EMERGENCY CLOSURE OR PARTIAL CLOSURE OF CAMPUS  

Closure or partial closure of a campus can occur as a result of severe weather, flooding, tropical hurricane, fire, bomb, terrorist threats, chemical spills as well as other events.

A decision to close the University or cancel classes will be made by the President, or in the President's absence, the individual designated below.  The university's campus closure action may be independent from Victoria College or other UH Component decisions.

The following personnel, listed in order of priority, are the only individuals authorized to make the decision to close the university:

1. President; then:

2. Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs; then

3. Vice President for Administration and Finance; then

4. Associate Vice President for Student Services and Regional Outreach; then

5. Executive Director of University Advancement; then

6. Director of Information Technology.

Emergency Response Team (ERT)

In the event of an emergency or disaster, a standing Emergency Response Team can  be activated by the President (designee) for crisis management, providing information to help in any decision making process.   The President (designee) declares and ends the state of emergency.  During the crisis, the President, with input from the ERT, will make necessary decisions affecting the University.  The following personnel are members of the Emergency Response Team.

1. President

2. Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

3. Vice President for Administration and Finance

4. Associate Vice President of Student Services and Regional Outreach

5. Campus Safety Officer

6. Telecommunications Coordinator (Director of Information Technology, alternate);

7. Executive Director, University Advancement;

8. Director of Communications and Marketing (Communications and Marketing Specialist, alternate) 

9. Coordinator, Student Recruitment and Relations (Associate Vice President for Student Services and Regional Outreach, alternate)

10. Director, Facilities Services (Building Maintenance Supervisor, alternate)

DECISION LEVELS

The decision to cancel classes or close the University should be made as soon as possible to ensure communications are made with sufficient notice for commuting students and employees to avoid unnecessary and possibly hazardous travel.  Any decision should consider community situations in areas served by the University.

The decision choices will generally be reduced to one of three events:

Event 1 - Classes and office hours continue as usual.  (This event is also operative in the early or evaluation stages of an emergency when no decision has been made.)  

• Students, faculty, and staff should use discretion in determining when or if they can safely commute to and from the campus.

• Students are not penalized for discretionary absences.

• Student class time, assignments and missed tests are to be made up as arranged between the instructor and students.

• Staff and faculty should notify their supervisors or department heads if they will be absent.  Vacation and or compensatory time must be used by staff employees unless the President authorizes administrative leave.

• Faculty who cancel classes at their discretion must attempt to inform students and their divisional secretary of the cancellation.   The divisional secretary must keep Student Relations informed of class cancellations (to keep the public updated).

Event 2 - Classes have been canceled and all offices have been closed by site (i.e. UHS@ Sugar Land (UHSSL), UHS@Cinco Ranch (UHSCR), Northside Center or UH Victoria Campus only):

• Make up time and assignments may be required at the discretion of the instructor at the affected site.

• Employees at affected sites will be allowed administrative leave.

Event 3 - All classes have been canceled and all offices have been closed at all sites:

• Make up time and assignments may be required at the discretion of the instructor.

• Employees will be allowed administrative leave.

NORMAL DECISION PROCESS

1. Campus Safety Officer alerts the Vice President for Administration and Finance with an assessment of current conditions (i.e., bomb threat, hurricane warnings, etc.);

2. Vice President for Administration and Finance communicates with Provost;

3. Vice Presidents communicate with the President;

4. President (or designee) calls together the ERT if necessary;

5. President (or designee) makes decision;

6. Communication of decision as appropriate.  If the decision is to cancel classes or close the University, communications to close campus begins (see below);

7. ERT maintains team communications during crisis.

8. President (or designee) declares the state of emergency over.

9. Students and employees receive information through the University switchboard, news media, or other method.  Employees needing further clarification or information should contact their supervisor.

COMMUNICATIONS TO CLOSE THE VICTORIA CAMPUS

Once a decision to close the campus has been made by the President (or designee), the  communication process begins.  Because an emergency condition exists, the preferred method of communication is voice, person to person:

1. The President (or Senior Administrative Assistant)

• Notifies the Chancellor's Office and Victoria College Administration;
• Notifies University Advancement, Human Resources, and the Associate Vice President for Student Services and Regional Outreach;
• Maintains communications with the Director, Communications and Marketing;
• If decision maker, see paragraph 11 for additional responsibilities.

