ADPR/ALEC 417 – Issues Management and Crisis
Communication in Agriculture
Fall 2013
Instructor:
Dr. Karen Cannon
108A Ag Comm Bldg.
Office Phone: 472-7800
Email: kcannon2@unl.edu
Meeting Times and Location:
T & R, 9:30-10:45 am
214 Keim Hall
Office Hours:
Appointment hours: Mondays, 1-3 pm
(sign up through MyPLAN)
Walk in hours: Thursdays, 11am-12:30pm
Course Description
In this course we will examine fundamental components of issues management and crisis
communications in agriculture and other industries, explore the process necessary to address current
and future issues, and learn fundamentals of effective communication in times of crisis.
Prerequisites: College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources (CASNR) students should
have completed all CASNR core communications course requirements prior to enrolling in this
course.
Course Objectives
This course will allow you investigate emerging issues and crises in your chosen field of study. At
the end of this course you should be able to:
 Identify current and emerging issues in your chosen field of study (agriculture, natural
resources or other)
 Distinguish between issues management and crisis communications techniques
 Understand key principles of media relations as applied to crisis communication situations
 Develop strategies to identify and monitor issues using documented issues management
models and processes
Your progress in this course will be assessed through a combination of assignments and class
discussion. Major assignments are listed in this syllabus; other assignments and readings may be
given in class.
Course Resources
The resources listed below are essential for success in this course. Be aware that all assigned material
from these resources is fair game on any quizzes and assessments, as is supplemental material
supplied in class and on Blackboard.
 *Fern-Banks, K. (2011). Crisis communication: A casebook approach, 4th edition. Mahwah, New
Jersey: Lawrence Earlbaum Associates.
 Course Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/alec.adpr.417.fall2013/
 Blackboard account – http://my.unl.edu

o Access course readings
o Submit course assignments
o Keep track of your course grades
An email account that 1) receives email (does not send a bounce-back email that says the
inbox is full) and 2) is checked regularly and frequently
*The listed textbook is available at bookstores on East and City campuses. Ordering the texts online
is fine, but be aware that reading assignments begin the first week of class and you are responsible
for material regardless of whether or not your order arrives promptly. Textbook orders that do not
arrive on time are not an acceptable excuse for not being fully prepared for class.
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Course Expectations and Policies
Course Expectations
Writing
This course will require a significant amount of writing throughout the semester. I realize that many
people have a certain amount of anxiety about writing, and I will do my best to help you overcome
any anxiety you have and improve your writing skills.
Learning to write well requires practice, which you will have plenty of in this course. It also requires
that you read a variety of different styles and types of writing, which is why we will have frequent
readings.
I realize that in this course there will be varying levels of writing ability and skill. However, below
are general expectations that I have for all students, regardless of your level of education (freshman,
sophomore, etc.):
 You are familiar with proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation
 You are able to communicate your ideas clearly and effectively using the written word
 In each in-class assignment, homework, and course project submission you use proper
spelling, grammar, and punctuation
Additionally, I expect:
 You will arrive each day on time to class and be prepared to work – this includes having read
the assigned material, completed any homework or projects due that day.
 You will submit your best possible work for each in-class assignment, homework and course
project.
 You will have a curiosity about and interest in the topics we discuss in class.
What you can expect from me:
 I will arrive each day on time to class and be prepared to help you learn about issues
management and crisis communication.
 I will share with you my knowledge and personal experiences related to our course topics
from my time as a professional PR practitioner and as a faculty member who conducts
academic research in the field of communications, public relations and agriculture.
 I will, as best as possible, adhere to the course syllabus and calendar. Should it be necessary
to alter the syllabus or calendar, I will provide you advanced notice in writing (usually via
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email or our course Blackboard site) and, if possible, also make you aware of the changes in
person during the next class meeting.
Students in this course will adhere to the highest standards for ethics and quality work, and will
demonstrate critical thinking and correct use of spelling, punctuation, grammar and style in their
writing. Should the quality of your work in this course fall below expected levels, you may be asked
to seek assistance from the University Writing Center. Once you have been notified in writing that
you need to seek assistance from the UWC, you must do so promptly.
