Resources, Definitions & FAQs
Definitions
Business Impact Analysis (BIA)
An exploratory component to reveal any vulnerability and a planning component to develop strategies for minimizing risk. The report describes the potential risks specific to UT Dallas. One of the basic assumptions behind our BIA is that every component of the organization is reliant upon the continued functioning of every other component, but that some are more crucial than others are and require a greater allocation of funds or priority in service in the wake of a disaster.
Mutual Aid Agreements (MAA)
Arrangements between governments or organizations, either public or private, for reciprocal aid and assistance during emergencies where the resources of a single jurisdiction or organization are insufficient or inappropriate for the tasks that must be performed to control the situation. These are commonly referred to as mutual aid agreements.
Stafford Act
The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act) authorizes federal agencies to undertake special measures to assist state efforts in rendering aid, assistance, emergency services, and reconstruction and rehabilitation of areas devastated by disaster.
Resources
Emergency and Continuity Resources for Labs and Research Facilities
- Continuity Planning and Recovery Guide for Laboratories and Research Facilities
- Continuity Planning and Recovery Checklist for Laboratories and Research Facilities
- Emergency Response Guide for Labs
- Emergency Response Checklist for Labs
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the purpose of having a Continuity Plan?
The purpose of having a continuity plan is to ensure:
- Continuation of department/division.
- Succession of key personnel.
- Disruptions to operations are reduced.
- Services are resumed, e.g.: teaching, research and public service.
- A timely recovery is achieved.
- Financial losses are minimized.
How long does it take to create a CP?
Think of this as roughly a four to six-week project. Most of the development time will be time spent waiting for meetings to happen and for people to come to agreements on priorities and action items.
What’s in the plan?
- Planning Assumptions
- Critical Functions
- Vital Records and Databases
- Dependencies
- Succession Planning
- Communications
- Attachments
- Mutual Aid Agreements
- Policies and Procedures
- Phone Trees
What is Recovery Time Objective (RTO)?
- Used to prioritize critical functions.
- Based on maximum allowable downtime.
- Determine the RTO for your critical function:
- Consider
- Peak times
- Legal, financial, contractual, and regulatory factors.
Who should be in the planning group?
- Upper and middle managers: assistant deans, assistant directors, your departmental HR and IT managers, building coordinators, etc… These employees have access to the dean or department head and understand how the organization operates. Keep the group size manageable.
- Faculty input is essential. Try to enlist at least a couple of faculty members into your group.
What is the role of the planning group?
- The group will typically meet and discuss, with little-or-no “homework”.
- The coordinator will operate the UT Dallas Continuity Tool, often right at the meetings using a projector. The coordinator also can provide the group with the printed plan (which includes all entries-to-date) for discussion.
How many plans does my department/school need?
- This is a crucial decision. For academic units, planning generally happens best at the level of the academic department. There are exceptions depending on the extent of integration and centralization of functions in the school.
- For support units, the answer depends on the structure of the unit and the number of critical functions the unit performs.
What is the difference between processes and critical functions?
- Processes are the steps needed to accomplish a function. For example, the function “provide meals for residents of University housing” is accomplished through the processes of “buying food, food storage, cooking, serving and cleanup”.
- We focus on major functions because processes are too specific and detailed for our level of planning.
How do I know which functions are critical to my department or school?
- Identify all the normal functions your unit performs.
- Determine if any of the normal functions are critical.
A normal function is “critical” if that function must be restarted during the first 30 days post-disaster to enable teaching or research to resume. - Identify any extraordinary functions your unit performs.These are things we would not normally do, but which the crisis demands of us.
How I access the Continuity Planning Tool?
Please email OEMCP@utdallas.edu.
Whom should I contact if I have any questions?
Please email OEMCP@utdallas.edu.