College and university trustees have important responsibilities in planning for, responding to, and recovering from disasters. In their oversight role, especially in the areas of planning and finance, they need to ensure that the institution has taken the prudent and necessary steps to reduce risk to the extent possible and to maximize the likelihood of a successful recovery. The purpose of this article is to share some lessons learned by an experienced executive leadership team. The article provides guidance for university leaders to consider when developing disaster or emergency operations plans in the areas of planning, decisiveness, execution, and personal touch. Applying the recommendations set forth herein will set the stage for success in preparing for and recovering from any type of emergency or catastrophic situations. Also included is an interview with four university officials about the challenges their institutions faced as a result of Hurricane Katrina.