Post on 04-Feb-2023
Emergency Management and
Continuity of Operations Considerations:
A Faculty Guide
2014
Carol L. Cwiak
North Dakota State University
ii | C a r o l L . C w i a k , N o r t h D a k o t a S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y
Thank you Dean Kent Sandstrom
for understanding the importance of this effort and supporting it.
iii | C a r o l L . C w i a k , N o r t h D a k o t a S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y
Table of Contents
Introduction 1
University Expectations and Obligations 2
Faculty and Department Basics 4
Teaching 9
Research 11
Service 14
Additional Resources 15
“Preparation is the key to success”. ~Alexander Graham Bell
1 | C a r o l L . C w i a k , N o r t h D a k o t a S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y
Introduction
Every day events occur on college and university campuses and in the local communities they
serve that can result in harm to people, property, or the environment; cause economic loss;
result in reputation damage; or interrupt critical operations. The genesis of these events could
come from any number of hazards, to include: natural hazards, technological hazards, health
hazards, violent acts, social movements, facility or infrastructure damage or failure, data theft,
IT issues, or a widely publicized scandal. College and university administrators have become
acutely aware that preparing for such events is a necessary part of institutional operations.
The bulk of college and university planning has typically been undertaken by campus police,
safety, and facility personnel with varying levels of success. The campus planning challenges for
such personnel lie in three key areas:
1) Accessing and communicating the necessary information to audiences such as students
and faculty;
2) Training and advancing capability in the student and faculty audience; and,
3) Lack of depth of understanding and reach regarding faculty needs relating to continuity
of operations.
This guide is intended to help address the three aforementioned challenges with the faculty
community as a primary audience, and the students as an audience readily accessed by faculty.
Historically, college and university emergency management and continuity of operations
planners have viewed these two audiences (particularly faculty) as difficult audiences to
address in comprehensive planning efforts. Staff are much more readily accessed and trained,
and their continuity of operations needs tend to be more clear-cut.
The same is not true with faculty who tend to operate more as independent agents with diverse
teaching, research, and service agendas. In addition, faculty partner across the campus,
community, state, region, country, and world on intellectual endeavors, scholarly contributions,
and grants. As such, every faculty member has a unique institutional and professional
fingerprint that is part of the institution’s daily operations and continued success. This creates
a difficult task in regard to continuity of operations. Planning staff do not have the necessary
expertise across the expanse of disciplines and the diversity of faculty activities to enable them
to create a plan that would be effective for each faculty member, department, and college (and
that is if there happened to be requisite planning staff depth to even attempt such a feat –
there simply is not such depth on any campus). For such planning to occur and be truly
effective, it must be generated department by department by faculty who understand the ways
in which their critical operations can be interrupted and what can be done to a) protect these
operations from potential interruption; b) minimize interruptions that could occur; and,
2 | C a r o l L . C w i a k , N o r t h D a k o t a S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y
c) resume operations timely after interruption. This guide seeks to empower faculty and
departments to actively engage in creating a better prepared institution that is ready to
respond in the event of emergencies and disasters and is primed to handle operational
interruptions.
This guide also includes the general expectations of faculty by the institution regarding
standardized training relating to workplace safety and draws attention to other areas where
faculty carry heightened responsibilities. Issues related to reputation management (individual
and institutional) are covered where applicable throughout the guide. Faculty awareness and
savvy can make a dramatic difference in the reputation management arena.
It is not the intent of this guide to present all the right answers or a one-size-fits-all path;
instead, this guide is intended to create awareness, promote discussion, and provide tools.
While it is primarily geared toward faculty and department level administration, there are many
areas where college and university level administrators may likewise find value. A well-
prepared institution is one in which everyone is engaged in safety, security, and continued
operations.
University Expectations and Obligations
NDSU has a number of established expectations and obligations in regard to faculty. There are
many mandatory trainings that faculty are required to complete annually. This guide focuses on
the mandatory and recommended trainings managed by the University Police and Safety Office
(UP & SO). A list of available UP & SO online training materials can be accessed at
(www.ndsu.edu/police_safety/training/). Every faculty member must complete Baseline Safety
Training annually. If the faculty member supervises graduate students or other employees,
Supervisor Safety Training must also be completed.
A number of other valuable informational and training links relevant to lab, research, and
workplace safety are available on the UP & SO training page. Based on the types of activities
faculty members are engaged in on campus, additional training modules may be required.
When in doubt about what training is required and relevant call the Safety Office at 231-7759.
The Active Shooter Awareness Training, while not classified as a mandatory training by the
university, is a critical training module for faculty and should also be shown to students. This
training is a 20 minute video that is accessible on the NDUS site via the UP & SO training page
(www.ndsu.edu/police_safety/training/). It provides valuable information on how to enhance
your chances of surviving an active shooter event and is designed for the campus community.
Ideally, faculty and students should view this video every semester.
3 | C a r o l L . C w i a k , N o r t h D a k o t a S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y
Faculty should also be aware of NDSU’s Annual Security Report (posted on the University Police
page) and Emergency Procedures (NDSU Policy 164). Faculty members are expected to be well-
versed in NDSU’s Emergency Action Guide. The Emergency Action Guide provides easy to
follow, concise information about what to do in the event of an emergency and can be printed
on 8.5 x 11 inch paper to enable faculty to include it as part of a course syllabus or other class
handout (www.ndsu.edu/fileadmin/policesafety/docs/Emergency_Action_Guide_Poster.pdf).
Ideally, faculty should distribute a copy of the Emergency Action Guide to students in each class
at the beginning of each semester and discuss with students the actions the class will take in
the event of any of the listed hazards based on the physical location in which the class meets.
During such a discussion is an ideal time to point out the classroom and facility exits, to note
whether classroom doors can be secured, and to make clear the faculty member’s policy
regarding the Campus Emergency Notification System (CENS) messaging.
Because faculty members are in control of the classroom, students will look to faculty for
direction in an emergency event. As employees of the university, faculty members have a
heightened responsibility in such situations to help direct students to safety (based on the
actions specified in the Emergency Action Guide). Faculty should also note that students who
are new to the campus, or new to the building the class is offered in, may not be fully apprised
of all stairwells and exit locations. Taking a few minutes at the beginning of each semester to
go over basic information with students could reduce the potential of injury or death in an
actual emergency.
In the event of an emergency or disaster, the CENS system will be utilized for warning, offering
protective action steps, and information updates. This system is now a mandatory system for
students (it has always been mandatory for university employees). CENS is not a prioritized
system wherein some audiences on the campus can be notified before others. Faculty and staff
members are not notified before students. It is entirely possible that students will receive a
CENS message before faculty. In fact, there could be a considerable time difference between
when one person receives a message and when another person receives the same message;
hence, this reality should factor into faculty in-class phone policies. Faculty should maintain at
least one open phone line to receive CENS messaging, and ideally would be able to allow all
lines to stay open to such messaging to better ensure timely message receipt (as opposed to
requiring phones to be turned off and stowed).
Should an event occur on the campus, all media inquiries should be directed to University
Relations at 231-8330. In the wake of such events, the media will access everyone and anyone
who is willing to talk. In a situation where injury, death, or other loss has occurred, NDSU
employees’ should be very careful in the statements they make which could affect victims, the
4 | C a r o l L . C w i a k , N o r t h D a k o t a S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y
family of victims, or the university negatively. The mishandling of such events can result in both
individual and institutional reputation damage and potential lawsuits.
Similarly, faculty should be cautious as employees of the university as to what they post on
social media regarding such events. Regardless of the privacy levels faculty may maintain on
these sites, there have been many instances where faculty comments have found their way into
mainstream media. In fact, social media entries that relate to university events of any scale (to
include personnel squabbles) should be avoided unless they are something that could
comfortably be shared in the local newspaper without causing the university embarrassment or
detriment. To better manage the potential fallout of social media, colleges and universities are
increasingly looking to follow the private sectors’ lead and have begun establishing social media
policies with disciplinary consequences. Existing policies that address employee conduct and
include an expectation of professionalism (such as NDSU Policy 151) could be used to address
social media missteps.
