HALIFAX COMMUNITY COLLEGE BUSINESS CONTINUITY PLAN

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1 HALIFAX COMMUNITY COLLEGE BUSINESS CONTINUITY PLAN INTRODUCTION Continuity of business operations is an essential element in the continued delivery of services to students and employees during a time of emergency. Natural disasters, technological breakdowns, pandemic flu, and other emergencies emphasize the need to develop comprehensive plans that ensure essential services continue in spite of facility loss, leadership incapacity, and other unforeseeable difficulties. North Carolina GS requires that each state agency develop a business and disaster recovery plan with respect to information technology; however, a similar requirement for comprehensive continuity of operations and continuity of government planning that included loss or incapacity of staff was not specified in the laws. As a result, Executive Order 102 was developed which required each state agency to prepare a Business Continuity Plan to ensure the state s ability to deliver essential services under any circumstance including loss or incapacity of personnel. In addition, Executive Order 118 requires each North Carolina Executive Branch agency (at the Division level) will include in its Continuity of Operations Plan provisions to deal with a pandemic influenza event. The Halifax Community College plan follows the guidance noted in the above executive orders. In addition, Halifax Community College utilized the Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) developed by the North Carolina Community College System. PURPOSE The purpose of this plan is to document the necessary actions and responsibilities to continue operations should Halifax Community College (HCC) be faced with a natural disaster, technological breakdown, pandemic influenza, or other emergency that would leave Halifax Community College unable to continue operations as they are currently carried out. This plan describes the loss and risk faced by each area of the college campus in the event of an emergency and how each area would continue operations in the aftermath of such an event. ESSENTIAL FUNCTION Essential functions are those organizational functions and activities that cannot be put on hold for longer than 30 days. Halifax Community College provides the service of classroom instruction and distance learning for the purpose of higher education to curriculum students and continued training for the local workforce. The delivery of classroom and distance learning programs is based upon a carefully planned schedule that meets state requirements for the offering of degrees, diplomas, and certificates. In addition, the monthly payment of salaries to employees of HCC is an essential function.

2 DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY The delegation of authority during an emergency will follow the organizational chart of Halifax Community College. OPERATIONS Actions and responsibilities are identified in this plan to insure continued execution of essential functions and day-to-day operations, to the extent possible, should the Business Continuity Plan be implemented. (a) (b) (c) Activation and Relocation The President of Halifax Community College, in consultation with the Vice President of Instructional Services, the Vice President of Administrative Services, and the Vice President of Institutional Advancement, would determine when to activate and implement the Business Continuity Plan, and make the decision to relocate to an alternative site. Authority for activation may be delegated. The activation may occur with or without warning. The President or designee (with delegated authority) will activate the Business Continuity Plan whenever it is determined any area of the college campus is not suitable for safe occupancy or functional operation. Alert, Notification, and Implementation Process Each member of the administrative team (President, Vice Presidents, Deans, and Division Chairs) will activate a call tree within their respective area of supervision to notify employees that the Business Continuity Plan has been activated. The HCC Crisis Communication Plan will be followed to alert students and the public in the event of an emergency. Relocation Sites Area public schools along with the Kirkwood Adams Civic Center have been identified as areas to establish administrative and essential functions if warranted by an emergency. Letters of agreement between Halifax Community College and the public school systems are to be signed and placed on file. EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM The emergency response team will consist of the President, Vice President of Instructional Services, Vice President of Administrative Services, Vice President of Institutional Advancement, Dean of Student Services & Enrollment Management, Dean of Curriculum Programs, Dean of Continuing Education & Community Services, Division Chairs, Computer Network Manager, Maintenance Supervisor, and Security. Should the duration of the emergency be greater than two weeks, additional members may be added to the emergency response team including the Registrar, Director of Financial Aid, LRC Director, Child Care Center Director, and The Centre Director.