Course Conduct
As members of this class, it is incumbent upon you to be courteous to others at all times, including
me as your instructor, your classmates, and any guests we host in our classroom. This is especially
important as we hold classroom discussions and when you submit assignments asking for your
reasoned opinions and views. Any offensive material posted on the course Facebook group or
Blackboard site will be removed, and you will be contacted if I consider material posted or submitted
in an assignment inappropriate.
Academic Honesty and Integrity
Academic honesty is the foundation of intellectual inquiry and academic pursuit and is taken very
seriously in this course.
Every student must adhere to UNL’s policy for academic integrity, set forth in the Student Code of
Conduct in the UNL Undergraduate Bulletin. Students who plagiarize or academically dishonest are
at risk of receiving a failing grade on an assignment or for an entire course and may be reported to
the Student Judicial Review Board.
Work submitted in this class must be entirely your own and must be completed for this class and
the assigned project. Students wishing to build on an old project or work on a similar project in
another class must discuss this with professors in both classes.
Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to:
 Handing in work that is in whole or in part the work of another person
 Submitting work from a class taken previously (including something you wrote in high
school) for work in this class
 Using notes or other study aids or otherwise obtaining unauthorized answers for a quiz,
assessment or examination
 Using the words, opinions, or ideas of another person without giving full credit and accurate
citation information
o Plagiarism consists of using phrases, sentences, paragraphs, and ideas from any
source, and republishing these without attribution. Sources include, but are not
limited to books, magazines, newspapers, television or radio reports, websites and
papers of other students.
Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated in this course and students who choose to violate the
UNL Student Code of Conduct will be, at a minimum, reported to the CASNR Dean’s Office and
the Student Judicial Board, and may receive a failing grade in the course at the discretion of the
instructor.
If you have any questions regarding this policy, please talk to me. To review the Student Code of
Conduct policy visit http://stuafs.unl.edu/ja/code
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Technology in the Classroom Policy
Technology has become a significant part of our lives and we rely on it everyday for a variety of
tasks. I encourage students who have laptops or tablet computers to bring them for use in class
activities. Technology can be extremely helpful for taking notes during discussions and for
background research during in-class activities. Especially in the field of communications,
smartphones, tablet and laptop computers are essential tools for success.
However, technology also presents challenges in the classroom, such as the tendency to be distracted
by using technology for social means rather than academic ones.
When you come into this classroom, you will need to turn off (not just set to vibrate!) all cell
phones, iPods, and other technology devices that may distract your fellow students and your
instructor. This includes having open on your laptop websites, email and/or instant message
accounts, and any other items that do not directly relate to the purposes of our course.
The course policy regarding technology is as follows:
 Technology use in the classroom is to be for the exclusive purpose of class-related activities.
 Students who choose to violate this policy will be first asked to discontinue the non-classrelated activity.
 Should the problem persist, the student will be asked to leave class. Be assured, if a student is
asked to leave class, s/he will not be eligible to make up points missed due to the infraction.
 Persistent problems with the inappropriate use of technology during class may result in a
reduction of your final course grade.
 If your cell phone rings or vibrates audibly during class, I reserve the right to answer it. And
I will. 
Submitting Assignments
Blackboard
Assignments for this will be submitted via Blackboard and are due by 9:30 a.m. on the date listed.
Submissions via email will not be accepted. In rare situations at my discretion as the instructor,
emergency arrangements for submitting projects may be made.
Late Assignments
Late assignment will be accepted but are subject to a 10% deduction of the point value of the project
each day, up to four days late. Note this includes weekend days! After this time, projects will not be
accepted and your score will be entered as a zero. To avoid point deductions, submit your projects
correctly and on time please!
Instructions for Submission
Assignments will be submitted to the appropriately named icon on Blackboard and must:
 Include your last name, an underscore, and the name/title of the assignment in the file name
 Include your name in the document you submit, preferably at the top right hand of the first
page
 Be in Microsoft Word (version 2000 or newer) format, unless otherwise specified
 Be submitted on time to be eligible for full credit – submissions with a time stamp after 9:30
a.m. on the due date will be subject to late point deductions.
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o
“Technical difficulties” are not appropriate excuses for submitting after the due date
and time. Plan ahead to avoid problems.
Software
Assignments for this course will be submitted in Microsoft Word format, unless specified otherwise
in the assignment sheet. UNL students may purchase the latest version of Microsoft Office from
campus computer stores for a discounted price.
