Experts have noted a great deal of variability among U.S. higher education institutions' planning and preparedness for emergency situations. However, resources are available to help campus leaders effectively mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from a multitude of disaster scenarios. One way for emergency managers and campus leaders to…

This article provides an overview of the research on targeted violence, including campus violence, and the implications for policy and practice at institutions of higher education. Unique challenges of threat assessment in the community college setting are explored, and an overview of an effective threat assessment policy and team at William…

An analysis of eleven state task force reports prompted by the tragic nature of the Virginia Tech shooting in 2007 revealed that all shared a primary theme: no "single best way" to protect American college and university campuses yet exists. These documents, individually and collectively, make it clear that contemporary complex learning…

In 2013, compliance issues march, unceasingly, through every aspect of higher education. Yet the intricacies of privacy, information security, data governance, and IT policy as compliance and risk areas within the IT organization can reverberate and impact every other department within the higher education institution. The primary focus is always…

This "Action Guide for Emergency Management at Higher Education Institutions" has been developed to give higher education institutions a useful resource in the field of emergency management. It is intended for community colleges, four-year colleges and universities, graduate schools, and research institutions associated with higher education…

Institutions are increasingly interested in internationalizing campuses. According to the International Association of Universities, seventy-three percent of members believe that internationalization of their campuses is "very much" a priority at their institution. This article provides models that use both structural and curricular methods to…

Critical infrastructure and key resources (CIKR) provide the essential services that support basic elements of American society. Compromise of these CIKR could disrupt key government and industry activities, facilities, and systems, producing cascading effects throughout the Nation's economy and society and profoundly affecting the national…

It is essential that the traditional emergency management structure be used as a framework for higher education emergency planning. The four phases of emergency management should be reflected in the architecture of all planning efforts. These include "preparedness," "response," "mitigation," and "recovery."…

Risks to institutional data processing operations include physical damage, violations of data integrity, and restrictions of physical access. Development of a responsive and effective disaster recovery program is complex, requires significant effort and the use of specialized personnel, and spans all major disciplines and organizational levels.…

Methods for examining the risk of long-term interruptions of data processing in large computer centers are discussed. Procedures are outlined for responding to such a disaster, with the University of Illinois Administrative Computer Center and its security system cited as an example. (SF)

At McGill University (Canada), rather than implement a costly, high-tech contingency and disaster recovery plan for information services, planners focused on risk assessment and avoidance for central and departmental information systems. Actions included better backups, less dependence on key individuals, and an institutional awareness campaign.…