Short & Long Term Plan
The TAMUG Long-Term Recovery and Business Continuity Plan is based upon the concept that the TAMUG campus will be closed for at least the remainder of one semester to an indefinite period of time. The focus of the plan is the relocation of students, faculty and staff to the Bryan/College Station area and the resumption of classes and services on the TAMU campus. The Short-Term Recovery plan focuses on the time the campus will be closed but will not require the relocation of students, faculty and staff to College Station.
Objective – TAMU College Station will accommodate all currently enrolled students, courses, campus services, and research from the Galveston campus.
Concept of Operations – If determined necessary and appropriate, TAMUG students, faculty, and available staff will relocate to TAMU for the remainder of the semester and subsequent semesters. TAMUG and TAMU faculty, staff, and services will work in tandem to educate students, provide housing and food, and maintain faculty research. Behind the scenes operations, such as student record management and billing for services, appear seamless to Galveston students.
Evacuation | Short-Term Recovery 7-10 days
Short-Term Recovery 11-45 days | Long-Term Recovery
Evacuation
The order to evacuate the campus will be given by the President and CEO or designee at which time the campus Emergency Preparedness Plan will be implemented:
www.tamug.edu/emergency/SevereWeather.htm
Announcements will be communicated through department heads to their personnel and students, campus Aggnews, voice mail, E2Campus and the Houston/TAMUG area media. Campus occupants will be ordered to evacuate the campus at least 72 hours prior to projected landfall of the hurricane.
TAMUG does not have a rental fleet available to transport students to College Station. A TAMU shuttle bus will be dispatched to Galveston to transport TAMUG students that have no transportation to College Station at TAMUG’s request.
Students with no transportation and no destination – These students will be evacuated by TAMUG to TAMU, utilizing TAMU transportation services. Note: Historically, this group has never been more than 10-15 students.
Short-Term Recovery Plan
Campus Down Time: 7-10 Days
The protocols established in the Long-Term Recovery and Business Continuity Plan between equivalent TAMUG and TAMU departments regarding continuity of services following a hurricane will be observed in the event of any unforeseen circumstances. All employment actions as the result of a hurricane are governed by TAMUG, TAMU, and System Personnel Policies in addition to State and Federal employment laws.
The activation of the Short-Term Recovery phase of the plan will be determined by the President and CEO or designee based on the assessed condition of the campus and the projected requirements for reopening within a reasonable period of time.
College Station Staff Contingent
Once the TAMUG campus is evacuated, the following members of the Incident Command Team will relocate to the General Services Building on the TAMU campus to set up the TAMUG Command Post operations pre and post-storm:
Chain of Command
- Rear Admiral Robert Smith, President and CEO
- Dr. Bill Seitz, Associate Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies
- Dr. Donna Lang, Vice President for Academic Affairs
- Rear Admiral William Pickavance, Superintendent, Texas Maritime Academy
- Ms. Susan Lee, Director, Associate Vice President Financial
- Dr. Brad McGonagle, Assistant Vice President for Administration
- Mr. Grant Shallenberger, Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs and Auxiliary Services and Interim Chief of Staff
- Dr. Tammy Holliday, Assistant Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies
- Mr. Steve Conway, Director, Computing Information Services
Support Staff Contingent
Supervision and oversight of evacuated students and camp children in College Station will be provided by the TAMUG Offices of Student Affairs and Educational Outreach. Essential support staff will be asked to relocate to College Station to provide these services.
Members of these departments will be in continuous communication with the Command Post.
TAMUG Staff Contingent
Senior TAMUG Campus Police Officers and the campus Safety Officer will remain in TAMUG in a designated shelter location throughout the storm, evacuating only if required by city/county government.
Phased Return to TAMUG
Initial Return:
Once local authorities determine it is safe for essential personnel to return to Galveston Island and the Galveston Causeway is re-opened, the following protocols will be followed by TAMUG:
Tier I: First Responders
All TAMUG personnel designated as Tier I: First Responders are required to return to campus when notified.
All remaining TAMUG Campus Police will return to campus to provide perimeter security. Texas National Guard may be requested to assist if necessary and available.
The designated members of the Campus Incident Command Team will return to campus to assess conditions and begin the campus restoration process. This team will consist of the following personnel:
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- Brad McGonagle, Assistant Vice President for Administration
- Grant Shallenberger, Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs and Auxiliary Services and Interim Chief of Staff
- Brad McGonagle, Director, Physical Plant
- Sam Martinez, Chief of Police
- David Watson, Campus Safety Officer
The Campus Safety Officer will be responsible for assessing the overall safety of the campus and determining areas of accessibility.
