How a School & a Community Responds to a Student DeathCan Something Positive Come From This?

Dave Tyler Social & Digital Media Manager The College at Brockport @dtyler321

ABOUT BROCKPORT•Part of the SUNY system •25 mileswest of Rochester •~8,400 students (undergrad/grad) •1979 Special Olympics •Alumni: Stan Van Gundy and

William Fichtner

THE MURDER OF ALEXANDRA KOGUT

•18 year-old Freshman found beaten to death in her dorm room early on Sept. 29, 2012

•Hometown boyfriend arrested, allegedly confessed

•Conviction on May 30

HER FINAL TWEET

"Should've Known"

INTENSE MEDIA COVERAGE

-SocialMention.com

"BROCKPORT" MENTIONED ONCE EVERY

30 SECONDS ON 10/1

• Raw

• Scared

• Confused

• Angry

!

THE MOOD ON CAMPUS

•How do we get the news out?

•How do we offer support?

•How do we balance the needs of the community with the needs of the family and investigators?

!

MASSIVE CHALLENGE

•October Is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

•Events already scheduled on campus

•Strong feelings of "what can we do? how can we help?"

•Messages springing up around campus

!

POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITY

.... We decided to be human

WE DECIDED TO TAKE A CHANCE

SATURDAY•First Post: ~ 5 am •Before 6 am, we had the

news out on FB&Twitter •Parent Hotline • Updates throughout the

day •Press Conference •8 posts to Facebook (and

more to Twitter) on 9/29- 9/30

THE COMMUNITY STEPS UP

SUNDAY•The question of Identification

•Tension, Speculation

•Internet started to ID Alex. Community asking why we hadn't yet

•Two Alexandra Koguts

MONDAY

•Changed our FB cover. 20 others followed, 175 likes

•Memorial takes place on campus

THE MEMORIAL SERVICE•Overflow crowd, raw emotions, grumbling on

social media

WEDNESDAYWe shared this video:

Viewed more than 5,400 times, 2nd most viewed video of 2012

A CHANGE IN TONE•News Release on

Campus Events

•Walk A Mile in Her Shoes

•Operation Green & Gold

•Select Respect Week

•Lecture by Shelby Knox

FRIDAY

•Tipped off by an Instagram photo

•Most shared non-promoted post in our history. (2,179 likes, 15,800 views)

MAY 30

WHAT WE LEARNED•Be Human •Trust your community. They'll surprise

you •Trust your gut •Trust your team •Listen •Be proactive •Post More Not Less

Did All this Do Some Good?

WOULD YOU DO IT AGAIN?

QUESTIONS?

Where you can find me: @dtyler321, dtyler@brockport.edu

Where you can find these slides: http://www.slideshare.net/dtyler321