2. The Provost (or Senior Administrative Assistant)

• Becomes the primary point of contact for the academic area;
• Notifies Deans who, in turn, will notify the faculty and staff reporting to them;
• Notifies UHSSL, UHSCR, Northside Center, Library Director, Academic Center, and the Small Business Development Center.
• If decision maker, see paragraph 11 for additional responsibilities.

3. The Vice President for Administration and Finance (or Senior Administrative Assistant)

• Notifies Business Services, Finance, Budget, Facilities Services and Information Technology Directors, who in turn, will notify employees reporting to them;
• Determines whether there is a need for volunteer staffing to answer phones, relay information, etc.
• If decision maker, see paragraph 11 for additional responsibilities.

4. The Associate Vice President for Student Services and Regional Outreach (or Administrative Assistant)

• Notifies Financial Aid, Regional Outreach Center, Student Recruitment/Relations, and Admissions Office.
• If decision maker, see paragraph 11 for additional responsibilities.

5. The Campus Safety Officer - (Facilities Services Director--alternate)

• Provides assistance to the President, Vice Presidents, and other ERT members as necessary during the emergency; responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following:
• Keeps the President, Provost and Vice President for Administration and Finance informed of ongoing developments;
• Provides weather and road conditions when warranted;
• Provides additional assessments of on-site and off-site campus environments;
• Maintains communication with Victoria College and private security and ensures facilities are secured upon official closure of campus sites;
• Notifies the local community emergency planning committee (LEPC) of campus decisions when appropriate and serves as the LEPC contact for the university.

6. The Telecommunications Coordinator (IT Director or other IT alternate)

• Immediately communicates the decision by all of the following methods:

1. Campus-wide voice mail message
2. Campus-wide e-mail message
3. Change outgoing switchboard message.
4. It is recommended that the same person make all communications.  Content in all messages must be consistent.  Switchboard messages must also be brief and concise.

• Maintains communication with the Director, Communications and Marketing  for ongoing developments;
• Updates messages to the main switchboard in Victoria and keeps USHSL, UHSCR, and Northside Center advised of latest communications. 
• Rolls over all University 800 numbers to the main switchboard message during emergency, including Library and Office of Admissions and Records;
• Maintains home fax and cell phone accessibility throughout the emergency;
• Ensures alternates are thoroughly familiar with messaging procedures.

7. Cabinet members, School Deans and Department Heads: 

• Keep all departments or offices within their areas informed;
• Maintains a current copy of the Emergency Telephone Listing (in Appendix) and these procedures at home residence;
• Ensures that updated departmental personnel rosters are maintained both at home and at work.

8. Director, Communications and Marketing  (Communications and Marketing Specialist--alternate)

• Assumes responsibility for external media communication;
• Notifies television media at least 30 minutes prior to broadcasts (which are generally 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.) when closing decisions are made after working hours.
• Maintains communications with the Telecommunications Coordinator for switchboard message changes.
• Releases information to the area news media.   Radio and television stations are expected to be the primary source of information to the public, students, and employees.
• Check on possibility of weather channel "crawler" to provide status updates on University closures.  (To avoid confusion, only report changes from the normal campus operating status.)
• Have home cell phone and fax accessibility throughout the emergency.

9. Administrative Assistants/Secretaries

• The Administrative Assistants for the President, Provost, Vice President for Administration and Finance, and Associate Vice President for Student Services and Regional Outreach as well as the Administrative Secretaries for each school will serve as the alternate central communication point for their respective areas.  For example, if the Provost is unavailable, the President will contact the Administrative Assistant, who will continue with the Provost's assigned departmental notifications.

• Administrative Secretaries or Assistants should maintain both at home and at work, updated rosters of home phone numbers for all employees in their division.  Employees that do not choose to release after hour phone numbers are then responsible for finding out the current information.