Attendance Policy
Class attendance is essential for success in this course. I trust that you will come to class and
participate fully in all discussions and activities. The grade you earn in this course is the direct
equivalent to your effort, which includes coming to class each day.
UNL Absence Policy – http://www.unl.edu/asenate/classattendancepolicy.pdf
Students are expected to attend all lectures, recitations, quizzes, and laboratories regularly. The
University has no regulation that permits cutting classes.
Students are responsible for the attendance policy set by instructors and should clear absences
directly with them.
In cases where a student is unable to contact his or her instructors due to major illness, serious
injury, or hospitalization or when given military orders which are effective immediately, a notice
may be sent to the student’s instructors by the University Health Center, a family physician, or the
Students Affairs Office, 106 Canfield Administration Building, 402-472-3755. This notice is for the
instructor’s information only and does not relieve the student of contacting instructors as soon as
possible.
Students involved in University-sponsored activities, including intercollegiate athletics, may need to
be excused from a class, lab, or studio meeting. In all instances it is the student’s responsibility to
request permission for the absence (preferably in writing) from the instructor and to discuss how the
absence will affect their ability to meet the course requirements. Students should do this as soon in
the semester as possible. While instructors should seek to the greatest extent possible, consistent with
course requirements, to make reasonable accommodation for a student involved in Universitysponsored activities, students should recognize that not every course can accommodate absences and
neither the absence (nor the notification of an absence) relieves them from meeting the course
requirements.
For complete information on class attendance, see the Schedule of Classes.
Should you miss a class period where an activity worth course points has taken place, you will need
to provide documentation of an acceptable and excused absence.
Excused absences are limited to the following, which must be documented in writing:
 Medical issues (must show proof of visiting a medical professional on the date of absence)
 University-related extra curricular activities and organizational duties
 Other university‐approved activities (student athletic events where you are the athlete)
Students who miss classwork due to an excused absence have one week from the date of the
absence/return to class to make up related work without penalty, unless other arrangements have
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been made in writing between the student and instructor.
Missing Class
 After an absence students should consult a classmate to get notes or materials not posted
Blackboard.
o Do not contact the instructor to see if you “missed anything important”
 Students unable to attend class for any reason are responsible for obtaining from the
Blackboard site any materials distributed in class.
 In‐class participation cannot be made up without a documented excuse meeting one of the
criteria listed above.
 Students who have 4 or more unexcused absences during the course of the semester are at
risk of earning a failing grade in the course.
CASNR CARES Program – Absences for Health or Emergency Situations
 The CASNR Cares program provides students in CASNR a single contact assistance in
navigating the university’s student services programs – Coordinator Sue Voss (472-0609 or
svoss1@unl.edu). The primary goal of this program is to ensure that each student has every
opportunity to be successful.
Should you find yourself absent from class for more than one consecutive period and you are a
CASNR student, you are strongly encouraged to contact Sue and use this outstanding resource to
help you keep up with your coursework.
Tardiness Policy
Arriving late to class is disruptive, both to your fellow students and to me as the instructor, and is
not acceptable.
 If you have a class on City Campus prior to ours, please speak to me during the first week of
classes so that we can document your situation.
 If tardiness becomes a problem in this course, I reserve the right to deduct points from your
final course grade.
Contacting Dr. Cannon – Emails, Phone Calls and Visits
The best way to contact me outside of class is through email – either through the Blackboard site or
directly to my UNL account listed on the first page of the syllabus.
Email
The world we live in teaches us to expect rapid responses to our electronic requests. As your
instructor, I am anxious to help you be successful in this course. When you send me an email, I will
make every attempt to contact you within 24 hours of receiving your message. However, please
understand the following caveats:
 Sending an email after 5pm on a weekday will not get you a response before class time the
following morning. I am generally unable to answer emails sent during this time before the
next class period. This means that you need to plan accordingly and work on assignments
prior to the deadline dates. (I can guarantee that an email about an assignment sent at 10pm
on the night before the assignment is due will not receive a response, so please plan ahead!)
o Helpful tip: Use the course Facebook group or discussion board on Blackboard to ask
questions of your classmates!!! Often times you’ll find answers to your questions and
save yourself an email.
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Not receiving a response from me is not be an acceptable excuse for submitting a project
after the due date and time.
Important issues such as concerns about your course grade, progress, absences and other
matters are best discussed in person. Should you have an issue you wish to discuss, please
plan on visiting during my office hours to speak about your concerns.
