Comments on: Virginia Tech Tragedy: Lessons learned in crisis communication a day after the unthinkable

By: Crisis Communications: Dark Sites 101 « Blogging Me Blogging You

Crisis Communications: Dark Sites 101 « Blogging Me Blogging You — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 13:21:31 +0000

[...] seen in the Virginia Tech tragedy, an organization facing a crisis will see a huge surge in traffic to its Web site. Therefore, it is [...]

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 00:18:38 +0000

Oops…forgot to attach the link to the news report.

http://chronicle.com/temp/email2.php?id=tvxM5q5bpWhws2V8kxBRZZC48kymjFB3

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 00:16:51 +0000

VIRGINIA TECH appears to be still in a crisis, circe-the-wagons mode since it became obvious to everyone that they could have and should have shutoff access to the campus within the more than two hour period before the first killings and the final 30 person rampage. Here is a news story about how VIRGINIA TECH is still trying to muzzle opinions on VT’s handling of the shooting spree.

By: Karine Joly

Karine Joly — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 00:39:37 +0000

Thanks for your comment, Bryce as well as your beautiful online videos I featured in another post.

By: Bryce Carter

Bryce Carter — Sun, 22 Apr 2007 14:58:33 +0000

I just would like to clarify since my blog posting you have referenced (which I wrote before the I realized the entire history of the situation) I have shown my support for campus security and their actions. They have always done a wonderful job at keeping students safe, and I know they will continue to do so.

Thank you.

By: diane

diane — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 03:11:45 +0000

Already I am seeing stuff about the Virginia tech for sale like t-shirts.
Some things are really in bad taste.

By: Rob

Rob — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 04:36:37 +0000

A note on item #2: I believe Virginia Tech either had a separate server (filebox.vt.edu) or quickly set one up to serve the podcast file separately from the HTML pages. When I visited the site right after the podcast had been posted early Monday afternoon, I was very surprised at how quickly the MP3 file downloaded.

When your web server is getting a ton of incoming traffic, follow recommendation #1 and reduce your webserver to a few text-only pages. Additionally, you can serve media files (downloadable podcasts, movies, images, etc.) from a separate server that isn’t also trying to serve the crush of people looking for the front page of the university’s site—just like VT apparently did on Monday.

By: Graham T.

Graham T. — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 20:38:59 +0000

No doubt that it’s time to rethink the way we communicate. Institution’s will need to understand that they need to leverage the community and not try to control the community.

It was just amazing how much real time information was generated on Facebook while the story was unfolding. Students were simply sharing information with one another in the medium that they use everyday to keep in touch. Seems to me institutions need to learn how to use that medium as well.

By: Karine Joly

Karine Joly — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 15:41:24 +0000

Anonymous,

I think it’s tough to imply that VT tried to control the message during those 2 hours (and you might too, since you chose to post this comment anonymously).

Many institutions’ worst nightmare stroke VT yesterday.

Alerting more than 25,000 students this early in the morning isn’t easy — no matter how dangerous the situation is.

On u-webd email list, some have suggested the use of text messages.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 13:34:33 +0000

It seems to me the question of whether a school can “control” the message is becoming archaic.

Perhaps that type of response is only morally questionable when there is no imminent danger to human life, but it is clearly a mistake when lives are in danger. Taking over two hours to first attempting to alert students is luxury that should not have been afforded.