Effective Date: July 9, 2020
Last Reviewed: July 9, 2020
A critical incident can affect people physically and psychologically and affect academic program continuity for the College if not properly addressed. The nature of the critical incident may require a varied and individualized response.
A critical incident emergency is an unplanned, imminent, or existing and evolving event that affects or threatens the health, safety or welfare of any of the College’s community members, property and/or infrastructure, and which requires a significant and coordinated response. The defining characteristic of a critical incident emergency is that usual resources are overwhelmed or have the potential to be overwhelmed. They may be a specific event with a clear beginning, end, and recovery process, or a situation that develops over time and where the implications are gradual rather than immediate. A critical incident emergency also constitutes a general “emergency incident” as defined in policy F11.6.
The President of Stonehill College may, in their sole discretion, determine that a critical incident emergency exists. If such an emergency exists, the President will determine whether to implement the process outlined in Policy F11.6. In addition to the process outlined in F11.6, the President may require the College’s Senior Leadership Team, as defined from time to time by the President, to implement this Critical Incident Emergency Guidelines Policy.
The President or their designee shall inform the Director of Human Resources and the Dean of Students in writing that they are implementing this policy in response to a critical incident emergency. The Director of HR and the Dean of Students shall ensure that the notice is posted electronically on the College’s website and shall ensure that the notice is accessible to students and employees.
Upon such determination, Senior Leadership in consultation with the President and, if necessary, in coordination with the Emergency Management Response Team, shall have the authority to draft and implement temporary procedures and guidelines (“Guidelines”) to respond to the critical incident emergency. Such Guidelines shall be reviewed by the Office of the General Counsel and then published on the College’s website. Guidelines shall not violate law or be construed in any way to violate any existing Collective Bargaining Agreement or the Bylaws or Ordinances of the College. However, to the extent such Guidelines otherwise modify, replace, contradict, or otherwise change an existing College policy or procedure, the Guidelines shall control until such time as the President determines that the critical incident emergency no longer exists.