University Operations Under Emergency Conditions

Policy Number: OPR-4600-003

Policy Title: University Operations Under Emergency Conditions (Emergency Operations Management)

Vice Chancellor/Associate Chancellor: Vice Chancellor for Administrative Services 

Unit Responsible for Policy: Office of the Vice Chancellor for Administrative Services 

Effective Date: May 23, 2022

Contact:  Assistant Vice Chancellor for Administrative Services

Policy Statement: The University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) is committed to the welfare, health, and safety of its students, faculty, staff, and visitors. If a condition arises that constitutes an Emergency or Disaster, the University will utilize all resources necessary and available to mitigate the situation as efficiently and safely as possible.

In serving its commitment to the welfare, health, and safety of everyone in its community, the University will develop and maintain a comprehensive Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) that provides a concept of operations for each phase of Emergency Management and facilitates a timely, effective, efficient, and coordinated University response. The EOP will designate areas of responsibility and define for the University the framework components, including those necessary to protect life, secure critical infrastructure and facilities, and restore teaching, research, and patient care programs.

Reason for Policy: To state the University’s commitment to being prepared when conditions arise that constitute an Emergency or Disaster. The EOP, the development and maintenance of which is required by state and federal laws, must be National Incident Management System-compliant and cover All Hazards. The Illinois Campus Security Enhancement Act also requires the University to partner with the county or major municipal emergency management officials to annually review the University’s emergency response plan and to conduct training and exercises related to that plan at least once annually.

Minority Impact Statement: The policy does not have a disproportionate or unique effect on UIC’s minority students, faculty, or staff.

Who Should Read the Policy:  All students, faculty, staff, and administrators at UIC.

Definitions: 

  • All Hazards: A threat or an incident, natural or manmade, that warrants action to protect life, property, the environment, and public health or safety, and to minimize disruptions of government, social, or economic activities. It includes natural disasters, cyber incidents, industrial accidents, pandemics, acts of terrorism, sabotage, and destructive criminal activity targeting critical infrastructure. This also includes the effects climate change has on the threats and hazards.
  • Disaster: An occurrence or threat of widespread or severe damage, injury, or loss of life or property resulting from any natural, human, or technological cause, including but not limited to fire, flood, earthquake, wind, storm, hazardous materials spill, or water contamination requiring emergency action to avert danger or damage, epidemic, air contamination, blight, extended periods of severe and inclement weather, drought, infestation, critical shortages of essential fuels and energy, explosion, riot, hostile military or paramilitary action, or acts of domestic terrorism.
  • Emergency: Any incident, whether natural, technological, or human-caused, that requires responsive action to protect life, property and public health and safety, or to lessen or avert the threat to the university community.
  • Emergency Management: The organized efforts to develop, plan, analyze, conduct, provide, implement and maintain programs for disaster mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery.
  • Emergency Operations Plan (EOP): A document that focuses on how the University will respond to emergencies and planned events. The plan states the method for taking coordinated action to meet the needs of an Emergency or Disaster.
  • National Incident Management System (NIMS): A systematic, proactive approach used to manage incidents involving all threats and hazards – regardless of cause, size, location, or complexity – to reduce loss of life, property, or harm to the environment. The system is applicable and adaptable to all levels of incidents and responding agencies, organizations and jurisdictions.
  • University: Refers to UIC.

Procedures: The UIC EOP “Basic Plan” can be found on the UIC Ready website. Additional functional annexes to the EOP “Basic Plan” are maintained within the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Administrative Services. Both the UIC EOP “Basic Plan” and the functional annexes are distributed annually to the Illinois Board of Higher Education, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, and the City of Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications.

Related Laws, Regulations, Statutes, and Policies:

Federal

  • Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-390)
  • Higher Education Opportunity Act, L. 110-315 (2008)
  • Homeland Security Act of 2002, L. 107-296 (2002)
  • Homeland Security Presidential Directive 5, HSPD-5 (2003)
  • Presidential Policy Directive 8, PPD-8 (2011)
  • Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act, L. 107-188 (2002)
  • Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, L. 100-707 (1988)

State

Document History: 

Approval date: May 23, 2022
Approved as: New policy