605 Crisis Management Team

RATIONALE:  The purpose of this policy is to provide an explanation of the composition, general duties, responsibilities and activation process of the University’s Crisis Management Team (Team).

POLICY:  A Team has been established as an administrative decision-making group to respond to Critical Incidents which may occur at Oakland University. The Team’s purpose is to manage decision-making, communications flow and operational responses to a critical incident.

SCOPE AND APPLICABILITY:  This policy applies specifically to officials designated as primary members of the Team and their designated alternates.

DEFINITIONS:    

Critical Incidents:  Those campus-wide emergencies that threaten life or property, or those which impact a significant portion of the University community (including, but not limited to, major fires, civil disturbances, and weather disasters).

PROCEDURES:     

A. Composition of the Team

• University President – serves as Team Leader
  
  
• Vice President for Finance and Administration – serves as Alternate Team Leader
  
  
• Chief of Police – OUPD – serves as Team Coordinator
  
  
• Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost
  
  
• Vice President for Student Affairs
  
  
• Vice President for Legal Affairs, General Counsel and Secretary to the Board of Trustees
  
  
• Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations
  
  
• Vice President for Outreach
  
  
• Vice President for Government and Community Relations
  
  
• Media Relations Director
  
  
• Assistant Director, Media Relations
  
  
• Associate Vice President for Facilities Management
  
  
• Chief Information Officer
  
  
• Executive Assistant to the President
  
  
• Health and Life Safety Manager
  
  
• Other members as needed and determined by the Team

B. Team Notification Procedure:

Generally, the Chief of Police, or designee, will brief the Vice President for Finance and Administration regarding an impending or actual critical incident. The Vice President for Finance and Administration will immediately apprise the President of the situation, and a decision whether to activate the Team will be rendered. If a decision is reached to activate the Team, the Vice President will subsequently conduct direct notifications in the following order:

1. Chief of Police 
   
   
2. Media Relations Director
   
   
3. Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost
   
   
4. Vice President for Student Affairs
   
   
5. Associate Vice President for Facilities Management
   
   
6. Chief Information Officer
   
   
7. Vice President for Legal Affairs, General Counsel and Secretary to the Board of Trustees
   
   
8. Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations
   
   
9. Vice President for Government and Community Relations 
   
   
10. Vice President for Outreach
    
    
11. Executive Assistant to the President

The Media Relations Director shall be responsible for notifying the Director and Assistant Director of Media Relations. The Chief of Police shall be responsible for notifying the Health and Life Safety Manager. During this initial notification, members may be placed on “stand-by” or directed to report immediately to a specific meeting location. Once activated, the members of the Team will set aside all other duties and place the critical incident as their top priority. This priority shall also be extended to their various subordinates deemed appropriate depending on the nature of the specific incident. 

C. Designation of Alternates

It is the responsibility of each member of the Team, except as noted, to provide for an alternate to carry out the assigned responsibilities in his/her absence and to inform the Chief of Police of said alternate (and any future changes). This requirement does not apply to the Media Relations Director and the Assistant Director of Media Relations.

D. Team Members’ Availability

It is the responsibility of each member of the Team to notify the Chief of Police via e-mail whenever they will be absent from the local area (vacation, attendance at conferences, etc.) for a period in excess of 24 hours. The notification shall include the anticipated dates of absence and an indication that their designated alternate will be available locally during the absence.

E. Oakland University’s Emergency Response Plan

All members of the Team and their designated alternates have been issued a copy of the University’s Emergency Response Plan. The plan identifies and describes both general and specific responsibilities of the various Team members when they have been activated to deal with a critical incident.

Since time is often a significant factor when dealing with Critical Incidents, it is important that the identified University officials meet with their staffs and develop pre-established organizational plans to effectively respond to potential emergencies.

RELATED POLICIES AND FORMS:    

APPENDIX: