Identifier

etd-03152011-150434

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Educational Theory, Policy, and Practice

Document Type

Dissertation

Abstract

From campus shootings to mass prolonged campus closures in the Gulf Coast due to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the past decade has seen an increase in high profile crises at higher education institutions. Louisiana State University was one of the institutions impacted by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. After the experience, university administrators created an Emergency Operation Center and a new plan for how to handle campus crises. In 2008, LSU administrators had an opportunity to test their full scale plan with the landfall of Hurricane Gustav. In this study, university administrators from LSU were interviewed about their experiences with crisis management and the changes implemented since 2005. The participants discussed the creation of the Emergency Operation Center, leadership shown from the administration in the construction of the Emergency Operation Center, the difference in higher ranking administrators versus lower ranking administrators, and the opinion of if the campus is ready for future crises. In this study the researcher found that the creation of an Emergency Operation Center was an important achievement for crisis management. Additionally, it was decided that perceptions between higher ranking administrators involved with the Emergency Operation Center and those administrators not involved was significant and that a discrepancy was occurring between those who are considered essential personnel and non-essential personnel.

Date

2011

Document Availability at the Time of Submission

Release the entire work immediately for access worldwide.

Committee Chair

Mitchell, Roland W.

DOI

10.31390/gradschool_dissertations.3678

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