As a publicly funded institution, Washington State University's College of Agriculture and Home Economics has an obligation to inform the public of its activities and of events that involve the university.
Crisis communications have a lasting impact on institutional reputation and public support.
How well we get our message across to the public greatly depends on what is reported by the news media. This is especially true in crises, during which the news media is the primary means of communication to our constituencies. Because of the emotions that usually accompany crises, images formed from crises reporting are especially important agents in molding long-lasting public impressions of the institution. These impressions influence all current and future stakeholders. In crises, CAHE must respond immediately and be open and candid in disseminating accurate and complete information to the public.