TEXAS STATE
CRISIS MANAGEMENT PLAN
A college campus is a community of a
significant number of people who come together from many backgrounds and
environments to live, work and attend school.
In a large campus community of 26,000 students like Texas State
University-San Marcos, crises or critical incidents will occur. The occurrence of a crisis-producing
incident can have both direct and indirect traumatizing effects on a wide range
of the community members. While Texas
State cannot create a foolproof plan to deal with every contingency, a basic
plan for institutional response to crisis situations can:
(1)
increase the
effectiveness and immediacy of the
response to any victims;
(2)
reduce the
severity and duration of the trauma to the campus community; and
(3)
reassure the
public, local and university community.
Texas State has defined crisis incidents to
include but not be limited to the following
situations which may require a coordinated
response:
1.
Death of a
student (on or off campus)
2.
Attempted
suicide
3.
Life
threatening injury/illness
4.
Sexual assault
5.
Mental health
crisis
6.
Drug/Alcohol
overdose
7.
Campus
disturbance/riot
8.
Contacting
students in case of family emergency
9.
Fire/Explosion
with injuries or significant damage
10.
Bomb threats
11.
Violent crimes
(on campus or in the campus community)
12.
Health
hazard/crisis
13.
Power
outages/Physical plant failure
14.
Facilities
structural damage/danger
15.
Natural
disasters
16.
A crisis
situation involving a Texas State student(s) with the Study Abroad Program
17.
Student
organization hazing with injuries or fatalities to student(s)
In order to
provide an effective and planned response to campus crisis situations, Texas
State has established two response groups:
the Disaster/Emergency Operations Committee(D/EOC) and the Crisis
Management Team (CMT) to assess the situation and coordinate the University’s
response to a critical incident.
Some crisis
incidents are the results of disaster situations in which the safety of Texas
State students, faculty and staff is at risk for an extended period of time and
the immediate functioning of the University may be significantly impaired because
of damaged and or unsafe facilities.
For these situations UPPS No.
05.04.03, Emergency Operations, specifies specific policy and
procedures to be followed during the disaster period. Attachment
IV of the UPPS, Disaster/Emergency Operations Plan Procedures,
focuses on the activities and procedures to be followed to ensure the ongoing
safety of members of the Texas State community and actions to be taken to
restore safety and functioning to the disaster area. The focus of this Crisis Management Plan is to ensure the
provision of support and assistance to members of the Texas State community who
have been severely affected or traumatized by the incident.
The
Emergency UPPS establishes the Disaster/Emergency Operations Committee to
oversee the university’s response to the emergency situation. The UPPS specifies the membership of the
committee and the appointment and responsibilities of the Disaster/Emergency
Operations Director. When circumstances
warrant gathering information for a potential emergency, the President will
convene a meeting of all or appropriate members of this committee to assess the
situation, identify damaged facilities and hazardous sites and to provide
recommendations regarding specific emergency operations and actions which must
be taken to restore safety and functionality to the university area.
III. The Crisis Management Team (CMT)
Many crisis
incidents, such as the death of a student, or a fire in an off-campus apartment
complex may not be considered a disaster that poses an ongoing threat to the
safety of the community and/or the functioning of the institution. Some incidents, such as the threat of
continuing criminal activity, may threaten the safety of Texas State community
members but the threat may not involve damaged or impaired institutional
facilities or systems. In these
instances, the Crisis Management Team may be called upon to assess the
situation and to plan and coordinate an immediate and/or extended response to
the crisis incident.
The core
members of the CMT (see below) are also members of the Disaster/Emergency
Operations Committee. Where
responsibilities of the two groups overlap, such as in coordinating
communications or supporting injured parties or their family members in a
disaster situation, the CMT will operate as a sub-team of the D/EOC. Decisions about specific assignments will be
made in the context of the operations of the D/EOC.
The CMT
provides direction and coordination of the University’s response to a campus
emergency or crisis situation in order to minimize the negative and traumatizing
effects of such a situation.
Specifically, the CMT will
1. conduct a campus-wide needs assessment in response to a campus emergency
or crisis situation in order to formulate appropriate responses to those needs;
2.
determine
personnel to be added to the Core Team in order to provide the most effective,
coordinated, and comprehensive response to a specific incident or situation;
3.
identify
special safety and security needs created by the situation;
4.
insure that
crisis counseling, and other support services are provided as needed, and
campus ministry guidance is available, if requested, to affected Texas State
community members, family members, and others who might be affected;
5.
serve as a
central clearinghouse for information and coordinate communication about the
situation to the media and campus community in order to disseminate accurate
information, provide reassurance, and to protect appropriately the privacy of
individuals involved;
6.
determine
follow-up actions needed once the situation is stabilized and the crisis or
emergency has ended;
7.
establish and
publish for team members and the President’s Cabinet a specific protocol and
necessary information for convening an emergency meeting;
8.
provide maximum
preparation to reduce the potential for injury or damage;
9.
facilitate
assistance to direct and indirect victims;
10.
provide
coordinated internal and external communications;
11.
facilitate
coordination with external agencies;
12.
prepare for
post-crisis support, evaluation, and resolution;
13.
provide a
coordinated, comprehensive response to a campus emergency or crisis situation;
and
14.
promote caring
assistance to those directly involved in the situation and to students,
faculty, staff, and family members affected by it.
