How do we respond? The examination of Howard University's response to the 2021 #BlackburnTakeover

Abstract

Higher education administrators face several challenging tasks during their tenure at an institution—and managing student protests is one of the most daunting. Many student activists select radical approaches to demand change from administrators. Occupying campus buildings, crashing donor lunches, interrupting admissions tours, and contacting media outlets are just a few tactics. Administrators must swiftly and effectively communicate with students and other stakeholders to reinforce their care for students' concerns and restore trust with their community. If not, the institution's reputation, daily business operations, and enrollment and philanthropic efforts are on the line. With all that is at stake, one of the most critical questions administrators ask themselves during a protest is, "How should we respond?" This study focused on higher education administrators’ discourse during the Blackburn Takeover at Howard University. Data included Twitter posts from the beginning up to the announcement of the end of the takeover. Framing devices, situational crisis communication theory (SCCT) strategies, and other themes were examined. Thematic analysis software was used to determine whether responses to discourse were positive, negative, or indifferent.