis response team, advocates for the development of a crisis management and communication plan, and offers accessible resources that can be consulted for developing a comprehensive response plan.