Also of note, faculty are reminded that university email (and any other written material,
electronic or not) that is not sensitive material or protected by a privacy act, is subject to open
record requests. If you are not comfortable with your words being publicized by the media,
used in a civil suit or criminal prosecution, or finding their way into an internet meme, - avoid
writing them. Anything on your NDSU devices or sent through NDSU email or voicemail is
accessible to NDSU without your permission, is presumed to be work-related, and is expected
to be in compliance with all NDSU policies. These devices are owned by the university and are
tools of employment; hence, faculty should harbor no expectation of privacy. Faculty should
likewise note with every keystroke entered on a university device or via a university-based
system (e.g., email, Blackboard, Campus Connection) that university administration could be
reviewing that very same email or document next week. Items protected from the reach of
open record requests are not shielded from supervisory review.
Faculty and Department Basics
This section addresses basic information, activities, and tips that individual faculty and
departments can utilize to prepare for events that may occur. Specific and more detailed
suggestions and guidance are offered on teaching, research, and service in subsequent sections
of the guide.
Communication - Department Level
Individual faculty and department level administration should annually compile an off-site
contact list for members of the department. Home or cell phone numbers should be pulled
together in a short list for the purposes of enhancing communication capability during an
5 | C a r o l L . C w i a k , N o r t h D a k o t a S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y
enduring event. This information should be printed, stored electronically, and transmitted via
email to all members of the department. In the event that faculty are hesitant to have such
information distributed to all of their colleagues, a few key department members should be
tasked with the responsibility of maintaining access to a printed and electronic version of the
list both at home and at the office.
Communication – University Level
CENS is the official emergency notification mechanism used by NDSU (and potentially NDUS as
well). All university employees are expected to act in accordance with messaging instructions
and to encourage others, such as co-workers, students, and visitors, to likewise act in
accordance with messaging instructions. At NDSU, safety and security is viewed as everyone’s
responsibility and that responsibility is clarified in mandatory annual baseline safety training
provided by UP & SO. All university employees are expected to know what protective actions
should be taken in the emergency events detailed on the Emergency Action Guide. All too
often, events will occur and protective action will be necessary before a CENS message can be
transmitted. In simplest terms, protective actions can be classified as either a “STAY” or “GO”
proposition (see table below).
Table 1
University Operations
The university has three operational states: 1) full operations; 2) classes cancelled; and, 3)
campus closed. When classes are cancelled, employees are still expected to fulfill their regular
obligations. When the campus is closed, only essential personnel should be on the campus
(essential personnel are pre-designated operational staff). University administration rarely
cancels classes or closes the campus. When closure does occur it is typically only for a day.
Protective Actions – STAY or GO
STAY GO
Tornado Fire
Haz Mat Incident Bomb
Active Shooter * Active Shooter *
*Depends upon shooter’s location and ability to safely get out
6 | C a r o l L . C w i a k , N o r t h D a k o t a S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y
However, an extended closure could occur and individual faculty and departments should
consider what that would mean to their teaching, research, and service engagements.
University Insurance
Faculty should be apprised that items in their work spaces that are not university property are
not likely covered by university insurance. Some, but not all, homeowner insurance policies
extend coverage to personal items in work spaces. Faculty members concerned with the
potential uncompensated loss of personal items from fire, theft, or some other event on the
campus, should contact their insurer to see if their policy includes or allows them to add off-
premise protection for these items. Additionally, note that insurers typically place a low cap on
intellectual property loss claims under standard policies. This is particularly relevant to
educators in that the loss of annotated books, teaching materials, articles in production, and
other such items are likely in an event that damages campus facilities.
Situational Awareness
The university counts on faculty, as it does other employees, to be mindful of what is going on
in and around the classrooms they teach in, their work space, and the areas of the campus they
traverse. All employees are expected to report things that seem out of place, suspicious, or
dangerous to university police. This includes, but is not limited to: dangerous facility and
outdoor conditions (i.e., loose stair railings, slippery sidewalks, malfunctioning elevators, fire
hazards); items that seem out of place in the environment they are in (i.e., a backpack left
unattended near faculty offices, an unmarked box in the hallway, a person wearing layers of
bulky heavy clothing on campus on a hot summer day); students or colleagues who are
evidencing a dramatic personality shift, have made comments, or are displaying erratic
behavior that may indicate that they could be a threat to themselves or others; and, activities
that are in violation of university policy or local law (i.e., possession of a weapon; alcohol
consumption on campus; physical assaults).
