On-Campus Crisis Response Plan

For plan purposes, crisis is defined quite broadly. It can be any event or situation that threatens the health, safety, or wellbeing of the campus community, is outside the range of ordinary human experience, and requires immediate action. Such events have the potential to overwhelm the usual effective coping skills of either the individual or the group.

The On-Campus Crisis Response Plan will be utilized for crises that occur on campus, such as:

• sudden deaths through accident or suicide
• multiple deaths or injuries through accident
• major fire
• large-scale acts of violence
• terrorist threats specific to the campus

(Note: Refer to the Natural Disaster Response Plan for natural disaster events, such as earthquakes.)

Campus Response Procedures

1. Primary Response Functions
   Campus departments with primary response functions (such as Security Services) will respond to the crisis and obtain appropriate outside assistance (e.g. police, fire, and/or medical aid). They will establish a perimeter crisis scene barrier to reduce risks, to facilitate crime scene protection, to facilitate emergency response access, to provide comfort and privacy for those affected by a crisis, and/or to prevent inappropriate access by the public and the media.

2. Security Services
   Security Services will immediately notify one member of a "First Response Team" about actual or potential "on-campus crises." That individual will coordinate contact with other team members. The First Response Team consists of designated, university Crisis Response Committee members.

3. First Response Team Duties
   First Response Team members quickly will develop information for on- and off-campus release. They will determine written and verbal communication content and methods for release. Communication options include campus-wide voice mail and e-mail, phone calling lists, the university home page, the crisis/disaster information telephone message line, and/or the use of "runners" to report information directly where needed on campus. Information and instructions for students, faculty, and staff also may be posted on the web site's News and Events page.

4. Crisis Response Committee Member
   First Response Team members may consult with or assemble some or all Crisis Response Committee members listed below (depending on the nature of the crisis):

• President (Committee Chair) or the Assistant to the President
• Vice President for Academic Affairs (Academic Concerns and Resources) or the Associate Dean
• Vice President for Finance and Administration (Financial Resources)
• Dean of Students and Vice President for Student Affairs (Counseling, Health and Wellness, Chaplain, other Student Affairs staff)
• Vice President for University Relations
• Vice President for Student Enrollment
• Executive Director of Community Engagement and Associate Vice President for Business Services (Safety and Health, Insurance/Risk Management, Local Community Collaboration)
• Associate Vice President for Facilities Services (Facilities Services Resources)
• Executive Director of Communications (Communications with Campus Community, Media, Students, Parents, and other External Parties)
• Associate Vice President for Human Resources (Faculty and Staff Issues)
• Director of Security Services (Security Services Resources)
• Associate Vice President for Information Services (Computing)
• ASUPS President or Designee (Student Concerns Representation, ASUPS Resources)

5. Crisis Response Committee Response
   Crisis Response Committee members will assess crisis circumstances and identify overall response strategies utilizing information recommendations from university response staff and outside professionals. The senior officer or the committee member most suited to oversee the particular crisis will direct committee actions. The committee may gather information by phone or radio contact with crisis scene responders, by surveying the crisis scene, and/or by using "runners" to observe and report crisis scene developments.

6. Crisis Documentation
   The committee will assign someone to document crisis developments and response decisions.

7. Office of Communications
   The Office of Communications will communicate information to the media and coordinate online communications. They also will respond to the crisis scene to facilitate appropriate media access and prevent inappropriate media access.

8. Stress Management Response
   Counseling, Health and Wellness Services, in collaboration with Human Resources and the university's Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provider, will coordinate delivery of critical incident stress management (CISM) services to persons involved in or affected by the crisis. They may solicit assistance from outside counselors if warranted.

The university regularly reviews its emergency management plans and seeks opportunities to strengthen them.