AUXILIARY AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES OFFICE OF SECURITY PREPAREDNESS

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1 AUXILIARY AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES OFFICE OF SECURITY PREPAREDNESS The Office of Security Preparedness has three primary areas of focus: information, awareness and readiness. The department is responsible for researching and evaluating current events, trends and best practices in security preparedness and disseminating appropriate and timely information to University administrators, faculty, staff and students in order to increase institutional and individual readiness to deal with major catastrophic disasters. The department disseminates security preparedness information through instructor-led classes, printed materials and electronic methods (video, , Web, etc.) In conjunction with the University Police Department, Environmental Safety Division, Office of Information Security and other campus departments, the Office of Security Preparedness participates in the assessment of campus threats, development of emergency plans, and design and delivery of training programs to mitigate campus emergencies. The Office of Security Preparedness serves as the point of contact regarding homeland security resources and maintains a listing of campus, local, state and federal homeland security experts. The department also maintains a database of University building safety and security representatives. Summary of Major Accomplishments Fiscal Year 2005 was a year of transition for the University of Georgia s Office of Security Preparedness. The Associate Vice President retired in December 2004 and the department was reassigned to the Auxiliary and Administrative Services Division. An interim director was named in February and served through the end of the fiscal year. This appointment became permanent on July 1, The leadership change provided an opportunity for the department to review and revise internal processes to maximize the strengths of individuals and to increase overall effectiveness. As a cost saving measure, the department made some changes in computer support, switching to the University of Georgia (UGA) client and the Finance and Administration web server. Additionally, desktop computer support previously provided under contract with another campus unit will be provided by Auxiliary and Administrative Services beginning in FY In order to provide space for growth and to gain visibility on campus, several new office locations were evaluated during the year. A selection was made and plans to relocate to the Hodgson Oil Building during the first half of FY 2006 are in place. Despite all the changes and subsequent disruption throughout the year, the department continued to strengthen campus and community partnerships to better enable the University to respond to natural or man-made disasters. The primary focus of the Office of Security Preparedness is to prepare the University community to respond appropriately to emergencies. Individual readiness is a large part of the University s preparedness plan. In this effort, the department provided emergency D-88

2 preparedness training through the Training and Development Department for University faculty and staff. Additionally, similar programs were provided upon request to University departments, including three sessions for University Health Services. An emergency kit (Grab and Go), created to provide demonstrations for training participants, is a vital component of these training sessions. The department publishes a bi-monthly newsletter, Readiness Rules, and maintains a website ( that reflects the national alert status in real time and provides critical security updates, as warranted. In weighing security risks, the Office of Security Preparedness uses credible and confidential information obtained through its affiliation with the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators, Department of Homeland Security, Office of Homeland Security/Georgia Emergency Management Agency, and others. The department collaborates with the UGA Police Department, Environmental Safety Division, and Information Security to evaluate campus risks. (Relates to F&A Strategic Plan, Thematic Goal: Organizational Performance: Goal 6: Develop a protocol of emergency response and communication to prepare for potential local, state, or national crises, Action Steps: a) increase awareness of the campus community to observe carefully unusual events and happenings on campus and to report suspicious activities; b) distribute preparedness information to the campus community and instruct them in the appropriate reporting procedures; and c) emphasize and promote the positive effects of persons who notice and report unusual circumstances happening on campus.) The department finalized a grant from the Office of Homeland Security/Georgia Emergency Management Agency (OHS/GEMA) in the amount of $123,316 to fund physical security enhancements for select agent laboratories at UGA. The work to secure these select agent laboratories was coordinated through the Office of Security Preparedness in conjunction with the UGA Police Department and Physical Plant Division. All enhancements were completed in June (Relates to F&A Strategic Plan: Thematic Goal: Physical Environment, Goal 2: Protect University people and property, Action Step: Establish procedures for retrofitting buildings with access control as budget permits, and Thematic Goal: Public Service and Outreach, Goal 1: Identify outside funding sources for internal operation expenses, Action Step: Seek opportunities for extramural funding of internal operations whenever possible.) During the year, the Office of Security Preparedness made presentations to local, state, and national groups. A partial listing includes: Emergency Preparedness and Response on College Campuses, held in Virginia, a cooperative effort between the Department of Education s Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools and the Department of Homeland Security s Office of Domestic Preparedness National University Security Workshop, held in Clemson, South Carolina Security Post 911, sponsored by the University of Georgia Criminal Justice Honor Program D-89