There are resources on campus tasked with addressing all of the above examples. One
resource of particular importance in regard to students is the Behavioral Intervention Team
(BIT). The BIT is “a collaborative interdisciplinary team of campus-community members that
meets weekly to discuss students exhibiting behaviors indicative of crisis and elevated risk”
(www.ndsu.edu/student_life/behavior_intervention_team_bit/). Due to the level of consistent
contact faculty members have with students, the BIT relies heavily on faculty to alert them to
students who appear to be struggling.
Table 2 provides some of the most common resource contact points for faculty members to
share information pertinent to campus safety and security, student and employee safety and
7 | C a r o l L . C w i a k , N o r t h D a k o t a S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y
well-being, and policy or law violations. In all instances regarding situational awareness
matters, faculty members should report what they see or learn about even if they think it is
fairly minor. Often a complete image of a situation comes through multiple reports with
varying pieces of information. When in doubt about who to call about a non-emergency
situation contact University Police at 231-8998.
Table 2
Personal Safety and Security
Faculty members should be aware and advise students that the blue light phones on campus
function as emergency lines and connect directly to campus police. Short duration personal
calls can also be made on most of the blue light phones on NDSU’s campus. Additionally, the
university police department offers a 24/7 police escort service for faculty, staff, and students
both on the main campus and at the Barry, Klai, and Renaissance Hall locations. The service
Type of Issue Resource(s)/Contact Information
Report an injury in immediate need of care Emergency 911
Report a near miss injury or actual injury per university policy (documentation)
Safety Office 231-7759 www.ndsu.edu/police_safety/ public_health_and_safety/incident/
Report a situation or condition that poses immediate danger to life safety
Emergency 911
Report a situation or condition that looks like it could escalate, is suspicious, or otherwise needs documentation or attention
University Police 231-8998
Report an urgent facility or outdoor safety issue University Police 231-8998
Report a facility or outdoor safety issue that is important, but not urgent (to include parking lots, streets internal to the campus, and sidewalks)
During operational hours: Facilities Management 231-7911 ndsu.facilitiesmanagement@ndsu.edu
After hours: University Police 231-8998
Report a student behavioral concern BIT NDSU.BIT@ndsu.edu
Report an employee behavioral concern Your immediate supervisor
Report a policy violation Department or office assigned to overseeing policy implementation and enforcement (see policy language)
Report witnessed violations of law or campus regulations (not urgent) on campus
University Police 231-8998
8 | C a r o l L . C w i a k , N o r t h D a k o t a S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y
offers university police accompaniment and/or transport to and from these locations or areas
immediately adjacent. This service is a safety-focused service and can be requested by calling
university police at 231-8998.
Healthy Classrooms and Offices
While the spread of illness on a campus cannot be entirely avoided, there are small steps that
can help decrease employees’ and students’ odds of becoming ill during peak cold and flu
seasons. The best tool for creating healthy classroom and office spaces is a strong illness policy.
Ill employees and students should be encouraged to stay home. Any policy that requires a
doctor note for a singular absence creates an environment wherein those on the front and tail-
end of illness will come to work or classes. To the extent possible, doctor’s notes should not be
required until at least the third day of absence. Additionally, healthy behaviors such as regular
handwashing (www.cdc.gov/handwashing/), utilizing the proper cough and sneeze technique
(www.cdc.gov/healthywater/hygiene/etiquette/coughing_sneezing.html), and other easy steps
(www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/stopgerms.htm) that reduce the spread of illness should be
encouraged. Unfortunately, the lack of attention to healthy classrooms and offices at any place
on the campus can reach quite quickly across the campus and into the community. Vigilance in
regard to healthy behaviors is important as a person infected on the campus could transmit the
illness to a vulnerable family member that is much less able to weather the illness.
