Marywood University Policy & Procedure Information

Campus Emergency Notification

Policy Statement

The e2campus system is used for immediate alerts and notifications to the campus community, prior to and during a potentially catastrophic life-threatening emergency.  It furnishes information and direction to campus community members so that they may immediately protect themselves in an emergency situation.  The procedures include the activation of an immediate emergency alert on campus and the use of other messaging systems to provide specific instructions.

Such emergency situations include those catastrophic events or dangerous incidents where there is an immediate threat of physical harm or death to community members and there is no time to prepare or otherwise warn them of the crisis in advance.  Examples of such events or incidents, include, but are not limited to, an active shooter incident, a gunman at large, an immediate life-threatening and wide-spread hazardous material incident, a bomb located, or other serious in-progress potentially deadly incidents.  Such threats may either be on-campus or off-campus in the immediate vicinity of University -owned/operated/ and/or controlled property.

Procedures

In the event of an emergency situation requiring immediate campus-wide precautions and actions, Campus Safety or the Dean of Students is authorized to activate the crisis alert notification system.  Immediately prior to activating the system, Campus Safety units will be dispatched and a 911 call will be made to trigger a response from the appropriate jurisdictional first-responder authority.

The activation will be the first part of an integrated communication system, using a variety of vehicles, to notify the campus community.  The notification will contain simple, clear instructions intended to minimize risk of serious physical injury or death.

The initiation of the crisis alert will be immediately followed by notification to the appropriate University officials to activate the internal response mechanism.

  • The Chief of Campus Safety or his/her designee will notify the Senior Director of Safety, Security and Environmental Compliance, Director of Physical Plant, Assistant Vice President for Marketing and Communications, Dean of Students, Director of Housing and Residence Life, and Director of Buildings and Grounds.
  • The Senior Director of Safety, Security and Environmental Compliance will notify the Vice President for Business Affairs and Treasurer.
  • The Vice President for Business Affairs and Treasurer will notify the President of the University, the Vice President for Academic Affairs and other members of the President's Cabinet.

Campus Safety or the Dean of Students will choose the appropriate pre-established message based upon the nature of the emergency for immediate notification to the University community.

The emergency notification system will send simple, clear, pre-established messages to members of the campus community through a variety of designated systems including, but not limited to, cell phone text messaging, voice messages, MU e-mail accounts, television message boards, supervisor notifications, and door-to-door notifications.  A typical message will identify the type of crisis, the location, and the action to take to minimize risk. 

Further instructions and information necessary to minimize risk of physical injury or death to community members may be transmitted through the same notification system as necessary until there is no longer an immediate threat.  The dissemination of this information will be done at the discretion of the Chief of Campus Safety and the Dean of Students.

Only a duly authorized member of the President's Cabinet may direct the transmission of a message that notifies the campus community either that there is no longer an immediate threat or that provides additional non-emergency information.

Related Policies


Related Committees


History

04/29/11 - Established by the President of the University as recommended by the Policy Committee of the University