University of Delaware
Pandemic Planning Guide for Academic Units
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization are
advising that the H1N1 influenza strain that recently spread through the United States and other
countries could mutate and become a more challenging strain this fall. With that possible
scenario, the University of Delaware is preparing detailed plans to handle such an outbreak. We
are asking you to join us in preparation.
In the event of a recurrence of H1N1 in the fall, the University could choose several courses of
action to protect the employees, students and community from being exposed. Please take some
time to consider the following scenarios and answer the questions in relation to your specific
college/department/unit. You will find that this action plan you are putting together for your unit
can be applied to many other types of disasters such as a severe snowstorm, hurricane or flood;
not just to a disease outbreak such as pandemic flu.
Please submit all responses to Laura Rapp (lrapp@udel.edu), graduate student for Marcia Nickle,
UD’s Emergency Preparedness Coordinator by July 31, 2009. Any questions can be directed to
Marcia Nickle (mnickle@udel.edu) or Krista Murray (klmurray@udel.edu).
We realize this is a very short turn around time, but hope you can appreciate the pressing
concerns we have for what may arrive in the fall and can understand our sense of urgency.
Department Name:
Geological Sciences
College Name:
Earth, Ocean, and Environment
Department Contact:
Dr. Susan McGeary (Department Chair)
Dr. John Wehmiller (Safety Committee Chair)
McGeary: 831-2569, cell 302-584-7329
Wehmiller: 831-2926, cell 302-229-9242
smcgeary@udel.edu (McGeary); jwehm@udel.edu (Wehmiller)
Phone Number:
Email:
University Action A: Social Distancing and Cancellation of Large Events
The University may decide during a disease outbreak to recommend social distancing. The goal
of this would be to minimize contact between people, thereby minimizing the spread of the
disease. This could include cancelling large events and limiting the numbers of non-university
personnel coming on campus, however student-only events such as intramurals and classes
would continue. This is similar to how the April-May 2009 H1N1 outbreak was handled.
If this is done:
 What critical functions would be impacted by the cancellation of large events and close
personal contact? Nothing critical. Just seminars, course field trips, etc.
o How could these critical functions be handled? (Events would be rescheduled.)
 If you have large events/gatherings (seminars, meetings, etc.), how would you notify
attendees and faculty/staff/students that the event has been canceled?
Email, website, and posters on doors/hallways– same way that we notify attendees about
events.
 Who would determine what needs to be canceled?
Department Chair
 Are there other options for having the event without close contact between attendees and
what needs to be in place in order to do this?
Not necessary – would just reschedule. Could always tape and run as a video.
 If the outbreak/situation is impacting the region or nation, do you have faculty or students
off-campus whose situation may need to be considered (i.e., study abroad, clinical
rotations, sabbatical leaves or research trips)?
Possibly. Occasional study abroad programs or sabbaticals. Research field trips common.
o Who will remain in contact with them to assess the situation and how will they
remain in contact?
Department chair with help of department office staff and study abroad program staff.
 Are there any means for teaching courses without congregation of students?
Not really – lectures could be taped but labs need to be in person.
o What would need to be in place in order for this to occur?
Course capture or another taping system.
 Do your students come in contact with the community or other special populations (Early
Learning Center, College School, Lab Preschool)?
Earth Science Ed (XES) majors spend some time as student teachers.
o If so, how can you communicate with these groups to update them on the situation
and answer concerns they might have?
Their advisor and course instructor will stay in contact.
 Other considerations from your unit not previously discussed? No.
University Action B: Cancellation of Classes and Preparations to Close University
The University may cancel classes, in addition to major events, during a natural disaster or
disease outbreak. This could be a short-term cancellation (one or two days) or it could last
longer.
If this is done:
 What critical functions must take place even if classes are cancelled?
o How will they be performed and by whom?
Computing systems (servers) maintained and continued backup. Department CITA or
Bill Parnella, Research Technician. (Back-up generators for power outages?)
Research Lab maintenance by relevant faculty or staff.
 If you have students on hospital clinical/student teaching rotations and they are not able
or allowed to go out on that rotation, how will the missed time be handled?
o Who will remain in contact with them and how will this take place? (Remember,
this could be a short duration, but it could be an extended cancellation as well)
If an XES student misses their student teaching rotations, this will be handled by the
advisor in consultation with the folks overseeing secondary ed teaching programs.