In the event of a health emergency (such as a pandemic), university administrators will activate
much more stringent expectations than the aforementioned and may cancel classes or close
the campus. These plans are already in place and are built upon established triggers from the
Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization. Limited operations or closure
due to a health emergency is an ongoing threat and one that should be heavily considered
when examining continuity options in regard to teaching, research, and service.
Graduate Students & Adjunct Instructors
Many departments utilize graduate students in a teaching or research capacity that puts them
in positions of responsibility akin to faculty-level responsibility. Graduate students with such
responsibility should be apprised of university expectations in relation to these roles. For
example, graduate students teaching a course should understand the heightened responsibility
of the course instructor in informing students about emergency procedures and ensuring
students’ safety and security should an event occur; the necessity of allowing an open line for
CENS; the importance of a healthy classroom policy; and, the need to complete university
training requirements.
Similarly, adjunct instructors should also be advised of such expectations. Additionally, adjunct
instructors that are not intimately familiar with the entire campus and do not have daily access
9 | C a r o l L . C w i a k , N o r t h D a k o t a S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y
to faculty and the department administration, would benefit from a short overview training
prior to the start of their teaching engagement with NDSU and an annual refresher to update
them on any new policies or expectations at the department, college, or university level. In
regard to the institution’s expectations regarding classroom safety and emergency procedures,
adjunct instructors and graduate students carry the same responsibilities as full-time faculty
members.
Workplace Safety 101
As is true with all workplaces, there are a slew of general safety regulations, procedures, and
reporting expectations. The vast majority of these regulations, procedures and expectations
apply to all employees – which includes faculty. Noncompliance in this area can create
problems for both the employee and the university. NDSU’s annual Baseline Safety Training
provides concise coverage of the basic expectations for all employees, but those who seek
additional and more detailed information should visit the North Dakota Workforce Safety and
Insurance website (www.workforcesafety.com/safety/videoresourcelibrary.asp) where a
collection of informative video resources are housed. This resource is particularly important for
those engaging in inherently dangerous activities that are more likely to result in injury (e.g.,
tool safety, dealing with hazardous chemicals, operating heavy machinery, etc.).
Teaching
Course delivery is a primary mission of the university; as such, faculty should consider what
actions can be taken to enable course instruction in the face of an interruption. Interruptions
to course delivery can take many forms. For example, course delivery could be interrupted by
faculty illness or emergency, facility issues, a health crisis, or an emergency or disaster that
affects the campus or nearby community. The type of interruption often dictates the options
for continuity plans and resumption activities.
NDSU’s Information Technology (IT) Division has long been part of the campus planning team
and is prepared to support movement to online course delivery in the event of an extended
operational interruption due to a health of other event that limits campus access. Alas, IT’s
readiness does not translate to a faculty body that can carry-on instruction with ease. There
are certain conditions that must be present for faculty to successfully move courses online,
such as: a Blackboard shell that students are able to gain access to during an interruption (this
additionally assumes students will have access to computers and internet offsite); faculty online
course delivery skill sets; and, materials and assignments that are well-situated to an online
course environment.
10 | C a r o l L . C w i a k , N o r t h D a k o t a S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y
A more likely and common interruption of course delivery lies in faculty injury, illness, or family
emergency. With this type of interruption, the faculty member may or may not be able to work
with another faculty member, graduate student, or administrator to help facilitate course
delivery and may or may not have ready access to the course materials (i.e., lecture notes,
assignments, tests, etc.). These types of interruption can occur at any time during a semester
and can have indeterminate timelines in regard to a faculty member’s return.
There are many things faculty members and departments can do to help ensure that course
instruction is not interrupted for an extended period of time. While factors such as the nature
of the interruption, the subject matter of the course, and the timing of the interruption (e.g.,
pre-semester as opposed to middle of the semester) can affect resumption options, the below
recommendations should help faculty members and departments lay the groundwork for
success.
Are faculty course materials captured and stored electronically on a shared
departmental drive or in a Blackboard shell that can be accessed by an administrator?
