2008 Woodie Awards
Rutgers PR spokesman talks crisis control
Mark Dipaola
Issue date: 1/30/08 Section: Campus News
Quinnipiac University welcomed Rutgers spokesman Greg Trevor last Thursday to reflect on last year's Don Imus controversy, and share with professionals and students his expertise in handling crisis in the field of public relations.
The presentation, which was sponsored by Southern Connecticut's chapter of the Public Relations Society of America, (PRSA) was held in the Lender School of Business's Mancheski Executive Seminar Room.
Trevor described, in length, his work as Senior Director of Media Relations for Rutgers University during April's nationwide furor over inflammatory comments made by radio shock jock Don Imus about the university's women's basketball team. Trevor has filled the position since 2004.
"I think the most important advice I can pass along to those of you here who are professionals or anyone who's interested in a communications career, is to stick to the fundamentals," Trevor said. "Anytime you're in the middle of a major crisis, it's very easy to lose sight of the basic rules of PR that we follow every day."
Trevor emphasized the importance of being well prepared, and making productive use of staff members during crisis situations. It is important for managers to consider the personal needs of their staff members and the toll such scenarios tend to take on them.
"Make sure you manage your staff effectively, properly, and even sympathetically," he said. "If you allow everybody to jump in immediately, I guarantee that in 16-24 hours everybody's going to be exhausted, and then you're going to start making mistakes."
When Trevor learned of the incident the day after Imus's comments, the story was not yet a nationwide controversy. However, awareness of the issue quickly heightened as various media outlets sought comment from the players who had been targeted.
According to Trevor, it was the women's basketball team that decided to hold a press conference, in which they requested that they meet with Don Imus.
The presentation, which was sponsored by Southern Connecticut's chapter of the Public Relations Society of America, (PRSA) was held in the Lender School of Business's Mancheski Executive Seminar Room.
Trevor described, in length, his work as Senior Director of Media Relations for Rutgers University during April's nationwide furor over inflammatory comments made by radio shock jock Don Imus about the university's women's basketball team. Trevor has filled the position since 2004.
"I think the most important advice I can pass along to those of you here who are professionals or anyone who's interested in a communications career, is to stick to the fundamentals," Trevor said. "Anytime you're in the middle of a major crisis, it's very easy to lose sight of the basic rules of PR that we follow every day."
Trevor emphasized the importance of being well prepared, and making productive use of staff members during crisis situations. It is important for managers to consider the personal needs of their staff members and the toll such scenarios tend to take on them.
"Make sure you manage your staff effectively, properly, and even sympathetically," he said. "If you allow everybody to jump in immediately, I guarantee that in 16-24 hours everybody's going to be exhausted, and then you're going to start making mistakes."
When Trevor learned of the incident the day after Imus's comments, the story was not yet a nationwide controversy. However, awareness of the issue quickly heightened as various media outlets sought comment from the players who had been targeted.
According to Trevor, it was the women's basketball team that decided to hold a press conference, in which they requested that they meet with Don Imus.
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