10.    Director, Facilities Services

• Communicates to the Vice President for Administration and Finance and Emergency Coordinator the following information:

1. Utility availability at the various sites (including UHSSL, UHSCR, Northside Education Center, and UHV);

2. Conditions of facilities; and

3. Assessment of on-site and off-site campus environments.

• Informs all outside agencies with reservations to use the Multi-purpose room of changes in campus operations.

• Secures all university-owned vehicles (including Regional Outreach Center vehicle) and retains keys for relocation, if possible.

• Provides for emergency supplies for repairs, protection of property, critical staff standby, generator maintenance and other necessary measures.

• Provides for emergency utility shutdown, if required.

• In the event of a hurricane, installs plywood over East and West exterior entrances to the University Center including South facing patio glass of University Center.  Also, installs plywood inside over glass on second floor elevator area of University West and outside at three exterior entrances to University West.

11. Decision Maker

• Authorizes campus-wide voicemail, e-mail, outgoing switchboard message and website communications with responsible departments.
• Assumes communication roles of all absent higher chain of command (For example, if the President is unavailable, the next in charge ensures that the personnel that the President is to contact are advised; if the President and Provost are unavailable, then the Vice President for Administration and Finance assumes communication responsibilities for both the President and the Provost, and so on.)

12. Switchboard Operator - Visitor Information Kiosk

• The Switchboard Operator may be among the first to realize that a potential emergency exists.  In many instances the key indicator of a potential emergency will be receiving incoming calls from students and employees inquiring whether the campus will be closed or if classes will be cancelled.  The Switchboard Operator should adhere to the following protocol:

1. Until advised to the contrary, assume an event 1 situation and advise callers accordingly: classes and office hours continue as usual.  However, students, faculty and staff should use discretion.  See Event 1 above for full text.
2. Listed in order of priority, advise at least one of the following individuals that you are receiving caller inquiries and ask if there has been a change in normal campus status.

• Campus Safety Officer
• Director of Facilities Services
• Senior Administrative Assistant to Vice President for Administration and Finance
• Senior Administrative Assistant to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.

COMMUNICATIONS TO CLOSE THE UHS@SUGAR LAND

• The final decision to close the UHSSL campus will be made by administrators at the University of Houston-Victoria in the campuses' role as Administrative Manager of that site.
• The UHSSL decision will be based on information provided by the UHSSL Director.  The UHSSL Director will maintain close communications with the UHV Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, advising on campus and area conditions affecting that site.
• Provost will notify all UHS campuses of the decision to close the UHSSL campus.
• The UHSSL Director will notify all intercampus staff and faculty at the site.
• UHS Memorandum of June 18, 2002, will be followed.
• Follow protocol for an Event 2 or Event 3 scenario, as appropriate (see above).

TELEVISION STATIONS

CALLER INQUIRIES

Callers inquiring of campus/class status should be directed as indicated:

BUILDING LOCATIONS

• UHV Buildings located adjacent to the Victoria College Campus. Take the North Ben Wilson Entrance to campus. Official street address: 3007 North Ben Wilson. Phone: 570-4848.

• Small Business Development Center is located at 700 Main Street. Phone:  575-8944.

• Regional Outreach Center is located at 3402 N. Ben Wilson. Phone: 570-4361 OR 1-866-800-8762.

• UHSSL is located at 14000 University Boulevard, Sugar Land, TX.  Phone:  (281) 275-3300

• UHSCR is located at 4242 S Mason Road, Katy, TX 77450.  Phone: (713) 783-4486.

• Northside Education Center, El Campo, point of contact is Kari Kosanke, (979) 543-6750.

OTHER DEPARTMENT RESPONSIBILITIES

1. VC/UHV Library, generally, will remain open if one of the institutions remains open; however, UHV employees should use their own discretion when traveling.  Refer to Event 1 scenario.

2. SBDC notifies affected clients of closure.

3. The Regional Outreach Center notifies Petroleum College International and other affected clients of closure.

Related Sites:

UHS Memorandum of June 16, 2006,  Subject: Weather Closing Communication Process

Department of Texas Road Closures  http://www.dot.state.tx.us/hcr/main.htm

Weather Channel's Tropical Storm Update at www.weather.com/weather_center/trop_season/

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