Disruptions due to Catastrophic Events or Emergencies

Policy Statement

This policy addresses circumstances whereby the university’s regular operations, including classes, are disrupted due to the occurrence of catastrophic events or emergency situations.

Policy Procedures

In case of catastrophic events or emergency situations, the President’s Cabinet will declare a state of emergency and take appropriate actions including the constitution of an Emergency Response Committee. Carolina University will provide prompt and accurate information to all its students, faculty, and staff via reliable channels including email and the university website. CU will adopt a flexible approach and will prioritize the enablement of the university’s essential operations to be conducted by staff and faculty from wherever they are located. Faculty, staff, and students may be encouraged to work from home until the emergency event has abated and will be provided with periodic updates. Alternative work arrangements may be approved by an employee’s supervisor in appropriate cases whilst the emergency event is occurring.

In the event of a pandemic or like event, the university may direct all employees and students to evacuate the campus and work from home until the campus environment is deemed to be safe. Emergency personnel and other designated staff will be expected to report to work at the university campus and conduct their normal work tasks in accordance with university directions.

The ordinary university rules regarding leave will continue to apply unless specific exceptions have been communicated by the appropriate official. Personnel are expected to work from campus facilities after the emergency event has abated or upon the directive by the university administration. In all cases, employees are expected to communicate regularly with their supervisors and take directions about where they may work from and what tasks must be accomplished within particular timelines. Employees who are not able to perform their functions due to the emergency, must communicate those facts promptly to their supervisors and seek their approval for alternative arrangements. Employees may be able to request sick leave or other leave in such circumstances.

The university’s Emergency Response Committee may designate certain personnel to be primarily responsible for conducting essential functions. In such cases, the personnel will perform such functions even if they are outside the scope of their normal duties and fulfill instructions as directed.

In the case of an emergency or catastrophic event that requires students and personnel to be away from campus, the university will waive on-campus attendance requirements, and students will be expected to access their classes via the online Learning Management System (LMS). Students, staff and faculty will be notified in such cases via email and notifications on the university website. The rules concerning absences due to illness will still be followed, and in case of any other absence, students must notify their course instructors and the Registrar’s Office by email in advance of the absence, or as soon as practicable thereafter. The university’s normal rules and expectations regarding academic work to be performed by students will continue to apply unless specific exceptions have been announced by the Registrar’s Office.

In case a student is unable to attend classes or perform other academic tasks due to the emergency, the student should communicate those circumstances with necessary evidence to the instructor of the course as soon as practicable. The instructor will assess the situation and assign alternative work or make up assignments on a case-by-case basis.

Compliance

Local

State

Federal

TRACS