United States schools and American Overseas (A/OS) schools depend upon educational technology (ET) to support business operations and student learning experiences. Schools rely upon administrative software, on-line course modules, information databases, digital communications systems, and many other ET processes. However, ET's fragility compared…

Successful disaster response is an exercise in managing human resources under very difficult conditions. Catastrophic disasters can disrupt both the physical communication networks and the social networks critical to efficient response and recovery. While a well-designed disaster plan serves as a framework, it often requires communication and…

As the reconstruction efforts continue in China in the wake of the Great Wenchuan earthquake in May 2008, the China Development Research Foundation, with the support of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Centre for Effective Learning Environments, organised an International Training Programme on the Post-Earthquake…

Colleges across the country are rising to the task by implementing safety programs, response strategies, and technologies intended to create a secure environment for teachers and students. Whether it is preparing and responding to a natural disaster, health emergency, or act of violence, more schools are making campus safety a top priority. At…

Natural disasters have been shown to have a substantial impact on school-age children. Consequently, schools are positioned to be a source of support while helping students resume familiar roles and routines. However, few studies have examined how schools prepare for and respond to disasters. In this study, we investigated the impact of Hurricane…

Over the past decade, catastrophic earthquakes have garnered international attention regarding the need for improving immediate and ongoing support services for disrupted communities. Following the December 26, 2004 Indonesian earthquake, the Indian Ocean tsunami was responsible for displacing millions and taking the lives of an estimated 320,000…

Exercises, drills, or simulations are widely used, by governments, agencies and commercial organizations, to simulate serious incidents and train staff how to respond to them. International cooperation has led to increasingly large-scale exercises, often involving hundreds or even thousands of participants in many locations. The difference between…

In the wake of 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and the Virginia Tech shooting tragedy, it is no surprise that concern for students' safety is the primary reason attributed to parents' increased involvement. Parents and university administrators share in their commitment to student safety. However, college and university staff who assume responsibility…

This study assesses schools' experiences with, and preparedness for, emergencies and disasters. Data are collected by mail survey from 157 public schools in California. The majority of schools have experienced emergencies in recent years. Although respondents generally feel their school is well prepared for future emergencies, limitations are…

Sourcing decisions for information services departments have become an integral part of every school's IT strategy. Much has been written on what areas to outsource, which partner to select, and how to negotiate contracts and service agreements. In this article, the author shares the operational lessons learned by Tulane University during the…

Disaster studies have made important progress in recognizing the unequally distributed consequences of disasters, but there has been less progress in analyzing social factors that help create "natural" disasters. Even well-known patterns of hazard-creation tend to be interpreted generically--as representing "economic development" or…

For at least the last quarter century, enterprises--including higher education institutions--have increasingly relied on Information Technology Services (ITS) for business functions. As a result, IT organizations have had to develop the discipline of production operations as well as recovery procedures to respond when those operations are…

A definition and brief history of enrollment management are presented. The challenges represented by Hurricane Katrina for enrollment management at one community technical college and a private 4-year college are identified along with three cases that illuminate the challenges. The need for rapid response planning is articulated. (Contains 1…

The tsunami of 26 December 2004 killed over 35,000 people in Sri Lanka, made 400,000 jobless and damaged the economy by 6.5%. The physical damage was around U.S. $1.5 billion, with reconstruction costing $2 billion. Although entrepreneurs are opportunity seekers, take risks and thrive in uncertainty, the alignment of competency and institutional…

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita affected hundreds of thousands in southern Louisiana. To say that they touched people of every stripe and color dramatically is a gross understatement. Aside from the loss of life and property damage, families were uprooted, traditions disrupted, and one of the largest migrations in American history forced on a state…