3 ALTERNATE FACILITY AND STRATEGY For the short term (two weeks), payroll could be prepared with assistance from the North Carolina Community College System Office in Raleigh. For a longer term arrangement for the purpose of payroll and other administrative functions, sister community colleges in the immediate vicinity of Halifax County would be utilized if possible. Upon identification of a facility, the essential resources, equipment and software that would be necessary for the resumption of operations at the site would be identified and plans developed for securing those resources. Information technology (IT) systems available at the site will need to be tested for compatibility with HCC back-up data. Possible community colleges for relocation include: Nash Community College in Rocky Mount, Edgecombe Community College in Tarboro, Wilson Community College in Wilson, and Vance-Granville Community College in Henderson. INTEROPERABLE COMMUNICATIONS The lines and services for telephones and computers are maintained, protected, and backed up by Halifax Community College. On the main campus facility, hardware and physical lines are protected by the fire prevention, temperature controls, and electrical generating capacity of the buildings. The telephone lines in a few administrative offices will work in the event of a power failure. The main computer room housing the servers is protected by fire prevention, humidity controls, air conditioning, and temperature controls. These measures provide a limited amount of protection. In the event of extreme fire, water, or other natural disaster, all telephone and computer services would be vulnerable to damage. VITAL RECORDS AND RETENTION FILE Vital records are retained and stored on back-up data. Student records located in the Registrar s Office have been scanned to disk and are stored off campus in a safety deposit box. Back-up data from the computer system is currently stored in a fire-proof vault located on campus. TRAINING, TEST, AND EXERCISES The President, senior administrators, maintenance staff, and other key staff receive NIMS training to clarify their responsibilities. The Emergency Response Team is thoroughly familiar with the College s Emergency Action Plan and Quick-Reference Guide to Campus Emergencies and aware of all components of the Safety Plan. The Safety Plan is reviewed annually and improvement is continuous. The Business Continuity Plan is part of the College s Safety Plan. An annual refresher is provided for faculty and staff. HUMAN CAPITAL MANAGEMENT Employees responsible for essential functions are to be cross-trained. Identified special needs employees are to be provided ADA accommodations and guidance in their responsibilities as well as assistance that may be provided by coworkers in the event of an emergency. A coworker

4 may assist the individual, in the appropriate capacity, to an area of safety, in accordance with the College s Emergency Action Plan. All personnel are also encouraged to plan for their families well being before disaster strikes. The Emergency Response Team is responsible for coordinating resources for HCC employees for any emergency, including guides, checklist on family planning, and contents for Emergency Kits. Training and information are provided from both State and Federal resources. DEVOLUTION Devolution is the capacity to transfer authority and responsibility for essential functions from the college s primary operating staff and facilities to other employees and facilities. The HCC organizational chart is structured to provide a chain of command throughout the college campus. Each division listed on the organizational chart has a director and is encouraged to cross-train within their division to provide back-up in the event personnel are incapacitated. RECONSTITUTION In most instances of Business Continuity Plan implementation, reconstitution will be a reverse execution of those duties and procedures listed under Operations above. Should the circumstances that required implementation of the Business Continuity Plan result in a need for a new primary facility, the President and the Emergency Response Team will coordinate long-term operation and maintenance of the alternate facility as necessary and develop and implement procedures to relocate to the new facility. Within 30 days of reconstitution, the President will assign, as he/she determines necessary and appropriate, completion of an After-Action Report to describe the effectiveness of the Business Continuity Plan, list action items for required changes to the plan, and assign responsibility for timely adjustments to the plan. DISTRIBUTION PROCEDURE FOR BUSINESS CONTINUITY PLAN The Business Continuity Plan will be made available to the President and each member of the Emergency Response Team. The Business Continuity Plan will be maintained and updated with each approved revision to the plan. Due to the confidential nature of the plan, it must be maintained secure and confidential by each person to whom access is given. Security procedures of a sensitive nature that pertain to the college s internal computer system will be made available to the President and the Computer Network Manager only. The Business Continuity Plan is a component of the College s overall Safety Plan. A general description of the Plan is included in the Safety Plan, which is available to all employees on the File Exchange. BUSINESS CONTINUITY PLAN MAINTENANCE The Business Continuity Plan will be reviewed at least annually, normally in response to an exercise, test, or organizational changes, and revised or rewritten as needed. Employee contact data, telephone information, and implementation procedures will be kept current through

5 revisions as necessary. The Emergency Response Team is responsible for coordinating the annual review and for updating the plan. Changes which may trigger the need for maintenance include major changes in operating system(s), changes in the business environment, changes in network design, discontinuance of any application systems, changes in management, and any other change which the Emergency Response Team believes warrants revisions in the Business Continuity Plan. DEFINITION OF EMERGENCIES For the purpose of this plan, an emergency is defined as a situation that affects the immediate safety of persons or property of Halifax Community College and/or an event which adversely effects the operation of Halifax Community College. Emergencies may range from minor to major. Some emergencies may have a more immediate impact on facilities while others may have a more immediate impact on personnel and students. Examples may include, but not be limited to, civil disturbances, natural disasters like floods or hurricanes, as well as fires, chemical spills, communicable disease/pandemics, as well as events which significantly affect the operations of HCC such as a major power failure. The Halifax Community College Board of Trustees approved this Business Continuity Plan at their January 29, 2008 meeting with the understanding that this plan will be routinely updated with any changes coming before the Board of Trustees for approval.