3 Additionally, the Office of Security Preparedness is committed to helping other campus and community groups accomplish their goals. In this regard, staff members participated in the following UGA, University System of Georgia, and Athens-Clarke County community service projects, events, and committees during the year. Finance and Administration Diversity Committee; ongoing Finance and Administration Employee Recognition Committee; ongoing Auxiliary and Administrative Services Showcase of Services; June 2, 2005 Community Emergency Response Team; eight-week training program, two staff members participated Athens-Clarke County Citizen Police Academy; 12 week training program, one staff member participated University System Disaster Resistant University Project; ongoing Safety and Security portal page project; partnered with the University Police Department, Environmental Safety Division, and Office of Information Security; Office of Security Preparedness led the project development Stadium Emergency Operations Committee; ongoing University System Homeland Security Committee; ongoing UGA Radiation Safety Committee, ongoing Emergency Management Association of Georgia, ongoing All Hazards Council, ongoing Organizational Development assessment with UGA s Enterprise Information Technology Services division (Relates to F&A Strategic Plan, Thematic Goal: Public Service and Outreach, Goal 2: Strengthen alliances and cooperative agreements that will enhance the relationship and service capabilities of UGA to the local community and the State of Georgia, Action Step: Establish permanent working relationships with groups such as SEEDS, MACORTS, GRTA, ACC Government, BikeAthens, etc. and collaborate on appropriate project on and away from campus.) The Office of Security Preparedness was selected as one of four Grand Finalists for the 2005 Best Practices award presented by the Southern Association of College and D-90

4 University Business Officers. Two staff members accepted the award at a ceremony in Miami in April The Best Practice entry, Terrorism: Meeting the Challenge through Innovative Ideas and New Approaches, described how the University of Georgia s Office of Security Preparedness was created and has succeeded. Summary of FY Goals In keeping with its primary focus, the Office of Security Preparedness will augment efforts to provide necessary emergency preparedness information for the University s diverse and distributed population of approximately 45,000 students, faculty, and staff. An intense informational campaign is planned in connection with National Preparedness Month in September. Information will be provided through the web, a lecture series, an emergency showcase, and training classes. These events will provide opportunities for faculty, staff, and students to learn more about how they can help themselves in the event of an emergency. Involving the student population presents unique challenges on a college campus. The department will pursue solutions such as co-sponsoring safety and preparedness training with student groups on campus and choosing locations and times more conducive to the students lifestyle (e.g., dorms or study areas and after hours, on weekends, etc.). At the request of the Board of Regents, the Office of Security Preparedness will host a Weapons of Mass Destruction class on August 30, The session will be open to all University System employees. The newly reassigned Emergency Operations Manager position will be filled during FY 2006 and associated duties shifted from the Environmental Safety Division to the Office of Security Preparedness. This will also require changes to both Web sites and the Administrative Policies and Procedures Manual. Additionally, the Emergency Operations Plan will be reviewed and revised as necessary. The department will relocate during November This move will provide additional office space, increase access to the Police Department and University Communications staff, and provide greater visibility on campus. The Office of Security Preparedness, in conjunction with the University s Environmental Safety Division and Police Department, will establish an on-line and readily accessible database reflecting campus contacts for safety and security issues. Several representatives will be identified for each University building. Individuals reflected in the database will receive regular communications regarding safety and security issues. The transfer of the Emergency Operations Manager position from the Environmental Safety Division to the Office of Security Preparedness will provide new opportunities toward reaching this goal. Adjustments in the scope and direction of this position will further enhance the overall ability of the Office of Security Preparedness to provide a more comprehensive emergency preparedness plan for the University community. D-91

5 The Office of Security Preparedness will continue to seek external funding opportunities through the Office of Homeland Security/Georgia Emergency Management Agency. Although these funds are becoming increasingly difficult to obtain, grant funding will be pursued as warranted to enhance the security of campus facilities. The Office of Security Preparedness will continue to work with the Police Department, Physical Plant Division, Office of University Architects for Facilities Planning and OHS/GEMA to complete the University System Disaster Resistant University (DRU) project. When complete, this Geographic Information System will allow the OHS/GEMA to identify the financial impact of natural or man-made disasters on University structures across the state of Georgia. Participation in the DRU project is necessary to ensure reimbursement from FEMA if a disaster strikes. The Office of Security Preparedness is a small but efficient organizational unit. Reassignment of the Emergency Operations Manager position to the department in early FY 2006 will add another dimension. By assuming responsibility for the University s Emergency Operations Plan, the Office of Security Preparedness will be better positioned to bring together emergency information, training, and response capabilities across campus. D-92

6 OFFICE OF SECURITY PREPAREDNESS ORGANIZATIONAL CHART Director Administrative Associate II Administrative Specialist I D-93