Essential Physical Plant and Marine Terminal staff will return to begin damage assessment and initial campus clean up.
Auxiliary Services staff members will be notified to return to campus to provide assistance in the clean up of auxiliary operations areas and begin providing initial services such as dining facility operations and residential housing.
Tier II: Essential Personnel
Campus Incident Command Team members on campus in collaboration with the Vice President and CEO will determine when the campus is safe for all faculty and staff to return prior to re-opening campus for classes. In doing so, each department head will be notified that he/she is to contact all department personnel regarding the designated return date and time. This information will also be communicated via the TAMUG website that is maintained in the Command Post, E2 Campus and through local media.
All TAMUG personnel designated as Tier II: Essential Personnel are required to return to campus when notified.
All employees will be expected to return to their positions by the designated date and time. Failure to do so will result in disciplinary action unless approved by department heads.
At this time the Command Post in College Station will be reduced to a skeleton crew that will coordinate the closure of the Command Post and conduct after-action reviews of the hurricane with TAMU personnel.
Normal operations will resume at TAMUG prior to the official re-opening of campus.
Auxiliary services will open to provide services for returning on-campus residents prior to the re-opening of campus.
Re-Opening of Campus:
The President and CEO will announce the date and time that the campus will re-open for classes. This announcement will follow the resumption of normal campus operations.
All TAMUG personnel designated as Tier III: Non-Essential Personnel are required to return to campus when notified.
Students will be notified to return to campus via the campus website, E-2 Campus and local media.
Once the campus is re-opened the Command Post will be closed and all media, parent and other external inquiries will be directed to the Director of Media Relations and Communications at TAMUG.
Short-Term Recovery Plan
Campus Down Time: 11-45 Days
College Station Staff Contingent
Command Post operations in College Station will be expanded to include essential personnel in Student Affairs, Academic Services, IT Communications, and Financial Management Services.
Continuation of these services will be determined according to protocols established by TAMUG and TAMU. Supervision for students and camp children evacuated to College Station will be coordinated through the Command Post with Student Affairs and Educational Outreach personnel.
Phased Return to TAMUG
Tier I: First Responders
Once local authorities determine it is safe for essential personnel to return to Galveston Island, the following protocols will be followed by TAMUG:
All remaining TAMUG Campus Police will return to campus to provide perimeter security. Texas National Guard may be requested to assist if necessary and available.
The Campus Command Team will return to campus to assess conditions and begin the campus restoration process. This team will function as the on-site administrative body for the campus.
Essential personnel including Physical Plant and Marine Terminal staff, IT Communications, Auxiliary Services and key support staff will be asked to return to help identify the resources needed and provide operational support for renovation, repair and clean up of the campus.
Should the campus be deemed uninhabitable for an extended period of time, System personnel polices and protocols established in collaboration with TAMU will be followed.
Tier II: Essential Personnel
The Campus Incident Command Team will coordinate the secondary return of Tier II: Essential Personnel through the Command Post at TAMU on an as-needed basis. Tier II: Essential Personnel may be called upon to assist with a phased re-opening of the campus once infrastructure repairs are completed and various campus operations are resumed. Personnel not participating in the clean up and repair process or those who have not been requested to return by their immediate supervisors will not be allowed to return to campus until further notice.
Partial and official Re-Opening of Campus: The President and CEO will announce the date and time that the campus will re-open for classes. This announcement will follow the resumption of partial campus operations. At this time all Tier III: Non-Essential Personnel will return to campus.
Long-Term Recovery and Business Continuity Plan Activation
(Campus down time: Beyond 45 days)
Relocation of Students | Relocation of Faculty and Staff | Student Services | Providing TAMUG Students Classes in College Station | Billing and Fees at TAMU College Station
College Station Staff Contingent
In the event the campus is unable to reopen within 45 days of the hurricane or is immediately determined to be closed for an indefinite period of time by the assessment team, the Command Post operations in College Station will transition back into the TAMUG Executive Team and will activate the Long-Term Recovery and Business Continuity Plan in accordance with the post-hurricane protocols established through the mutual agreement between TAMU and TAMUG.
Responsible Parties:
TAMU Lead Position: Associate Provost for Undergraduate Studies or designated representative
TAMUG Lead Position: Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs & Auxiliary Services or designated representative
Process:
Students will be directed to a central location upon arrival at TAMU for information and instructions.
