Mission Continuity Plan

Full set of Mission Continuity documents

While the probability of a catastrophic interruption of campus services is small, the University must be prepared to handle any kind of emergency that could interrupt services.  A mission continuity plan is designed to address ways in which the University would respond to a disaster in a way that would protect the safety and security of the people on campus, and University property, and bring operations up as safely, quickly, and smoothly as possible.  Because the nature and likelihood of any particular kind of emergency is, by definition, unknown, the plan is broad in scope.  As each kind of emergency is unique, it will require a different specific response.  As such, the Mission Continuity Plan outlines approaches rather than defining steps.  Existing plans for managing potential crises, contacts, and location information is provided in appendices for ease of use depending upon the particular situation.

Strategy Implementation Teams

Two different types of implementation teams are necessary to carry out the Mission Continuity Plan.  Regardless of the source of the emergency, a group of persons must be assembled to make critical business decisions (Mission Continuity Management Team).  Depending on the nature of the emergency, one or more operational teams must be assembled to implement the details of the plan (Mission Continuity Implementation Teams).  The content of the implementation teams depends on the specific areas of University operations that are compromised, and will likely change from instance to instance.

The Mission Continuity Management Team is comprised of the following members:

  • University President
  • Provost
  • Vice President for Business and Finance
  • Vice President for Student Services
  • Vice President for University Relations

Depending on the nature of the emergency, other persons may be added to this team, frequently including the Assistant Vice President for Facilities Management, Director, the Director of Information Services and the Public Safety Director/Chief of Police.

The Mission Continuity Implementation Teams will be comprised of persons who can carry out elements of the plan to mitigate the effects of the emergency, contain and assess damage, provide temporary operating services, and bring damaged facilities or equipment back to use.  The content of these teams will be determined based on the nature of the emergency, but will usually include staff from the following departments: administrative services, employee services, information technology, student services, university relations, plus other departments affected by the emergency.  The implementation teams carry out the decisions made by the management team.

Disaster Response

The following steps will determine the University’s response to a disaster situation.

  1. Detection and Determination
    A disaster may be detected by any person on campus, but will often come through administrative services, public safety, or information services, or through external notification (such as the Chicago police or the National Weather Service).
  2. Notification
    Once an actual or potential disaster has been identified, the Mission Continuity Management Team should be assembled, whether in person, via phone, or via other technology to assess the disaster and to begin to make decisions about how to proceed.
  3. Command Center Determination
    Determine where the disaster command center will be set up, if any University facilities are damaged, or will potentially be damaged in a weather situation.  Determination of the command center will depend on such factors as safety, the availability of electricity and technology, proximity to affected persons or property and related factors.
  4. Initiate the Mission Continuity Plan
    Identify, assemble and mobilize the needed implementation teams.
  5. Manage and Disseminate Public Information
    Disseminate public information both internally and externally as necessary.  Designated persons from the University Relations staff will serve as spokesperson to the media, if needed, and will determine the content and handle dissemination of information to the university community.  Consideration of the need to share information or resources with our neighboring institutions (The Sisters of Mercy Regional Center and Brother Rice and Mother McAuley High Schools) must be made.

    All persons not designated as official spokespersons must take caution not to provide information, speculation or rumor to anyone.  Doing so, even in good faith, can create panic, unnecessary upset, or cause further damage.
  6. Provide support services to aid recovery.
    Area directors will coordinate efforts throughout the post-disaster to full recovery stage to ensure that university operations are brought back safely and with a minimum of disruption to the university community.

Disaster Recovery Strategy

The disaster recovery strategy deals with three phases of disaster recovery: the emergency, backup and recovery.

  1. Emergency Phase
    This phase begins with the identification of an emergency or disaster.  This is the initial response period.  Decisions may have to be made rapidly, before the management team is convened, and will often rely on existing emergency plans or operating procedures to protect life and property.
  2. Backup Phase
    This phase begins once the management team begins to make decisions.  It will include determination of alternate facilities if needed (student housing, classrooms, offices, etc.), availability and alternate sources of phone, electrical and computer lines, whether operations need to be maintained on a scaled-back level, and related interim-operations decisions.
  3. Recovery Phase
    The goal of this phase is to restore normal operations as soon as possible.  Factors to consider in making decisions include determining which functions are critical, essential, necessary and desirable.

In the event of damage to physical university facilities, a damage and salvage assessment should be done.  Trained personnel, whether internal or external, must first determine if buildings are safe for usage.  Plans for salvage and repair may need to be made in both a short-term and long-term frame.  Responsibility for the damage and salvage assessment lies with the Assistant Vice President for Facilities Management.

The Associate Vice President of Business and Finance will report insurable damage to the appropriate insurance carrier or agent, and follow through on the claims process, providing information and coordinating the claims process both internally and externally.

Disaster Plan Updates and Testing

The Mission Continuity Plan will be available on hard copy and electronically so that it cam be accessed when needed, both on campus and from a remote location.

The Associate Vice President for Business and Finance will annually secure updates to the plan appendices and seek input on changes to the plan itself.

The Mission Continuity Plan will be tested at adoption and at regular periods thereafter.  A review of the plan will occur each time after the plan is put into use, and appropriate changes to the plan will be made.