The purpose of this Policy is to mitigate the identified emergency, crisis, or incident and protect the safety of the American University of Armenia (AUA) faculty, staff, students, and greater community by providing accurate information and guidance to all stakeholders according to the AUA Contingency Plan (the plan is included as a related document to this policy).

This Policy establishes the framework for AUA to:

1. manage emergencies and crises affecting the University;
2. protect the health, safety and security of the community of the University in emergencies, crises or incidents; and
3. support the continuation of, and management of disruption to the University's operations and reputation, caused by an emergency or crisis. 

Definition

1. A Crisis means any situation or circumstance, internally or externally caused, where there is immediate or imminent risk to the University's business, reputation, or there is a significant risk of serious injury or death to people arising from a situation that involves the University and is beyond the capacity of normal AUA management structures and processes for effective resolution.
2. An Emergency means a crisis that is within the capacity of normal AUA management structures and processes for effective resolution.
3. An Incident means an occurrence that is not an Emergency or a Crisis.

Activation of Emergency Operations and Crisis Management Committee

During an emergency or crisis, the Executive Team will assemble to assess the situation and determine whether the Emergency Operations and Crisis Management Committee (EOCMC) should be activated.  The AUA President is responsible for a final decision to activate the EOCMC.  In the absence of the President, the members of the Executive Team may make the final decision upon consensus among the members. 

The EOCMC will assemble to discuss and organize the executive processing and communication both internally and externally, as needed, based on the nature of the situation.

Emergency Operations and Crisis Management Committee Members

• • President, Committee Chair
• • Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
• • Vice President of Operations (COO)
• • Vice President of Finance (CFO)
• • Chief Communications Officer (CCO), Committee Secretary
• • Director of Information & Communication Technologies Services
• • Director of AUA Facilities, Services and Events
• • Additional members of the AUA faculty and/or staff will be drafted into the committee if particular expertise is needed to respond to an emergency or crisis.

Media Inquiries

An emergency, crisis fact sheet should be developed by the CCO. The fact sheet contains a summary statement of the situation including all known details to be released to the media, and other stakeholders. This information is made available to (and approved by) the President, Provost, or appropriate Vice President. This fact sheet is analyzed with respect to the public’s right to know and concerns for privacy and security – in consultation with the University legal team when appropriate. 

All media inquiries should be forwarded to the CCO ([email protected]; +374 60 612 513). It is extremely important during emergencies, crises, and incidents that only factual information be distributed, speculation and rumors prevented, and security and privacy issues considered. 

The designated spokesperson in case of crisis is the CCO who may appoint a person with direct knowledge of the situation to assist her/him in this task.

All external and community wide communication must be reviewed and approved by the CCO and the President, Provost, or appropriate Vice President before it is disseminated.

TASKS - RESPONSE

Contact appropriate constituencies

Depending on the nature of the situation, appropriate constituencies will be contacted. Constituencies may include:

Vendors, college/unit partners, granting entities 

• • Alumni
• • Staff Assembly
• • Faculty Senate
• • Full and part-time staff, on and off campus
• • Board of Trustees
• • Full and part-time teaching faculty, on and off campus
• • Students, on and off campus
• • Student Council
• • Parents
• • Business community/opinion leaders
• • Mass Media

Determine appropriate communication channels

The President with the CCO will determine the appropriate channels to communicate information and their priority order, which may include:

• • MyAUA Intranet
• • Community mailing lists (e.g., [email protected])
• • Designated campus representative
• • Web Site
• • Media releases and/or interviews for Broadcast and Print Media
• • Press Conference
• • Social Media 
• • Faculty assembly/staff assembly

 TASKS – POST EMERGENCY or CRISIS

Factual information should be available through several communication vehicles for a period of time after the emergency or crisis, as determined by the CCO. 

Follow-up and appreciation letters to external agencies or organizations who assisted will be sent.

The EOCMC will meet within 10 days of each emergency or crisis to ascertain its effectiveness and to seek improvement strategies.

Closing of an emergency or crisis

When the President determines that the emergency or crisis is over, an announcement shall be sent to the AUA community or the respective constituency, announcing the closing of the emergency or crisis. Upon sending the announcement, all the sub-committees shall be deactivated by receiving a notification from the CCO on behalf of the EOCMC.