One location will be designated and set-up for registration and student service information/enrollment, billing, financial aid, and new or adjusted ID card.
One welcome program, or similar event, will be scheduled for students and family members. The program will feature TAMUG and TAMU leadership, “familiar faces,” and information.
Program should be offered once, at a time when the majority of students have arrived at TAMU.
Student ID Services
Responsible Parties:
TAMU Lead Position: Aggie Card Office Manager
TAMUG Lead Position: Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management and Outreach or designated representative
Process:
All TAMUG students relocating to TAMU and living in the residence halls and dining on campus will have IDs (provide description of the student ID service at TAMUG).
TAMU ID Services will issue TAMUG students with Guest Student Identification Cards.
TAMUG students will be instructed where to get new ID Card.
TAMU ID Card Services will coordinate access needs with appropriate TAMU services.
Housing
Responsible Parties:
TAMU Lead Position: On Campus Housing – Interim Director of Residence Life or designated representative, Off Campus Housing – Dean of Student Life or designated representative, Corps of Cadets - Commandant or designated representative
TAMUG Lead Position: Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs & Auxiliary Services or designated representative
Process:
Given TAMU will not have on-campus housing to accommodate all of the students that are displaced by the disaster, TAMU will provide accommodations in the TAMU residence halls for as many TAMUG students as possible including limited linens, at a minimal fee. Additional housing needs will be assessed and accommodated as the need arises.
All Galveston students relocated to the TAMU residence halls will be issued a student I.D for residence hall room access.
Food Services
Responsible Parties:
TAMU Lead Position: Director of Dining Services
TAMUG Lead Position: Director of Dining Services
Process:
All Galveston students will have a student ID card that is bar-coded for food service facility access.
Short-term Solution – TAMU Food Services can provide Conference meal cards as a short-term solution or an immediate interim solution. Internally numbered cards would be issued to correspond with the student's name and UIN. The amount of meals placed on cards can be determined by the projected possible length of time for stay. Additional meals could be added as needed. Information can then be provided on how many meals total as well as time(s) and location(s) a student dined on the College Station campus.
Any special dining arrangements can be made for students on a case-by-case basis.
TAMUG students with existing meal plan – TAMUG Food Services and TAMU Campus Dining Office will utilize names, UINs, and individual student meal history to transfer unused meals from TAMUG plans to TAMU Food Services.
New Meal Plans – The sale of entirely new TAMU Food Services’ meal plans will be handled just as those for current students and function as currently published.
Additional Information – Locations for dining will be based on hours of availability and areas designated for stay, if appropriate. Location of housing does not necessarily need to be a priority in arranging meals and providing on campus services for meal use through Conference Cards or meal plans. However, some decisions for determining dining locations may be needed due to circumstances directly related to the emergency situation or other possible criteria, such as meal requirements for TAMUG members of the Corps of Cadets. Meals can be designated as limited to certain areas or locations, such as using the “all-you-care-to eat” facilities Duncan and Sbisa, or be permitted to work as current student meal plans with eat on campus “anywhere any time” choices.
International Students
Responsible Parties:
TAMU Lead Position: International Programs Office – International Student Services (ISS) (979) 845-1824 or 1825
TAMUG Lead Position: Director of Career Planning and Placement
Process:
Overall Issues:
U.S. and foreign documents
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If at all possible, international students, faculty, and scholars should take with them all original U.S. and foreign documents (e.g. passport, I-94 card, etc.) for themselves and accompanying dependents.
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If these are lost or irretrievable, TAMU International Student Services (ISS) can assist in obtaining replacement documents.
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Undocumented alien students should check in with ISS to receive advising about potential options (e.g. HB 1403).
Immigration Issues for Students
All enrolled international students at TAMUG are issued documents by and/or monitored by ISS already, so there should be no major immigration issues, as long as students continue to follow all regulations governing their visa type (e.g. enroll full time, maintain accurate addresses in SEVIS, etc).
TAMUG officials will maintain a headcount and contact with TAMU international students so international students' locations and addresses can be updated immediately in SEVIS as per federal regulations if they must leave Galveston. Students leaving the U.S. must contact ISS prior to their departure.
Other Issues for International Students
Assistance in evacuating TAMUG international students to College Station will be provided for those students who may be without transportation.
ISS will provide nationality contacts in College Station to assist with housing relocation of TAMUG international students, if necessary.
