Emergency Plan

Introduction

When the university has evacuated for a hurricane over the past 20 years, classes typically have been cancelled for 2-3 days before they are resumed with a normal schedule. Under these circumstances public announcements made via the media, on the campus Web site, and via campus e-mail are entirely adequate. Faculty have given assignments for the evacuation period and adjusted their schedules and assignments to accommodate this situation.

What follows are general guidelines based on the experiences of Loyola University's faculty, staff, students, and administrators in emergency situations both longer and shorter term. Obviously, no plan can cover every contingency. Each storm or emergency may present a different set of challenges for the city and the university that are unforeseeable. These guidelines are meant to be just that - a set of prescribed actions that are meant to cover the foreseeable scenarios and to help with decision-making in those unforeseen. As decisions and exceptions must be made as new challenges present themselves, persons at each level should make decisions that at least follow the intent of these guidelines, if not the exact directions.

Assumptions

  • The Office of Academic Affairs will be directed by and its activities will be consistent with the overall university emergency plan.
  • The university will not close during an evacuation and academic instruction will continue in a distance-learning mode as long as the academic term has begun.
  • Student enrollment and contact with students will be maintained
  • Faculty and staff have a responsibility to check in with their deans or supervisors and the Human Resources web site within 48 hours of an evacuation.
  • All students and employees will have current alternative personal contact information on file
  • The university will maintain a robust Blackboard capability
  • All faculty and instructional staff will maintain a level of Blackboard presence for each of their courses
  • Students will be required to sign on to Blackboard to keep up with course assignments within 48 hours of evacuation
  • All academic rules and regulations will remain in force during an evacuation
  • The university will have a Web site activated within hours of an evacuation
  • Each college will oversee the development of departmental instructional plans

Instructional Responsibilities and Enrollment Policies

  • Normal tuition refund policies will remain in effect during an evacuation
  • Course instruction will begin within 48 hours of an evacuation through distance education and will be maintained in all courses for a period of up to two weeks. Depending upon the length of time for campus closure in the fall, the university will normally extend the semester for one additional week in December. However, exams will not extend beyond December 22. If the closure takes place in the first part of the fall semester, the university may use the Fall Break and Saturdays for make up days. Ample notice to faculty, staff, students, and parents is required at the beginning of the fall semester so that Fall Break and December travel plans and arrangements are deferred until after November 1.
  • For evacuations lasting more than two weeks, instruction will continue in all courses except those designated by the dean, director or chair as inappropriate for extended distance education (e.g. lab courses, private music instruction, studio classes).
  • For evacuations lasting more than two weeks, students enrolled in courses designated inappropriate for extended distance education will be assigned a grade of IP in those courses.

Academic Administrative Responsibilities

Responsibilities listed below include direction for both pre-evacuation and post-evacuation responsbilities.

Additional information can be obtained through the following links: