In a campus crisis, while administrators address immediate needs, trustees must find a balance between involvement and oversight. Trustees should respond by developing a worst-case strategy; establishing early warning systems; defining "due diligence"; emphasizing candor and honesty; picking one spokesperson; protecting institutional privacy;…

Examines the variability of Israeli schools' emergency preparedness and response to the Gulf War and the association of school culture with school effectiveness during this emergency. Policy guidelines should include recommendations for diagnosing and identifying dimensions of school culture (including religious beliefs and school ideology) that…

Two camp directors were interviewed about evacuations from their camps due to forest fires. Topics covered include descriptions of the events; actions taken; aspects of advance planning that proved helpful; unexpected portions of the experience and resultant changes made in plans; relations with outside agencies, the media, and parents; working…

The article presents an approach to emergency response training that combines simulation of hazardous environmental factors with extensive registration of the activities in a training scenario. Simulation enhances realism by exposing the trainees to representations of hazards without putting them at risk. Registration generates data that describe…

There are students and staff in many schools with hepatitis B, hepatitis C, or HIV infections. Should parents or guardians be expected to disclose students' bloodborne infections to school officials? Can infected students play contact sports given the increased risk of blood spills? What type of response plan should schools develop in the event of…

Providing an environment that is responsive to emergency health needs of students is essential to creating a safe setting for children in schools. The question of what minimal essential emergency equipment and resources should be available in schools brings with it many and varied opinions, issues, and concerns. Through funding from the Emergency…

The purpose of this article is to explore the effects of community participation in school governance, as an element of development and humanitarian assistance programs, on social capital and civil society building. The first section describes different types of participation in education, its institutional forms, and the paradigms that support…

This issue of "Lessons Learned" addresses "Dealing with Weapons on Campus." Each year, school administrators, faculty and staff must deal with the possibility of students planning and carrying out pranks such as toilet-papering trees, egging automobiles or spray painting school property. These high jinks often occur at the end of the school year,…

There is a clear need, in view of significant competitive, technological and service changes taking place in the telecommunications sector, to review universal service obligations, their coverage, how they are financed and who is responsible for providing them. In many OECD countries, a primary longer term issue is how to provide universal service…

Numerous events, such as hurricanes, floods, and tornadoes, constitute a natural disaster for public schools. Human-caused disasters include hazardous-material emergencies, civil riots, fires, and nuclear accidents. This document contains emergency-management planning guidelines, developed by the Texas Education Agency, to help local school…

Statistics show that more than 770,000 students were injured in schools in 1992 and more than 3 million crimes are committed in schools each year. This guide empowers parents with information to identify safety problems in schools and work toward their solution. After a general discussion of school safety and the role of parents, the book reviews…

This handbook aids in planning for effective crisis communication at institutions of higher education. The book opens with a behind-the-scenes look at a particular crisis--the 1990 murders of five students at the University of Florida. This first section offers tested advice from a campus communicator, an account of the crisis and the…

Most librarians know the importance of disaster preparedness. Many disasters could have been prevented altogether or have had reduced impact if institutions had been better prepared. This resource guide suggests how disaster preparedness can be achieved at cultural institutions. Twenty-three basic resource articles are presented to introduce…

This publication is a guide for California colleges and universities wishing to prepare for earthquakes. An introduction aimed at institutional leaders emphasizes that earthquake preparedness is required by law and argues that there is much that can be done to prepare for earthquakes. The second section, addressed to the disaster planner, offers…

This learner manual for rescuers covers the current techniques or practices required in the rescue service. The second of 10 modules contains 5 chapters: (1) patient care and handling techniques; (2) rescue carries and drags; (3) emergency vehicle operations; (4) self-contained breathing apparatus; and (5) protective clothing. Key points, an…