TAMUG international students should carry ISS emergency contact cards in case they need access to an ISS advisor in emergency circumstances.
ISS and TAMUG will have emergency contact information for all international students.
TAMUG staff will contact an ISS staff member to assist with an international student’s death or other emergency medical situation. The ISS emergency phone number is 979-255-6005 and is manned by an ISS advisor 24/7/365. Galveston staff should feel comfortable calling that number in any emergency situation.
Parking and Transportation
Responsible Parties:
TAMU Lead Position: Interim Executive Director, Transportation Services
TAMUG Lead Position: Assistant Vice President for Administration or designated representative
Process:
TAMUG students taking a vehicle to campus are required to purchase a hang tag and display the tag from the rear view mirror.
Identify temporary and permanent (length of stay) parking areas for students living both on campus and off campus.
Transfer student parking data from TAMUG to TAMU.
If possible, utilize the TAMUG hang tag as the student’s permit in College Station. Determine cost, if any, to students needing parking at TAMU who did not have parking at TAMUG.
Because TAMUG does not have a shuttle bus system, students will need an orientation to both the off campus and on campus bus systems.
Because TAMUG students will not have paid the Transportation Fee at TAMU, a determination will be made by TAMU and TAMUG officials as to the applicability of any costs for TAMUG students to access shuttle bus services at TAMU.
Orientation
Responsible Parties:
TAMU Lead Position: Dean of Student Life or designated representative
TAMUG Lead Position: Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs & Auxiliary Services or designated representative
Process:
Students will be provided with an orientation session and campus tours prior to beginning classes at TAMU if possible.
Relocation of Faculty and Staff
Responsible Parties:
TAMU Lead Position: Dean of Faculty (for faculty) and Employee Services (for staff)
TAMUG Lead Position: Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs or designated representative and Assistant Vice President for Administration
Process:
Faculty and staff will be directed to a central location upon arrival at TAMU for information and instructions on office location, research labs, teaching assignments, job responsibilities.
One welcome program, or similar event, will be scheduled for faculty and staff. The program will feature TAMUG and TAMU leadership, “familiar faces,” and information.
Faculty and staff will be encouraged to attend the welcome program scheduled for students.
Housing
Responsible Parties:
TAMU Lead Position: Employee Services
TAMUG Lead Position: Director of Human Resources or designated representative
Process:
Faculty will follow evacuation procedures and will be provided with TAMUG contact information for updates on status of facilities and semester courses. It will be each faculty member’s responsibility to access the TAMUG update information and adhere to the timeframe for arrival at the TAMU campus. Communication will follow the TAMU Emergency Communication procedures.
https://www.tamug.edu/emergency/EmergencyResponsePlan.htm
Faculty and staff members may need temporary or permanent (for length of stay) housing in the College Station area in order to maintain their responsibilities with TAMUG. Coordination of available housing will be provided through Student Affairs Off Campus Housing to identify community resources for impacted faculty and staff.
A central location for information and referrals for housing will be established at TAMU.
The TAMUG point of contact will include information on housing options in the College Station area.
TAMU and TAMUG will work together to coordinate short-term and temporary housing with flexibility in length of lease.
International Faculty
Responsible Parties:
TAMU Lead Position: International Programs Office (IPO) – International Faculty and Scholar Services (IFSS) (979) 862-1719
TAMUG Lead Position: Executive Director of Human Resources
Process:
Overall Issues
U.S. and foreign documents
International faculty and scholars will bring with them all original U.S. and foreign documents (e.g. passport, I-94 card, etc.) for themselves and accompanying dependents.
If these are lost or irretrievable, IFSS can assist in obtaining replacement documents.
International faculty and scholars will report to IFSS for advice on how to proceed with their continued employment
Immigration Issues for Faculty
International faculty and scholars will be required to update their addresses and contact information on TAMU H.R. Connect. In addition they will provide IFSS with notice of change of address and file Form AR-11 with the United States Citizenship & Immigration Service (USCIS) once they have an address that can be used for more than 30 days. If the international faculty and/or scholar has a pending case with USCIS they will need to call the USCIS customer service at 1-800-375-5283 to update their addresses.
Each International Faculty or scholar will be responsible for contacting IFSS for assistance to prevent jeopardizing their immigration status. Determinations will be made on a case-by-case basis depending on the length and seriousness of the evacuation.