It is much easier for other faculty members, graduate assistants, or administrators to
step in for another faculty member if they have the necessary course materials
available. Creating electronic copies of as many materials as possible allows faculty an
additional layer of protection should course materials be destroyed.
Is a Blackboard shell created for the course? Even if a faculty member does not
typically use Blackboard for classes, creating a shell and letting students know that it will
be used in the event of interruption to continue course instruction is an easy
preparedness step. As stated previously, all course materials can be stored in the shell
in a protected format in the event they are needed.
Have faculty members thought about the handling of assignments and other
scheduled items if there is a short-term closure? During a short-term closure (a week
or less), will students still be expected to turn in assignments electronically on their due
date or will they be allowed to turn them in upon the resumption of classes? Will tests
be cancelled or rescheduled? How will missed student class presentations be handled?
Each faculty member should share with students early in the semester (or in the
syllabus) how such assignments and scheduled requirements will be handled. In the
absence of a detailed discussion, an advisement that students will be notified by the
instructor in the event of class cancellations or campus closure as to how course
assignments and expectations will be affected helps reduce student stress regarding
expectations and ensures that they will not proceed to campus to turn in an assignment.
11 | C a r o l L . C w i a k , N o r t h D a k o t a S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y
Does the department have a short list of possible adjunct instructors that can be
utilized in the event of an unexpected extended faculty absence? Many faculty
members teach coursework in focused topical areas that are not easily covered by
someone outside the topical area. Asking faculty members to identify possible adjunct
instructors to teach their courses in their absence allows the department to have a
better starting point for what will likely need to be a very quick process. In this
identification process, faculty members should consider adjuncts from the public and
private sector, retired faculty, and graduate students as applicable.
Is video capture of lectures in regularly offered courses an option within the
department? Many departments offer fairly standardized courses (e.g., general
education offerings) every semester. Capturing and storing lectures from these
offerings allow the department flexibility should an extended faculty absence occur.
Such capture could also have value for online course offerings and could provide
coverage for more typical faculty absences (e.g., short-term illness, conference
attendance).
In course delivery instances where special equipment or facilities are necessary, have
back-up sites off-campus been identified? While the university may need to be involved
in facilitating the movement of a course to a site that is off-campus (due to insurance
and other such issues), faculty members should consider other sites that they could
potentially use in the event of a facility interruption that primarily affects the campus.
Using performing arts as an example, required student performance events which were
originally scheduled in a campus facility could potentially be moved into similar facilities
in the community or on neighboring college campuses.
Research
The research continuity issues discussed in this guide take into consideration the diversity of
faculty research interests and engagements, the economic interest and stake in research held
by the university and grant-funding entities, the value of the research to advancing knowledge,
and the role the research plays in faculty members’ careers. While research projects can have
many similarities, they can also have very specific nuances that make them more or less
vulnerable to interruption. Research continuity planning is complicated by the fact that it can
be interrupted by events far removed from NDSU and the researcher’s reach. Not all research
can be protected or easily resumed, but aforethought about interruptions and potential data
loss can help better insulate faculty research from being lost due to an emergency or disaster
event or other unexpected interruption. The below questions and recommendations are
12 | C a r o l L . C w i a k , N o r t h D a k o t a S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y
designed to prompt faculty to think about the vulnerability of their research and the things they
can do to protect current and future research efforts.
Is a lab or other campus facility utilized for the research? If a lab or specialized facility
on the campus is being utilized for research, the following questions warrant discussion:
1) In the event of campus closure (even if the lab is unaffected), does the lab need to be
accessed to preserve or monitor data? If so, are campus administrators aware of the
need to access the lab during closure? Is there more than one person who understands
what to do in regard to preserving or monitoring data? Has the process for capturing
and preserving data been captured electronically in the event something should happen
to the P.I. or primary person in charge of preservation and monitoring?
2) If the lab is damaged either partially or fully, will the research project need to be
entirely scrapped? Is critical and unbacked-up data (i.e., no electronic version that can
be accessed offsite) stored in the lab? Is daily progress captured in a way that the
project can be started again from the interruption point?