The goals of
the Crisis Management Team are as follows:
1. To coordinate the University’s response to crisis incidents involving
students while paying special attention to the safety and security needs of
members of the University community;
2. To offer counseling, guidance, and appropriate support to members of the
University community, their families and University caregivers; and
3. To use crisis incidents, when appropriate, as teachable moments which may
enhance the quality of life for all those touched by crisis situations.
The Texas
State Crisis Management Team will make every effort to accomplish these goals
when responding to a crisis situation on campus.
Specific
responsibilities which may be assigned to members of the CMT following a
critical incident include:
1. control of the incident site and determination of access;
2. communication with media;
3. coordination of communication internal to the university community
including emergency announcements through KTSW and electronic media;
4. coordination of notification to victim(s)’ family;
5. coordination of notification to victim(s)’ roommates, friends,
boyfriend/girlfriend, etc.;
6. provision of crisis counseling to victim(s)’ roommates, friends,
boyfriend/girlfriend, etc.;
7. coordination of response to public inquiries;
8. provision of assistance with housing, food, and related services for
dislocated victims;
9. provision and/or coordination of medical assistance in incidences
involving public health crises;
10. coordination with external aid agencies and volunteer organizations;
11. safety and hazard control;
12. academic accommodations;
13. coordination or oversight of memorial or other ceremonies; and
14. coordination with the Study Abroad Program as needed. (See Attachment
VIII)
The CMT core
membership will consist of the following persons/designees and a back up in
each area:
1. Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs/Dean of Students
2.
Director of
Security and University Police Department
3.
Director of
Student Counseling Center/Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs
4.
Director of
Media Relations/Designee
5.
Director of
Residence Life
Additional university staff or faculty will
be added to the core team as the need is determined by the specific
incident. The CMT in consultation with
the Vice President for Student Affairs will determine who should be added to
the core team for each crisis incident.
Where appropriate, the President of the Associated Student Government
(ASG) and other student leaders may be added to the core team. In instances where student leaders are not
available to serve on the team, the Dean of Students will ensure that
appropriate student representatives are kept informed of actions and decisions
of the Crisis Management Team.
1. The Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs/Dean of Students will
a.
convene and
lead the meeting(s) of the CMT as is necessary to provide a coordinated
immediate response to the crisis situation;
b.
in consultation
with the CMT, coordinate and verify individual CMT member assignments and
responsibilities;
c.
serve as the
liaison and primary communicator with the Vice President for Student Affairs;
d.
in case of
death or serious injury or illness coordinate with the CMT for notification of
the victim’s family;
e.
in instances of
public health crises arrange for medical assistance from the Director of the
Student Health Center;
f.
coordinate
assistance from external aid agencies and volunteer organizations;
g.
notify
appropriate academic administrators and/or faculty to request academic
accommodations as needed;
h.
notify the
Registrar, as appropriate to update student’s enrollment status and/or any
changes to institutional records requested; and
i.
identify staff
to coordinate, in collaboration with students, memorial or other ceremonies as
appropriate, assist in the arrangement of transportation to any deceased’s
funeral service as appropriate.
2. The Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs/Director of the
Counseling Center will
a.
in case of a
death or serious injury or illness, coordinate notification to victim’s
roommates, friends, etc. and other indirect victims;
b.
provide crises
counseling or other appropriate crises intervention to victim’s roommates,
friends, etc. and other indirect victims;
c.
be prepared to
provide stress debriefing to individual or groups of individuals who may be
traumatized by the situation;
d.
notify campus
ministers as appropriate;
e.
contact family
members as appropriate for students emotionally traumatized by the situation;
f.
provide
emergency debriefing to university faculty or staff who have direct exposure or
may be traumatized by the situation; and
g.
serve as chair
of the CMT in the absence of the Assistant Vice President for Student
Affairs/Dean of Students.
3. The Director of the University Police Department will
a.
take control of
the incident site and determine who will have access to it;
b.
verify the
identification of victims as appropriate;
c.
serve as a
liaison to other law enforcement agencies when the crises event occurs off of
the campus;
d.
maintain safety
and hazard control;
e.
conduct
criminal investigations as is warranted; and
f.
coordinate
emergency medical assistance requests.
4. The Media Relations Representative will
a.
coordinate and
arrange for communication with all public media;
b.
coordinate the
university response to public inquiries; and
c.
coordinate
internal communication to the university community including emergency
announcements through KTSW, the University Star, announcements from the
President and other key university officials.
5. The Director of Residence Life will
a.
coordinate the
provision of assistance with housing, food, and related services for dislocated
victims;
b.
serve as
liaison to the Director of Auxiliary Services;
c.
collaborate
with the Media Relations Representative to coordinate communication internal to
the residence hall system and responses to public inquiries directed to the
residence halls;
d.
in case of a
death of a residence hall student, arrange for removal of the deceased’s
personal belongs (dependent upon the wishes of the deceased’s family); and
e.
ensure that
residence life files and records are adjusted as necessary.