J-1 scholars may need a new DS-2019 indicating a location change. SEVIS records will need to be updated with change of personal address and work location information
H visa holders may need wage adjustments to comply with labor laws and the refilling of an LCA and a new H-1B petition.
Other Issues for International Faculty
IFSS can provide nationality contacts in College Station to assist in housing relocation of TAMUG international faculty and scholars if necessary.
TAMUG-HR will facilitate reporting of its own emergency contact information, in accordance with TAMUG evacuation plans, to their international faculty, scholars and employing department heads in case of death or emergency medical situation of an international faculty or scholar. IFSS, however, will provide assistance to TAMUG-HR by means of facilitating the following support telephone number 979-862-1920 for the above stated emergency contact.
Parking and Transportation Services
Responsible Parties:
TAMU Lead Position: Interim Executive Director, Transportation Services
TAMUG Lead Position: Assistant Vice President for Administration or designated representative
Process:
Provide information on temporary parking for TAMUG faculty relocating to TAMU campus.
Identify permanent parking location for TAMUG faculty on the campus of TAMU.
Develop method for communicating parking information to relocated TAMUG faculty, either through central location or through Zone Administrators and/or department contacts.
Orient TAMUG relocated faculty to the TAMU shuttle bus systems.
Faculty and Staff ID Cards
Responsible Parties:
TAMU Lead Position: Aggie Card Office Manager
TAMUG Lead Position: Director of Human Resources or designated representative
Process:
All TAMUG Faculty and staff relocating to TAMU and living in the residence halls and/or dining on campus will have IDs (provide description of the student ID service at TAMUG).
TAMU ID Services will issue TAMUG Faculty and staff Guest Identification Cards.
TAMUG Faculty and staff will be instructed where to get new ID Card.
TAMU ID Card Services will coordinate access needs with appropriate TAMU services.
Faculty and Staff Office Space
Responsible Parties:
TAMU Lead Position: Deans or designee
TAMUG Lead Position: Associate Vice President for Research & Graduate Studies or designated representative
Faculty Research
Responsible Parties:
TAMU Lead Position: Vice President of Research & Graduate Studies
TAMUG Lead Position: Associate Vice President for Research & Graduate Studies or designated representative
Employee Assistance Services
Responsible Parties:
TAMU Lead Position: Employee Services - Faculty and Staff Counseling Services (979) 845-3711
TAMUG Lead Position: Director of Human Resources or designated representative
Process:
TAMU will act as liaison to TAMUG Employee Assistance Services.
TAMU will provide TAMUG faculty and staff access to TAMU services.
TAMU will coordinate and respond to request for counseling including crisis intervention and referrals for specialized care and follow-up. Faculty and Staff Counseling Services psychologists may service in declared shelters and other locations to provide services to evacuees and shelter support personnel.
Student Services
Student Medical Services
Responsible Parties:
TAMU Lead Position: Director of Student Health Service or designated representative
TAMUG Lead Position: Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs & Auxiliary Services or designated representative
Process:
TAMUG students will be given access to A.P. Beutel Health Center and its services, including the pharmacy.
TAMUG students will receive information on the services at the Health Center and how they can access those services
Student Counseling Services
Responsible Parties:
TAMU Lead Position: Director of Student Counseling Services or designated representative
TAMUG Lead Position: Director of Counseling or designated representative
Process:
The Galveston Offices of Counseling and Career Planning & Placement are responsible for a number of student services provided by three professional staff. All three are either licensed professional counselors (LPC) or LPC interns. Primary areas of responsibility include personal counseling, educational counseling, services to students with disabilities, career planning and placement services, and providing related student programs. Secondary responsibilities include assisting TAMUG international students, acting as liaison to contracted medical service provider and overseeing health and wellness initiatives.
If classes resume in College Station, it is essential that TAMUG students have ready and immediate access to TAMUG counselors early during the relocation period – especially those that were receiving services prior to the relocation. Ideally, this access would be available in the main assembly area. In addition, a secure location will be needed to maintain confidential student files. In doing so, TAMU will:
Provide immediate and public access to information on counseling services to TAMUG students.
If possible, have TAMUG counseling staff visible and available to students as they arrive on campus and proceed with relocation process.
Provide TAMUG students access to TAMU services.
Provide TAMUG counseling staff with appropriate and secure office space on TAMU campus.
Locate secure storage for confidential student counseling files that is accessible to counseling staff.
Utilize TAMU Counseling Service if counseling services are beyond the capacity of the TAMUG staff.