Communication will be handled by the advisor according to University policy at the time.
 If you have students working on campus (i.e. Early Learning Center, College School, Lab
Preschool), how can you communicate with these groups to update them on the situation
and answer concerns they might have?
o Will these locations remain open, and if student help is not available, how will
this impact your operation? Not relevant.
 If you have animals, plants, or other items that must be tended regularly and you rely on
student help, who will do this if the students do not come in?
o How will it be completed?
The relevant research faculty member will be responsible.
 If classes are cancelled and you rely on student help in your department, how will the
essential work functions of the students be completed if they do not come in, and by
whom? (Not relevant – students not responsible for essential work functions.)
 Other considerations from your unit not previously discussed? None.
University Action C: Closing of Residence Halls, Administrative
Buildings and Entire Campus
The University may close residence halls, administrative buildings, and possibly the entire
campus. This could be a short-term closing, such as during snowstorms for up to a few days, or
it could be an extended closure in a major disaster or extensive disease outbreak lasting weeks.
If this occurs:
 What critical functions must take place?
o How will this happen and by whom?
Computing systems (servers) maintained and continued backup. Department CITA or
Bill Parnella, Research Technician.
Research Labs maintenance by relevant faculty or staff. (When possible, laboratory
systems will be shut down until the situation resolves.)
 If the outbreak/situation is impacting the region or nation, do you have faculty or students
off-campus whose situation may need to be considered (i.e., study abroad, clinical
rotations, sabbatical leaves or research trips)?
o Who will remain in contact with them to assess the situation and how will they
remain in contact?
Possibly. Occasional study abroad programs or sabbaticals. Research field trips common
but will be postponed (or shortened if already begun). Department chair will be the
contact.
 If you have students on clinical/teaching rotations and they are not able or allowed to go
out on that rotation, how will the missed time be handled? (Remember, this could be a
short duration, but it could be an extended cancellation as well)
o Who will remain in contact with them, and how will this take place?
If an XES student misses their student teaching rotations, this will be handled by the
advisor in consultation with the folks overseeing secondary ed teaching programs. The
advisor will stay in contact and will follow University policy at the time.
 If you have animals, plants, living organisms or research projects that must be tended
regularly, who will do this and how?
The relevant research faculty member.
 If you have labs, do you have emergency contacts/point of contacts for each of them?
o Are they available to necessary personnel from an off-campus location?
Contact information is maintained in the Department and is regularly updated. Chair and
Safety Committee Chair have this information. The Deputy Dean of CEOE will also
have a copy of the contact information.
 If you have labs, how will they be prepared and made safe before/at the time of closure
and by whom?
o List the concerns and procedures to be followed.
Laboratory instrumentation can be shut down or put in stanby for indefinite periods by
the relevant faculty or staff or by Bill Parnella, Research Technician. Periodic inspection
will occur by relevant faculty or staff.
 If you have labs with hazardous operations, will they be shut down and if so, how and by
whom? Not relevant.
o Can they be shut down for an extended time, and how long will it take to
complete this?
o List procedures for these operations and who can perform them.
 If you have critical supply needs (animal feed/supplies, liquid nitrogen, compressed
gasses, etc) how can you assure delivery or prepare for the possibility of interruptions in
delivery? Nothing critical. Can reschedule deliveries.
 If you have critical collections in your department/college/unit which are dependent on
energy, temperature control, etc, have measures been taken to ensure their protection in
the event of a University closure (i.e., backup generator, sufficient fuel or gasses, etc)?
o List the needs and describe the procedures to be followed.
 Other considerations from your unit not previously discussed? None.
University Action D: Campus Operations Restored
When the University restores campus operations following the event:
 What will need to be prepared for the return of the faculty/staff/students?
o Who will do this? Chair and staff in general. Relevant faculty for research labs.
 Prior to restoring hazardous operations in labs, assure all critical services are operational
(ventilation, alarms, etc). Not applicable.
o Who will handle this and communicate the status to the users?
 Other considerations from your unit not previously discussed? None.