G. Logistics/Equipment
CMT members will be provided with the
following resources and equipment:
1. telephone pager;
2.
cell phone or
walkie/talkie;
3.
CMT
identification card which contains names and phone and/or pager numbers of CMT
members and other University officials; and
4.
A resource
manual (to be developed by the CMT).
CMT members
will be asked to wear pagers or maintain a cell phone as a normal part of their
routine. Access to the pager and/or
cell phone numbers will be limited.
1.
The President
or any member of the President’s Cabinet or the Dean of Students may call a
meeting of the CMT. Any CMT member who becomes aware of a critical incident
will contract the Dean of Students to request a CMT meeting, if warranted. When justified, the Dean will call a CMT
meeting and inform the Vice President for Student Affairs (VPSA) of the
situation. The VPSA will inform the President and President’s Cabinet, as
necessary.
2.
The Dean of
Students will serve as Chair of the CMT and will preside over the CMT meetings.
In the Dean’s absence, the Director of the Counseling Center will serve as
Chair. The Chair will receive direction from the president and the President’s
Cabinet through the Vice President for Student Affairs.
3.
In many
situations, the Director of University Police will be the first CMT member to
become aware of a critical incident. In these situations the UPD will carry out
normal emergency response and control procedure; the Director will contact the
Dean of Students and request the Dean to call a CMT meeting.
4.
If the Dean of
Students cannot be reached, the Director of the UPD should request the Director
of the Counseling Center to call a CMT meeting.
5.
When a request
for a CMT meeting is made, the Chair will assess the situation and determine if
the meeting is necessary. If there is disagreement as to whether a CMT meeting
should be called, the situation will be resolved by the Vice President for Student
Affairs.
A.
Command Center
The
CMT will establish a standard Command Center which will usually serve as the
meeting site for the Team. In the event that the Command Center cannot be used
during a crisis incident, the UPD office will serve as the Command Center.
During some crisis incidents, it may be necessary to have some CMT members at
the site of the incident and some at the Command Center.
B.
Media Center
The
CMT will establish a standard Media Center adequate for press briefings and
limited working space for media staff. The Director of Media Relations and
Publications will be responsible for establishing this location for each
incident.
V.
Crisis
Incidents Involving Study Abroad Programs
Crisis incidents which occur at Texas State
study abroad program sites and which affect Texas State students, faculty,
and/or staff or individuals from other institutions who are participating in
Texas State study abroad programs present unique response requirements and
management problems. These incidents typically involve coordination with other
institutions, study abroad program officials, and foreign governments. For these incidents, the CMT membership will
be expanded to include the Director of the Office of Correspondence and
Extension Studies and other key individuals who have responsibility for
involvement in, or working knowledge of the Texas State Study Abroad
Program. Attachment
VIII of UPPS
No 05.04.03, Crisis Management Plan for Study Abroad provides a specific
protocol for responding to a crisis situation involving a Texas State study
abroad program.
VI.
Procedural
Outline
Outline of Procedures in the
Event of a Crisis Event
Note: This outline is to provide general information only. In the event of an actual critical incident,
variations may occur depending on the nature of the critical incident and the
appropriate response.
Step 1:
UPD is
notified of a crisis incident involving a student (University Police -
245-2805). The incident could be on or
off campus.
Step 2:
UPD notifies
the Dean of Students or if he/she cannot be reached, the Director of the
Counseling Center. The Dean gathers necessary information on the incident then
contacts appropriate staff/individuals including the Vice President for Student
Affairs. Additionally, if the situation
warrants, the Dean or his/her designee proceeds immediately to the site of the
incident or to the hospital. The Dean/designee may request assistance from
other CMT members at the site of the incident or the hospital.
The Dean
works in conjunction with the Director of Media Relations to coordinate any
press releases or contact with the media regarding the crisis incident. If
warranted, the Dean will call an emergency meeting of the CMT. The decision to hold an emergency meeting
will be based on an evaluation of the situation by the Dean of Students or in
his/her absence, the Director of the Counseling Center or at the direction of
the President/President’s Cabinet.
Step 3:
The CMT will
determine how the affected student’s family will be notified. Additionally, the Dean of Students or
his/her designee will ensure that official University contact with the family
has been made. The CMT may establish a general notification of family procedure
to follow in most crisis incident situations.
The Dean or
his/her designee will verify that contact of roommate(s), significant other,
and/or family of the affected student has been made. Additionally, the CMT will ensure that any additional service
necessary for the affected student and/or the student’s friends, roommates,
significant other, or family is provided.
Step 4:
If the
situation warrants, a campus visit will be arranged for the family. Once the family arrives, an escort will be
designated for the family. A CMT member
will make necessary arrangements to meet family need, as appropriate.
Step 5:
The affected
student’s family will meet with appropriate university administrators, police
officers, campus minister (if desired), and other officials as requested or
needed.
Step 6:
The CMT will
meet to de-brief and plan any appropriate follow-up services or activities
necessary. The CMT also will evaluate
the procedures followed and makes suggestions for revisions to the procedures.