Services for Students with Disabilities
Responsible Parties:
TAMU Lead Position: Director of Disability Services or designated representative
TAMUG Lead Position: Director of Counseling or designated representative
Process:
The TAMUG Counseling Office handles the responsibility of providing services to students with disabilities.
TAMU will honor the accommodations determined by TAMUG’s Counseling Office staff and provide all accommodations supported by the student’s documentation.
TAMU will generate the accommodation letters for any students who were receiving accommodations and services through TAMUG’s disability services at the time of the evacuation.
Career Services
Responsible Parties:
TAMU Lead Position: Executive Director, Career Center
TAMUG Lead Position: Director of Career Planning & Placement or designated representative
Process:
An office identity for TAMUG students seeking career services will be maintained. Due to the unique nature of TAMUG’s academic programs and the maritime academy, TAMUG staff must be on hand and have available space to conduct employer meetings and interviews. In doing so, TAMU will:
· Provide TAMUG students access to TAMU Career Services.
· Allow Galveston students to pay a career services fee to register for TAMU career services.
Student Financial Aid
Responsible Parties:
TAMU Lead Position: Assistant Provost for Student Financial Aid
TAMUG Lead Position: Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management and Outreach or designated representative
Process:
Because TAMUG is a branch campus of TAMU, all federal financial aid applications (FAFSAs) are sent to the main campus, and program funding is part of the allocation to the main campus.
In the event of a hurricane that temporarily disrupts processing at the Galveston campus, the Department of Student Financial Aid at TAMU is prepared to provide office space for TAMUG financial aid staff and/or take over processing of TAMUG financial aid. Therefore, under emergency conditions, TAMU’s Department of Student Financial Aid will become the responsible office should TAMUG operations be disrupted.
Emergency Funding for Short Term Needs
Short Term Loans – The first, and easiest to accommodate, is the short term loan programs. Through a manual process, TAMUG students could apply for and receive funds same day. These funds would need to be repaid, but would provide immediate relief. This option also would not impact aid packages that may have already been provided.
Emergency Scholarship Funds – The second is to allocate emergency scholarship funds, either from existing program funds or from TAMU reserves to support these students. The need for this emergency funding will be largely dependent upon the severity of the disruption and the timing of the disruption.
Financial Aid Documents and Awards
All financial aid applications and awards are stored in Compass. There is no impact on awards from relocation. All historical financial aid documentation is stored in the TAMU imaging system. However, current academic year documentation is stored in filing cabinets at TAMUG. Given, the small amount of documentation involved, the best option, in the event of an evacuation, is to pack up the documentation and take it to College Station.
Access to Financial Aid System
TAMUG staff and students will still be able to access financial aid information through Compass, FAMIS, and the My Financial Aid Portal.
At least one staff member at TAMU will have access to TAMUG financial aid systems with the THECB and with TG. TAMUG processing will be continued in College Station by TAMUG staff or TAMU staff.
Work Study and Student Employment
TAMUG students can be added to the Jobs for Aggies database and given access to apply for TAMU student worker jobs in the event of a long term closure of the TAMUG campus. Since TAMUG work study jobs are primarily in financial aid, TAMU’s Department of Student Financial Aid will employ those on work study funding at Galveston or find other employment for them in College Station.
For a short period of time (evacuation and 1-2 weeks clean-up), the need for providing this service is minimal.
Processing Checklist – In the event of an evacuation or other disruption at Galveston, TAMU and TAMUG will take steps to ensure the following occur:
· Contact will be made by the Financial Aid Campus Director at TAMUG with the Assistant Provost for Student Financial Aid at TAMU to start temporarily disabling processes or start transferring operations.
· TAMUG staff will be provided office space and computers in College Station.
· Compass staff will be notified of changes in TAMUG operations.
· TAMU’s Financial Aid website will be updated with information on Galveston’s financial aid.
· NEO email will be distributed to Galveston students to notify them of the availability of TAMUG financial aid staff and the availability of resources for assistance.
· All Galveston Compass printouts will be switched to print in College Station.
· Galveston loan processes will be immediately handled by TAMU loan staff to maintain compliance and continue to transfer funds.
· Notification of TG and THECB of changes in processes for loan disbursements.
· Galveston refund check processes will be switched to print in College Station or placed on hold temporarily.
