Certain circumstances such as severe weather, or a technological or manmade incident may require one or more campuses to cease operations. The College defines the cessation of operations due to these circumstances into three categories. These categories can be applied to buildings, campuses or the entire College as the situation dictates. The decision to implement any type of closure rests with the Chancellor or his/her designee.
College Closure:
Any natural or human-caused incident that may require the college to close for business. In this type of closure students and staff are made aware that the business functions of the college have been suspended. There are no imminent life and safety threats to the campus and faculty/staff may choose to remain on campus. Leaders can request certain essential staff to report to duty to manage continuity of operations procedures.
Examples of a closure include power outages, flooding or severe thunderstorms that do not directly impact the campuses.
College Shutdown:
Any natural or manmade incident that may require extended disruption of college operations. In this type of closure students and staff are made aware that the business functions of the college have been suspended. There may be life and safety threats to the campus and faculty/staff are required to leave campus with the exception of essential personnel. Only SLT members can request staff to report for duty.
Examples of shutdowns include an indirect hit from a hurricane or a chemical leak that does not directly impact the campus.
College Evacuation:
Any natural or manmade incident that may require extraordinary disruption of college operations. In this type of closure students and staff are made aware that the business functions of the college have been suspended. There are imminent life and safety threats to the campus and ALL faculty/staff are required to leave campus. Faculty and Staff are not to report to duty until the SLT decides to resume operations.
Examples of evacuations include a forecasted direct hit from a hurricane, a tornado forecasted to directly hit a campus or a chemical leak that directly impacts a campus. An evacuation, typically, is accompanied by an evacuation order from the County OEM but the SLT has the express authority to pre-empt an evacuation without a county evacuation order in place.