3) Is a plan in place to relocate lab materials to a more secure location should a slower
onset event (e.g., flooding) occur that may impact the lab directly or the ability to gain
access to it? Has the back-up location been identified? Is the back-up location outside
the threatened area (as opposed to just being off-campus)? How will transport of the
lab materials occur? Will specialized assistance be required to relocate the lab?
4) Does the lab contain items that could create a threat to life safety or exacerbate
other events that may occur? If so, are campus safety personnel apprised of this
potential? Have all faculty, staff, and students that access the lab been adequately
trained to maintain a safe environment for themselves and others in regard to volatile
or dangerous items in the lab? Is there a protocol in place for reporting when things go
wrong in the lab? Is this protocol posted and shared with appropriate administrators
and campus safety personnel?
Is data stored in a place wherein damage to a facility would result in the loss of the
data? To the extent practicable, data should be backed up electronically and stored in a
way that it can be accessed off-site. Even if the data that is stored is merely
photographs of logs or other items that are not typically captured electronically, it
provides the researcher an opportunity to attempt to replicate what was lost.
13 | C a r o l L . C w i a k , N o r t h D a k o t a S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y
Could an event interrupt or damage the ability to collect data? Based on the research
being conducted, this can be a very real concern. Diversity in the types of data collected
and the ways in which it is collected necessarily make this a mental exercise for each
researcher. If data collection were to be interrupted, to what extent would the overall
project suffer? If data could no longer be collected due to the loss of research subjects
or damage to the area being researched, could the initial data still be used in some form
or fashion?
Can a change in the way, or the time period, in which the data is collected help protect
it from interruption? Some data collection processes and windows of collection are
more vulnerable to interruption than others. Researchers should particularly consider
the impact more frequent events could impose on successful data collection. For
example, conducting focus groups across North Dakota in January could be problematic
for both the researcher and participants. Similarly, spring flooding continues to be an
ongoing concern across the state and often affects the operational focus of government,
businesses, organizations, schools, universities, and households, which may in turn
impede or interrupt a data collection effort.
In the event of the incapacity or death of the primary researcher, can the existing
research be continued by another researcher? Many researchers conduct their work in
isolation or with graduate assistant support. In the event that the primary researcher is
lost mid-project (particularly on a research project of great significance or one that
involves substantial research dollars), is there adequate knowledge of the research in
others working on the project and/or has the work been adequately captured
electronically to facilitate the research moving forward?
Is the research funded by an external agency or grant source? Researchers should
always reach out to those funding research to inform them of any major interruptions or
changes in the approved and funded agenda. This is particularly true in regard to grants
with short life-spans. Keeping the funding and/or monitoring agency in the loop can
help researchers should they need an extension or modification. Such agencies will
expect that the researcher has done due diligence to protect the funded research. The
ability to reference thoughtful planning and continuity efforts undertaken by the
researcher will be helpful in protecting both the funding and the researcher’s reputation
with the funding agency. In addition, the university has a vested interest in maintaining
the reputation of a top-tier research facility and successful completion of funded
research in a timely manner is critical to that reputation.
14 | C a r o l L . C w i a k , N o r t h D a k o t a S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y
Will the loss of research or a time setback on research affect viability for faculty
promotion and tenure? There is an opportunity to stop the clock in the tenure process.
Faculty that may be so affected by such a loss or setback should speak with their
department administrator to examine the options available to them.
Service
Faculty service comes in all shapes and sizes, can be anything from regular direct engagement
to quarterly conference calls, and exists at the campus, community, state, regional, national,
and international level. With service, faculty members have an opportunity to contribute their
energy and expertise to assist in university-level efforts, support disciplinary advancement,
engage with local community projects, and guide student engagement efforts. Even though
service is valued at a lower level than teaching or research in the university assessment
environment, it is an area in which faculty members are deeply committed to and engage many
hours in.
