Baton Rouge and LSU first received national media coverage in January with the Sugar Bowl win. Focus remained on the University as a string of incidents occurred around the city and the country.
The Baton Rouge Homicide Task Force identified a serial killer in the Baton Rouge area, the FBI considered Steven Hatfill, former associate director of the National Center for Biomedical Research and Training, a “person of interest” in the anthrax investigation, Louisiana had an outbreak of the West Nile virus, two tropical systems hit the Louisiana coast line within two weeks and most recently the Washington, D.C., sniper was linked to Baton Rouge.
National media attention tested Chancellor Mark Emmert to promote the image of LSU positively despite the unfavorable incidents.
Emmert said he was confronted with having to spin each seemingly negative situation into a positive one.
The positive aspect of receiving bad publicity is it allowed the University to learn how to better handle a crisis situation, Emmert said.
“We need to be as proactive as we can by telling the good stories that happen everyday,” Emmert said. “Also use those things that are attention getters, like athletics.”
Emmert said of all the incidents, his most hectic day was the day the University fired Hatfill.
“I had both CNN, MSNBC, another national agency and local news media asking questions on [the serial killer case and Hatfill],” Emmert said. “In 72 hours, we had an onslaught of national media attention.”
As the fall semester began, Emmert also had the responsibility of ensuring student safety to incoming students and their families.
Emmert said there was a lot of anxiety among parents and students, but he was proud of how the University and the University community handled the situation.
Many media professionals expressed their support of the way the University handled the media attention.
Susan Brown, a mass communication professor, said the calmness the University had in handling the situation had a positive impact with the media. Brown said the media looks for honesty in officials and said University officials gave as much information as possible.
“There are many things authorities cannot comment on,” Brown said. “The fact that [the situation] was handled calmly is important.”
Emmert said, the University needs to communicate to students the lessons learned during the semester still apply. As students return to their lives, many people are jogging around the lakes alone again.
Lacey Gendron, a business freshman, said she does not feel threatened despite the recent events, specifically the serial killer.
“If I were enrolling, I wouldn’t be scared. I would just be cautious,” Gendron said.
As last semester ended, the University was in the midst of searching for former Provost Dan Fogel’s replacement.
Emmert said the media coverage did not directly affect the provost search or any other University hiring.
Emmert said most people realize the incidents are just bad luck.
Brown said the media attention should not make anyone feel any different about the area.
“I don’t feel any differently about the Washington, D.C., area because of the sniper case,” Brown said. “A reputation builds over time.”
Sonja Ardoin, a secondary education junior, said the media attention will not have a negative effect on the University in the long run.
“I think [the media attention] may have an effect in the short term because of parental concerns,” Ardoin said. “In the long term, I don’t think it will have negative affects.”
Though the media broadcasted the negative aspects of recent events, Emmert said the University showed how it was helping the community.
Hurricanes are common to the Louisiana coast line and though students were released from classes, the University contains the Hurricane Center and acted as a shelter for the community.
Even with the largest outbreak of the West Nile virus, University research labs first diagnosed the virus.
The media portrayed the University in a positive way regardless of the negative situation, Emmert said.
With all the negative media attention the University received, media now are focusing on the most recent even in LSU history — Devery Henderson’s miracle game-winning catch against Kentucky.
Emmert said one of the reasons he supports athletics is because of the positive impact it has on the University.
“When you’re playing well and have good young men, there is an extraordinarily large amount of positive name recognition,” Emmert said.