Crisis Management Plan

• The Vice President for University Relations shall serve as the crisis response director along with a second executive officer. In a physical emergency, that second executive officer will be the Vice President for Finance and Administration. In an issue-based crisis, the second executive officer will be determined by the issue.
• The Vice Provost and Dean of Students, Director of Public Safety Services, and Director of News and Information Services shall be the crisis response coordinators.
• Whenever a situation affecting the campus reaches proportions that cannot be handled by routine measures, the crisis response coordinators shall notify the Vice President for University Relations, the crisis response director.
• Public Safety Services and/or other appropriate personnel will be dispatched to determine the extent of the crisis and determine the necessary action to insure the safety of persons and property.
• Each university administrator, upon being notified, is to provide applicable information to those persons under his/her direction as per the crisis notification system.
• Main and field crisis command posts shall be established as required by the situation and shall be equipped with communications systems required to utilize resources (crisis resource team and outside agencies). Options: Allendale, Facility Services Building; Pew Grand Rapids Campus, WGVU Studio.
• Trained building safety contact coordinators, as appointed by Public Safety Services, will be contacted to inform all persons under their direction of the crisis and the action required.
• Faculty/supervisors shall inform students of the crisis with guidance from the academic deans and/or the Vice Provost and Dean of Students.
• The crisis response directors conduct liaison activities with the other executive officers and Board of Trustees.
• The crisis response coordinators will follow the crisis notification system when the crisis is over.
• Following the crisis, the crisis response coordinators will gather all appropriate individuals for debriefing and review. Appropriate action will be determined.

GENERAL

PURPOSE:

The crisis procedures outlined in this plan are offered to enhance the protection of lives and property through effective use of university and community resources. Whenever a crisis affecting the university reaches proportions that cannot be handled by routine measures, the crisis response director may declare a “university crisis,” and this plan may be implemented. Since a crisis may be sudden and without warning, these procedures are designed to be flexible in order to accommodate contingencies of various types and magnitudes.

SCOPE:

These procedures apply to all personnel, buildings and grounds, utilized by Grand Valley State University to include those peripheral areas adjoining campus and embraces a natural or man-made disaster situation. In any crisis or disaster situation, the primary objective will be the preservation of life, alleviation of human suffering and minimization of property damage.

DEFINITIONS:

Crisis Response Director:

The Vice President for University Relations shall serve as the overall crisis response director during any crisis or disaster where the Crisis Management Plan is implemented. In the absence of the Vice President for University Relations, the crisis response coordinators will move to the next executive officer on the notification list depending on whether it’s a physical or issue-oriented crisis.

Crisis Response Coordinators:

The Vice Provost and Dean of Students, Director of Public Safety Services, and Director of News and Information Services shall serve as the crisis response coordinators and shall manage all crisis response operations. They maintain direct operational control of the university crisis or disaster and the university crisis response team. The crisis response coordinators, as necessary, brief the crisis response director on the status of the situation.

NOTE: Each crisis response coordinator will have a designee in the event of his/her absence listed on the contact list.

Crisis or Disaster:

Health or Safety Emergencies:

Health or safety emergencies are defined as any unexpected situation, which affects the safety of persons or property on the buildings and/or grounds of Grand Valley State University.

Examples of health or safety emergencies which are covered by this plan include, but are not limited to one or a combination of the following perils: fire, explosion, inclement weather, earthquake, building collapse, power failure, flood, wind, chemical release, radioactive contamination, riot, bomb threat, aircraft emergency and terrorism.

Controversial Issues:

Controversial issues are defined as issue driven and/or slowly developing situations that may negatively impact Grand Valley State University. Examples of controversial issues include, but are not limited to the following events: unscheduled or planned protests or disruptions, civil disturbances or unauthorized occupancy of campus areas.

NOTE: Media are often notified of crisis situations through police radio reports or from anonymous telephone calls. The presence of news media on campus is of interest and should be reported to News and Information Services since it may indicate a developing situation that should be verified.

Minor Emergency:

A minor emergency, within the scope of this plan, is any incident, potential or actual, which will not seriously affect the overall functional capacity of the university, but nevertheless requires some degree of administrative action. Report immediately to Public Safety Service at extension 13255 for Allendale emergencies and extension 16677 for emergencies on the Pew Grand Rapids Campus.

UNIVERSITY CRISIS NOTIFICATION SYSTEM

CRISIS REPORTING AND COMMUNICATION:

Step 1:

Whenever a crisis involving Grand Valley State University occurs, actual or perceived, Public Safety Services should be informed immediately. Public Safety and/or other appropriate personnel will be dispatched to determine the extent of the crisis. The Public Safety department, as required, shall place into immediate effect the appropriate procedures necessary to safeguard persons and property. The crisis response coordinators shall be notified as soon as possible.

The crisis response coordinators, if necessary, shall immediately consult with the crisis response director regarding the situation and possible need for a declaration of a “university crisis.” The authority to declare a “university crisis” rests with the crisis response director.

Step 2:

Should a crisis be declared, the crisis response director will at his discretion as early as is possible following the declaration, convene the crisis/issues management team to determine the university’s response or action. Members of the crisis/issues team will be determined at the time of the crisis by the crisis response director dependent upon the nature of the crisis/issue.

Step 3:

Upon notification by the crisis response director of a “university crisis,” the crisis response coordinators will request the News and Information Services director to contact the university switchboard and ask that all media calls be referred to News and Information Services. Public Safety Services will also be asked to direct all media calls to News and Information Services. Inquiries from the general public, families, friends, etc., will be directed to a number determined by the Crisis Response Coordinators. If a hotline is needed, contact the Telephone Business Manager in Telecommunications.

Step 4:

The crisis response coordinators will initiate a telephone, facsimile, and/or e-mail relay of information in the form of a notification statement to vice presidents. This notification should then be disseminated as appropriate to all deans, department heads, and other university personnel and students. If possible, this notification statement will be in writing.

Initial notification should be made to all affected areas as soon as possible following declaration of the crisis. Additional notification statements shall be issued as information and/or directives are available for dissemination.

Step 5:

If appropriate, a “crisis alert” link will be added to the University’s home page. The Crisis Response Coordinators will coordinate with the New Media Manager to facilitate the release of information via the website.