Providing TAMUG Students Classes in College Station
Schedules and Room Assignments
Responsible Parties:
TAMU Lead Position: Registrar
TAMUG Lead Position: Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management and Outreach or designated representative
Process:
The TAMU Registrars’ office and the TAMUG Office of Admissions and Records (ADRC) have a long history of good relationships. Class schedules and room assignments will be highly inter-related to teaching assignments. Many decisions will be impacted by the timing of the storm as well as the level of damage. If it is determined to establish academic operations in College Station, the following process shall serve as a basic guideline:
Call in essential staff to TAMU including Executive Director of Enrollment Services, and at least two (2) designated ADRC staff.
Implement phone bank and web survey to contact TAMUG faculty. Determine availability of faculty to relocate.
Determine possible scenario type.
Explore feasibility of relocating ship to other Texas port, and establishing maritime curricula aboard vessel. If not feasible, explore relocating maritime students to another State Maritime Academy (possibly California or Maine).
Define areas of specialization and course offerings with available faculty.
Define areas that overlap with TAMU courses, and areas where TAMUG faculty are not available.
Define areas of shortage where faculty members are not available and TAMU cannot offer expertise.
Identify available classroom facilities for TAMUG faculty.
Allow flexibility for night and weekend scheduling of TAMUG courses/labs.
Build new schedule within TAMU schedule if relocation occurs prior to the beginning of the term. Build new Galveston schedule if semester is underway.
Determine feasibility of distance education methodologies to deliver courses to students not able to relocate and/or to deliver courses to TAMU by faculty not able to relocate (possibly using IBT or other Houston site). Maintain review process to approve distance education courses.
Implement a student hotline and website to check in and declare intent to continue enrollment prior to arrival at TAMU.
Post arrival date, times, and place to website including instructions to call hotline number if possible.
Begin to “re”-register students with new schedules based on their intention to enroll. (Every effort should be made to enroll the student in a similar schedule to their “pre-storm” enrollment.)
Establish a centralized service center at TAMU including a process for those that have indicated intent and those that have not.
Establish a method for students not intending to continue enrollment to withdraw without visiting campus.
Develop an audit process and determine process for those students not able to continue enrollment (most likely to no record drop students).
Negotiate reporting process with Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
(This process will require discussion and consideration that financial transactions will be handled at the institutional level and not by student level accounts.)
Teaching Assignments
Responsible Parties:
TAMU Lead Position: AOC/GOC Deans
TAMUG Lead Position: Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs or designated representative
Assigning Students to Classes
Responsible Parties:
TAMU Lead Position: AOC/GOC Deans
TAMUG Lead Position: Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management and Outreach or designated representative
Grades and Transcripts
Responsible Parties:
TAMU Lead Position: Registrar
TAMUG Lead Position: Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management and Outreach or designated representative
Process:
TAMUG registration, grades, transcript, and student academic records are all a part of the TAMU Compass system and are differentiated by a unique term code for TAMUG semesters. This term code will remain active in the event TAMUG students moved to the main campus during the period of recovery. TAMU will be able to keep track of the TAMUG students while enrolled on the main campus and provide them with all necessary record/registration services.
This process will be invisible to students.
Textbooks
Responsible Parties:
TAMU Lead Position: Director of Accounting and Financial Management and General Manager, MSC Bookstore
TAMUG Lead Position: Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs & Auxiliary Services or designated representative
Process:
The effect of a major hurricane on students’ access to textbooks depends primarily on what time of year the storm hits. In the event that a major storm is forecasted for landfall in Galveston, the campus will make every attempt to relocate textbooks and critical supplies to College Station so that when classes resume, students will be able to have immediate access to resources to meet their academic needs.
If TAMUG is able to relocate textbooks and critical supplies, TAMUG would like to be able to sell them through a retail outlet established on the TAMU campus.
TAMUG would need to establish a retail outlet on the TAMU campus, including supplying or borrowing from TAMU necessary retail supplies, such as cash registers, establishing cash management procedures and locating secure storage. The Executive Director of Financial Management Operations will serve as the TAMU lead on this operation.
If TAMUG is unable to relocate textbooks and critical supplies, the MSC Bookstore, operated by Barnes and Nobles, will work with TAMUG to order the books and supplies needed for TAMUG students and sell them through their own (MSC Bookstore) inventory. The General Manager of the MSC Bookstore will work with the TAMUG representative to accommodate this need.
If the storm hits far enough in advance of, or well after, the start of classes, most students will be required to have their materials and the campus will simply require all students to take their materials with them when they evacuate the campus. Minor supplies may be relocated to College Station.
Billing and Fees at TAMU College Station
Student Tuition and Fees
Responsible Parties:
TAMU Lead Position: Executive Director of Student Business Services
TAMUG Lead Position: Associate Vice President for Finance or designated representative
Process:
An important issue will be the payment for services. In most situations, fees will have been collected from TAMUG students and will be in Galveston financial accounts. An important point to note is that Galveston and College Station fees are not necessarily the same in many of these areas. Payment, once fair amounts have been determined, should simply be a transfer from one account to another. TAMU services not routinely provided on the Galveston campus, but deemed necessary for TAMUG students in College Station, will either be paid from other Galveston funds, or be collected from TAMUG students in College Station. In some cases services and fees will change requiring adjustments, i.e., a commuting student in Galveston moves into TAMU housing or vice versa.
Accounts and Billing Services
Responsible Parties:
TAMU Lead Position: Executive Director of Student Business Services
TAMUG Lead Position: Associate Vice President for Finance or designated representative
Process:
The TAMU Student Accounts and Billing Services Office at TAMU College Station currently has some processing responsibilities for TAMUG students for which limited access to TAMUG student accounts has been granted.
In an extended emergency situation involving closure of the TAMUG campus, TAMU Student Accounts and Billing Services will be approved for full access and assume all processing responsibilities for TAMUG students until TAMUG Student Financial Services Staff can be housed and brought back on-line to resume their duties.
Student Debt Management - TAMU Student Debt Management will offer assistance to TAMUG students with extended payments if it becomes necessary.
Financial Operations
Responsible Parties:
TAMU Lead Position: Accounting Issues – Associate Vice President for Finance and Controller and Executive Director of Financial Management Services, Payroll Concerns – Director of Payroll Services, Expense Tracking and Reimbursement Efforts – Associate Vice Presidents for Finance
TAMUG Lead Position: Associate Vice President for Finance or designated representative
Process:
Reporting to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
· TAMUG staff will have access to financial and payroll systems through TAMU systems, as noted below.
· TAMUG will continue submitting required reports as long as feasible for TAMUG staff to handle.
· Should TAMUG staff need assistance, TAMU staff will be available to coordinate data and reporting needs.
FAMIS Access
· TAMU Financial Management Operations (FMO) will provide TAMUG staff workstations to access FAMIS as necessary. Probable locations for the workstations will include space in the FMO office and/or in the FMO training room located in the Teague building. These locations will be made available to TAMUG staff as a base of operations until the TAMUG campus is available.
· If necessary, FAMIS operations will redirect check printing from TAMUG to TAMU. TAMUG will provide check stock if available. If not available, TAMU will process TAMUG payments on TAMU check stock through a restricted account. TAMU would then bill TAMUG for expenditures paid on their behalf by TAMU.
BPP Access
BPP can be accessed from any computer hooked up to the Ethernet on the TAMU campus.
Workstations provided above for FAMIS access could also be used to access BPP.
Payroll Processing
TAMU Payroll Services will provide support with payroll processing as needed. The BPP system will be able to process payroll in College Station for all affected TAMUG employees.
TAMU Payroll Services will assist in retrieving payroll related data and answering payroll related questions as necessary, including: relaying management’s decisions on salary continuation if employees are unable to return to work; distribution of paychecks; availability of cash advances; changes in deposit information; posting of updates and communications on the Employee Services Web site, etc.
BPP can be accessed from any computer hooked up to the Ethernet on the TAMU campus.
Workstations provided above for FAMIS access could also be used to access BPP; however, current TAMU Payroll Services staff are able to handle all the data entry, review and processing of TAMUG employees.
Tracking and Documenting Costs for Reimbursement
TAMU/TAMUG will establish a fiscal account(s) to track hurricane related costs paid by each institution. Departments will be reminded to use the established account to record all hurricane-related expenditures and to maintain appropriate supportable detail in terms of invoices, time sheets, etc. depending on the nature of the expenditure incurred.
TAMU Division of Finance will establish contact with FEMA representatives should expenditures be of a nature that may be eligible for reimbursement. TAMU Finance staff will prepare materials to submit invoices for reimbursement and track the status of expenditures versus reimbursements until no further action is warranted.
Employee Services will provide guidance on the development of detailed job descriptions and personnel records for those employees responding to emergency conditions to permit maximum reimbursement through insurances, FEMA, and comply with State and Federal employment laws.
Revised June 2010