Hurricane Emergency Preparedness Plan

July, 2007

Introduction

The guidelines and actions that comprise this plan enable Loyola University New Orleans to respond to all hurricane threats in a coordinated and timely manner.

The university regularly reviews and updates this policy to

ensure the safety of students, faculty, and staff
mitigate damage to physical property
maintain essential operations in case of an evacuation
return to normal operations as quickly as safe and practicable

Pre-season preparations ensure university-wide readiness for a disaster. In case of a threat, the Vice President for Student Affairs and Associate Provost, who serves as the plan coordinator, has supervisory responsibility for implementing and communicating the university's response.

Stage 1-Preparation

Student Personal Evacuation Plan
All Loyola students are required to file a Personal Evacuation Plan, indicating an evacuation location and emergency contact information, through their LORA account. Students are not allowed to remain on Loyola's campus, including residence halls, when an evacuation is ordered. They should make transportation and lodging arrangements so that they will be safely outside the storm area.

Department and Unit Plans
All departments and work units are to have a current hurricane plan that includes a method for maintaining contact with chairs or supervisors in case of university closure, steps for protecting university property prior to closure, and responsibilities of designated faculty and staff to maintain essential operations during closure (if appropriate).

Communications
The university maintains a hurricane emergency web page (www.loyno.edu/emergency/ ) with regularly updated guidelines and resources to assist students, faculty, and staff in making adequate preparations. The current version of the hurricane plan is always posted to this page.

Hurricane Emergency Preparedness Team (HEPT)
The Hurricane Emergency Preparedness Team, appointed by the president and chaired by the Vice President for Student Affairs and Associate Provost, is a university-wide committee. Its role during the preparation stage is to advise the president on the university's readiness for responding to a potential disaster.

Stage 2-Threat Assessment

Weather Forecasts
During hurricane season, Loyola University personnel actively monitor weather conditions. ImpactWeather provides daily advisories and consultations based on highly reliable state-of-the-art forecasting technology.

Hurricane Emergency Preparedness Team (HEPT)
During this stage, HEPT meets to assess current weather information and to recommend to the president closure and, if necessary, evacuation of the university.

Communications
The Director of Public Affairs and External Relations issues advisories as necessary so that students, faculty, and staff are fully informed of a developing threat and can prepare to take appropriate action. Advisories are communicated via the Loyola home page (www.loyno.edu) and the emergency information line (504-865-2186). During a hurricane threat, these sources carry the latest and most complete information.

Stage 3-Campus Closure and Evacuation

Determination
Closure means that only those personnel officially designated as essential, and so notified by their supervisors, can remain on campus.

The president will officially close the campus when, upon the advice of HEPT, he deems weather conditions warrant.

Communications
Official information related to closure and evacuation is conveyed through Loyola's web page and the emergency information line. These sources provide complete and accurate information throughout a closure of the campus.

Following Hurricane Katrina, the university has established an emergency web site that will be activated quickly in case the university's on-campus systems fail. A toll-free hot line number for use only during an evacuation will be posted on the web site as soon as Loyola employees are in place to answer calls.

Information Technology maintains an emergency email service for all faculty and staff in the event that the normal email system is unavailable. The account name is the same as the individual's ordinary Loyola email address, and the password is his or her 4-digit birth year, two-digit birth month and two-digit birth day. This mail system can be accessed at http://loynodr.com/webmail.

Contingency Residential Student Shelter
All residential students are responsible for evacuating when the university is closed. No students are allowed to remain on Loyola's campus, including their own room in a residence hall. For residential students unable to comply, such as international students, Loyola has a temporary student shelter with very limited space. Students are bused to St. Michael the Archangel Diocesan High School, 17521 Monitor Avenue, Baton Rouge, LA. Student Affairs staff, led by the Vice President for Student Affairs and Associate Provost, remain with these students until the campus is reopened or until they make arrangements for a place to stay in case of an extended evacuation.

Contingency University Administration Center
Loyola is prepared, upon the decision of the president, to continue essential administrative operations from temporary offices in Baton Rouge until normal operations can be reestablished on campus.

On-Campus Emergency Operations Center
In case of an evacuation, an emergency operations center may be established on campus to facilitate the work of essential personnel who remain to secure the campus during the hurricane and to manage recovery. This center may not be used as a shelter for family members or other faculty, staff, students, or the general public.

Stage 4-Recovery

Timetable for Reopening
Normal operations will resume on campus when the president deems that the safety of students, faculty, and staff can reasonably be assured. The schedule for reopening will be communicated via Loyola's web page and the emergency information line.

The University is bound to follow all applicable federal and state guidelines in handling student financial aid funds. Information will be posted on the University web site as soon as we receive it. In the past, the Department of Education has also posted information on their web site at www.ed.gov . Louisiana residents participating in the TOPS Scholarship Program should contact the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance for more information. Their web site is at http://www.osfa.state.la.us/ .

In case of an extended evacuation, the university will make every effort to open residence halls for a designated period so you can retrieve personal belongings. This schedule will be posted on Loyola's home page. Resident students will be allowed to return to their rooms only at the designated times.

Academic Contingency Plans
Changes to the university calendar, if necessary, will be announced as soon as practicable on the Loyola web page and will be sent to students, faculty, and staff at their Loyola e-mail address.

In case the semester may be extended, students are encouraged not to purchase non-refundable airplane tickets for winter break until the end of October when the threat of hurricanes has passed.

Responsibilities of Faculty and Staff
Faculty and staff are to contact their chairs or supervisors within a reasonable time according to plans developed in their departments and units.

Within five days of a campus evacuation order, faculty and staff are to check in electronically by completing the Faculty/Staff Sign-In Form posted on Loyola's web page.

Faculty are to maintain regular communication with students enrolled in their courses via Blackboard in the case of an evacuation.

Responsibilities of Students
In addition to the forms of communication mentioned above, the university may choose to update students by sending important information to their official Loyola e-mail address. Students should regularly check their account.

Students are to regularly check the Blackboard account for their courses to remain current with announcements and assignments from their professors. Information on using Blackboard is posted at www.blackboard.loyno.edu.