Abstract:
This study investigated the role of public relations in student crisis management, through a survey of the University of Nigeria PR Unit. The aim of the study was to ascertain among other things: the types of student crises which are common in the University of Nigeria; the frequency of such crises; the causes of these crises and more importantly, the involvement of the university's PR Unit in student crisis management. To this end, a study sample of 180 respondents made up of parents, staff and students was utilized. In addition, the key actors in the Public Relations Unit of the University of Nigeria were interviewed using a structured interview schedule. The findings of. the study are: various factors ranging from lack of infrastructures to communication gap between student and the authority precipitate crises; crises occur very often; violent crises predominate; and the public Relations Unit is ineffective with regards to tackling crises. But it was further discovered that the ineffectiveness of the public Relations Unit is not because of the making of the Unit since it is not co-opted into the making of policy regarding student crises. From the above, it is recommended that the unit should be involved in policy-making regarding student crises. Also the unit should be staffed with well trained workers and equipped with the necessary resources needed for effective public relations in a dynamic environment like the University. All these would go a long way in tackling student crises in the University.