In regard to service, the primary considerations are: 1) the ability to continue engagement in
the face of an event or interruption; 2) the extent to which existing service obligations will
become more relevant in, or as a result of, an event; and, 3) the extent to which new service
roles may emerge based on the need generated from an event. When faculty members
consider what they can do to ensure that service commitments are not interrupted, or if
interrupted, resumed quickly, they should consider the significance of their role and
contribution in the service, the impact varying levels of interruption may have (i.e., a few weeks
is quite different than a few months), and the geographic footprint of the service (i.e., is
everyone in the service area likewise affected or is the service area larger or different than the
location of the incident?).
In a major event, it is a very real possibility that service obligations will be dwarfed by the
event-caused family, campus, and community needs. It is also quite common for new service
commitments to arise as a result of an event. As a rule of thumb, faculty members should
expect that should they or other colleagues engaged with a service project be affected by an
event that causes an extended interruption the affected parties will likely have difficulty
meeting their obligations in the short-term.
In regard to service that takes faculty members to other countries, there are some basic
precautions worth noting. Before travel, health requirements, recommendations, alerts and
warnings for the country should be checked at the World Health Organization’s site and the
U.S. State Department site (see the links in the Additional Resources section). In a worldwide
health emergency, travelers could be delayed or restricted from returning to the United States.
15 | C a r o l L . C w i a k , N o r t h D a k o t a S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y
Similarly, in times of heightened danger in countries where the U.S. has advised its citizens to
leave the country, the ability to get out of the country can be made more difficult. Also, when
travelling anywhere in the world - for service, conferences, or vacation - it is important to
understand the types of hazards the area faces and the protective actions recommended for
life safety. FEMA’s Ready website has information on specific hazards and appropriate
protective actions (see the link in the Additional Resources section).
Additional Resources
The following resources are provided for those who want to do more to prepare themselves
and their family for emergencies, disasters, and other events that may affect them. Faculty
members who are prepared in their home life are better able to continue their workplace
obligations when the campus or community are faced with disruptive events. All of the
resources provided are free and a couple of them are available in languages other than English.
CodeRED
This is a free county-level emergency notification system that is utilized by county and city
officials. Residential, business and cell phones can be registered on this service.
Cass County, ND
https://www.casscountynd.gov/county/depts/EM/announcements/Pages/CodeRED.aspx
Clay County, MN
http://claycountymn.gov/217/CodeRED)
City of Fargo - Are You Prepared?
This free publication is available in English, Spanish, Bosnian, Arabic, Kirundi, Kurdish, Swahili,
Nepali, Vietnamese, Somali, French, and Farsi.
www.cityoffargo.com/Emergencies/AreYouPrepared/
North Dakota and Minnesota State Travel Information Map
These maps are continuously updated with current road conditions. Travelers can also call 511
for road conditions as they travel across the country.
North Dakota: www.dot.nd.gov/travel-info-v2/
Minnesota: www.511mn.org/
16 | C a r o l L . C w i a k , N o r t h D a k o t a S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
The CDC site has information on current health concerns, healthy behaviors, emergency
preparedness, diseases and conditions, traveler’s health, and more.
www.cdc.gov
World Health Organization (WHO)
This site provides current news and updates about international disease spread and emerging
health issues. It also has country specific information and links to each country’s representative
health organization (in the language of the country).
http://www.who.int/en/
FEMA’s Ready Website
This a FEMA-created preparedness site for individuals, families (households), organizations, and
businesses. It can be accessed in 12 languages other than English: Spanish, French, Haitian-
Creole, Russian, Urdu, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Korean, Japanese, Arabic, Chinese, and Hindi (see
http://www.ready.gov/languages). The site includes kid-focused preparedness activities as well
as specific information for seniors, families with infants and young children, and pet owners.
www.ready.gov
U.S. State Department Alerts and Warnings
The U.S. State Department maintains a page of alerts and warnings for those travelling outside
the United States and its territories. The U.S. government urges caution and additional
consideration of travel plans in regard to these alerts and warnings.
http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/alertswarnings.html
Flight Aware
This site provides the status of airports worldwide and shows real time flight tracking of both
private and commercial air traffic. This site provides situational awareness of alternative
options for travelers who find themselves delayed or grounded at a specific airport.
http://flightaware.com/live/airport/delays
Emergency and Disaster Information Service
This site provides a map of current incidents worldwide.
http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/index2.php