To receive a response to your email you MUST do the following:
 Provide an appropriate subject for the email (ADPR/ALEC 207: [enter your subject])
 Use an appropriate greeting (Hello Dr. Cannon, for example)
 Use proper grammar, capitalization, and sentence structure throughout the entire message
 Conclude with your first and last name
 Check to make sure you have attached any documents you refer to in the email
o Please note again that you are NOT to submit any assignments via email
 Do not use email to attempt to discuss a grade. Rather, use the email message to make an
appointment to discuss the issue.
*Emails that do not adhere to these guidelines will not receive a
response. Be warned!
Phone Calls
Should you wish to contact me via phone, please use the number listed on the top of the first page of
this syllabus. I will do my best to return your phone call within 24 hours if I am not out of the office.
During travel to conferences or meetings, phone calls will not be returned until I arrive back in the
office.
Office Hours and Visits
My office hours (listed on the first page of this syllabus) are dedicated time set aside each week to
meet with students (YOU!). Should you have questions, concerns, or comments about our class, or
anything else, I welcome your visit. Should your work or class schedule prevent you from being able
to visit during these set times, please email to set up an appointment time (email is a must so that I
can be sure of having a record of your request). I will do my best to accommodate you as quickly as
possible.
Accommodations and Services for Students with Disabilities
Students with disabilities are encouraged to contact Christy Horn (ADA Compliance) for a
confidential discussion of individual needs for academic accommodation. It is the policy of the
University of Nebraska-Lincoln to provide flexible and individualized accommodation to students
with documented disabilities that may affect their ability to fully participate in course activities or to
meet course requirements. To receive accommodations, students must be registered with the
Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) office, located at 132 Canfield Administration. Phone:
472-3783, voice or TTY.
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Course Assignments and Grading
Assignment & Date Due
Student Information
Survey
Individual/Team
Individual
Description
Online questionnaire
Points
10 points
Online Session – 9/5
Individual
20 points
Bi-weekly (every OTHER
week) issue posting on
class facebook group various
Individual
Online activities in place of class on
9/3
Post a link about your issue every
other week during the semester –
total of 7 posts
Issue Monitoring Brief various
Individual
Quick (5 minute max) issue update
brief in class on an assigned date
15 points
Case Study – 10/17
Teams of 2-3 or
individual (your
choice)
Select an issue or crisis that
happened, provide an analysis
100 points
Team Teaching Chapter –
various
Teams, assigned
Teams will be assigned a chapter
from Fearn-Banks to teach to the
class
25 points
Crisis Communications
Plan – various
Teams, assigned
Create a crisis communication plan
for an organization, including drafts,
media guidelines, peer and self
evaluations, and final copy of revised
plan
Component 1 – 25
points
Component 2 – 25
points
Media Guidelines – 15
points
Final Revised Plan –
100 points
Issue Monitoring Report
– 12/18
Individual
Analysis and report compiled from
your semester-long monitoring of an
issue (in place of final exam)
100 points
In class activities and
participation work various
Individual and
teams, as needed
Various
Based on a score of 1
(lowest) to 3 (highest);
total points available
determined by week
15 of the course
5 each, 35 points total
Tentative total: 395
*You will complete readings for class before almost every class period and much of our course will
be based on those readings and subsequent discussions during our class periods. Be aware: there are
currently no quizzes scheduled for this course, however, if it becomes clear that you are not
completing the readings prior to coming to class, quizzes will be given and will become part of your
course grade.
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Grade Breakdown:
A+ = 100%
A = 97% to 99%
A- = 90% to 96%
B+ = 87% to 89%
B = 83% to 86%
B- = 80% to 82%
C+ = 77% to 79%
C = 73% to 76%
C- = 70% to 72%
D+ = 67% to 69%
D = 63% to 66%
D- = 60% to 62%
F = Below 60%
Syllabus Disclaimer
Substantial effort and consideration were used in putting this syllabus together. While I consider this
document a contract between you as the student and me as the instructor, unforeseen events may
cause changes to the scheduling of assignments, course topics, etc.
As the course instructor, I reserve the right to make any changes necessary to best fulfill the course
objectives. As a student registered in this course, you will be made aware of any changes in a timely
fashion using reasonable means. This disclaimer does not abrogate any student rights as described by
University rules and regulations.
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