October 4, 2007
Memo for: Business Continuity Planning Committee
Subject: Minutes of the September 27, 2007 Meeting
A meeting of the Business Continuity Plan Management Committee was held on Thursday,
September 27, 2007, in Room 208 Cone Center.
1.
Attendance:
a.
Present: Ed Adams, Dixie Airey, Gary Caton, Rob
Covert, JoAnn Fernald, Frank Fleming, Carla Flowers, Bill Harper, Carter Heath,
Laura Horsky, Larry Howell, Mark Reynolds, Brian Richardson, Morgan
Roseborough, Wally Seigler, Doug Thomas
b.
Absent:
Kathi Baucom, John Bland, Susan Brooks, Ray Galleno, John Gandar, David
Gray, Lee Gray, Marlene Hall, Jon Hawn, Bill Hill, Michele Howard, Dane Hughes,
John Jacobs, Phil Jones, Tom Lamb, Norm Lefebvre, John Mack, Katie Montie, Paul
Nowell, David Rousmaniere, Darin Spease, Gary Stinnett, Cynthia Wolf Johnson
2.
Main
topics / issues:
a.
Welcome: Morgan welcomed
the group and remarked on several recent incidents that caused disruption in
college, university, and business operations since the last meeting.
b.
National Preparedness Month. Morgan reviewed
activities that UNC Charlotte has conducted during the month of September that
are relevant to National Preparedness Month.
These include:
·
Establishing a
text messaging (SMS) database for PIER.
·
Activating the
PIER emergency web site.
·
Preparedness
articles in Campus News, University Times, and NinerOnLine.
·
Conducted a
Pandemic Flu tabletop exercise.
·
A progress
briefing for the Chancellor’s Advisory Council on activities of the VA Tech
Task Groups
·
Planned: Test of Outdoor Warning Siren; Exercise of
Campus Warning Team; Test of SMS / Text Messaging alert system.
c.
PIER System. Morgan reminded the committee that PIER is
now the nucleus of our Campus Warning System.
It is the primary vehicle for alerting the Campus Warning Team, as well
as individuals (faculty, staff, and students) to emergency situations. However, in order to be effective, people
have to update their contact information (work phone, home phone, cell phone,
pager, fax, email). In addition, department
and unit call trees must be kept up to date.
The new SMS database now has over 5600 individuals registered. Of those about 5000 are students, and the
remainder are faculty, staff and parents.
The PIER emergency web site is open for on-line registration in the SMS
database. Morgan did mention that, while
PIER is capable of sending out up to 10,000 text messages at one time, local
carriers may not be able to handle that volume.
Because these messages are put into a queue, there may be a delay of up
to 30 minutes between the first person and the last person to receive a text
message. Our SMS database currently
represents 12 different carriers, so the load should be spread among them. Verizon has the largest number; approximately
40% of those registered.
d.
VA Tech Issues Task Groups. Morgan
gave an update on the progress of task groups looking into the following areas
of interest, based on the experience at VA Tech:
(1) Building Security – looking at the feasibility of “locking down” buildings on campus; how to do
it; who does it; how that affects persons with disabilities. They are also investigating the feasibility
of installing security cameras at various locations on campus.
(2) Campus Evacuation – this group is putting together
plans for both an immediate evacuation and a time-phased evacuation of
campus. They have met with
representatives from CATS and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Emergency Management
Office. They will also coordinate with
other external support agencies, such as CMPD.
(3) Emergency Communications – this task group has
reviewed the emergency notification plan and is preparing recommendations on
how to make it more efficient and effective.
In spite of having a very robust means of getting the word out, it won’t
work if peoples’ contact information is not up to date.
(4) Emergency Operations – this group is looking at the
organization and operation of our Crisis Management Team, and the location,
equipping and staffing of our
(5) Mental Health – this task group has already prepared a
policy, for review by the Chancellor’s Council, on involuntary withdrawal of
students who pose a threat to themselves or others on campus. In addition, they are forming a “Care Team”
to assess the risk and manage those who are identified as potential
threats. The focus of this group will
also extend to faculty and staff.
(6) Information Management – this task group is looking at
possible locations, staffing, and equipping of a media center in which to
locate members of the media during an event.
In addition, they are investigating locations for a parent information
center, where parents could be provided information regarding an ongoing event,
and could meet with their students.
e.
Plans and Contact Information. Morgan
displayed the current status of contact information and recovery items (COOPs
and other documents) managed by CPO Tracker.
Since the last meeting (7/07), we have maintained a high level (about
97%) of current information. The number
of out of date planning documents (COOPs and others) rose slightly from 32 (out
of 141) to 38 (out of 143) during the same period. Cathy Bolen continues to
send out reminders to departments and units to update their plans and contact
information. This seems to be working to
reduce the semi-annual “spikes” we have had in past years. However, we need to work on keeping the
planning documents at the same high level of currency as individual contact
information.
f.
Pandemic Flu
Update. Morgan reported on the tabletop exercise
conducted on September 21st.
There were around 30 participants including the Crisis Management Team,
and members of the Pandemic Flu Planning Committee. The scenario was familiar: an outbreak of
H5N1 virus in China and Southeast Asia; students returning from those
countries; faculty planning to travel to those countries; cases arriving in the
U.S.; closing of public gathering places; high rates of absenteeism; closing of
schools, colleges, and universities; issue of PPE (Personal Protective
Equipment); mass dispensing of vaccines and anti-viral medications. Morgan will prepare an After Action Report
for the General Administration (due date in October). The main issues raised were:
1.
How Mandatory and
Essential Personnel are designated. What
that means.
2.
Compensation
guidance proposed by UNC General Administration – not yet approved by OSB.
3.
UNC General
Administration guidance on academic credit and student refunds.
4.
Do we really need
to issue N95 protective masks to everyone who is on campus?
5.
Who is allowed to
stay on campus in residence halls?
6.
Can non-resident
students enter campus during closure?
7.
Should UNC
Charlotte be a Point of Dispensing (POD)?
Pros and cons.
g.
Disaster Scenario. Due to lack of time, the
disaster scenario was not covered.
h.
Proposed date for the next meeting: The next
meeting of the committee is scheduled for 10:00 AM on Friday, November 30,
2007, in Room 208 Cone Center.
3. The meeting
adjourned at 11:25 AM.
Morgan Roseborough
Director, Business Continuity
Planning
UNC