Pandemic Avian FluPlanning

Minnesota State Colleges and UniversitiesLaura M. King, Vice Chancellor – CFO

State Higher Education Executive OfficersProfessional Development Conference

August 15, 2006Chicago, Illinois

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System Overview

• Seventh largest system of two- and four-year colleges and universities in the country; governed by Board of Trustees

• Serves 369,000 students each year in credit and non-credit courses, including 30,000 online students

• Nearly 90% of students are Minnesota natives;80% remain in state upon graduation

• Own 26M square feet on 53 campuses in 46 communities

• 18,000 full- and part-time faculty and staff

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The state of Minnesota has:

• 5 million people

• 57.5 million chickens

• 47.5 million turkeys

• 18,000 hospital beds

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That’s 21 chickens and turkeys for every one person in the state

to

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And one hospital bed for every 278 people in the state

to

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It only takes a mallard duck 10 hours to fly the length of the state of Minnesota.

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There are only 11 states with a total area larger than Minnesota

• Nevada

• New Mexico

• Oregon

• Texas

• Wyoming

• Alaska

• Arizona

• California

• Colorado

• Michigan

• Montana

Michigan is the only state east of the Mississippi River

with a larger total area than Minnesota.

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Conversely, the total area of the following eastern states would fit inside of Minnesota

• New Hampshire

• New Jersey

• Rhode Island

• Vermont

• West Virginia

• Connecticut

• Delaware

• District of Columbia

• Maryland

• Massachusetts

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State’s Framework

• Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management is lead state agency

• Event will be managed under aegis of National Incident Management system

• All public and private entities are subject to the governor’s executive power in the event of a declared emergency

• State controls 1/3 of our employees directly through state labor contracts; balance in labor contracts controlled by our board

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All Hazards Planning

• Each college/university has current All Hazards plan that addresses fire, chemical spills, bomb threats, weather events, etc.

• Pandemic Plan added as chapter in All Hazards plan

• Recognition that pandemic planning presents unique elements that require additional/modified planning

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Roles and Responsibilities

• State – public health and safety, resource coordination

• Board/System – uniform policies and public communications

• Presidents – student and faculty safety, community support

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System Planning Assumptions

We assumed:

• That we had at least 9 months from the February 2006 planning start

• That we would hold and exercise discretion prior to an emergency declaration by the governor

• That the system plan and the individual college/university plans will be synchronized

• That WWW would be available for limited communication only

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Plan Development

• System level team of senior cabinet officials

• Each president to name a local planning team with designated members in parallel with the system team (academic, student life, communications, facilities, etc.)

• Each team asked to develop plans based upon scenarios modified from WHO guidelines

• Meetings held by region to present andreview the plans with regional neighbors

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Plan Development, cont.

• Key element of planning process is the identification of statutory/policy changes needed to accommodate student services

• Emphasis on coordination with local public entities – public health authorities, school districts, hospitals

• Emphasis on campus communication, training and education during plan preparation and after plan prepared

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Pandemic Plan Components

• Structure

– Command and committee structure– Evidence of coordination with local entities– Evidence of collaboration with other

colleges/universities– Evidence of communications plan

• Students and staff

– Assessment of student learner impacts– Health and safety assessment– Employee assignment analysis– Analysis of internal and external services

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Pandemic Plan Components, cont.

• Event management

– Plan effectiveness evaluation

– Plan design for updating

– Post event plan

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Policy Implications

• Academic program administration

– Close one program at a time or whole colleges/ universities?

– Differential treatment of on ground vs. online instructional availability?

– Close statewide simultaneously or serially? – Coordination/communication with local K-12

systems (18,000 PSEO and college in classroom students)

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Policy Implications, cont.

• Uniform communications– System Web page for all to use and – Campus generated communications

• Campus physical security for residential programs

• Term management– Credit award where incomplete term? – Availability of tuition reimbursement vs.

credit for next term

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Policy Implications, cont.

• Student issues

– Awareness communications– Recognize and prepare for economic and

emotional impacts– Academic impact analysis– Census and evacuation planning– Care for place bound students– Role of campus health care services

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Policy Implications, cont.

• Employee Issues

– Uniform treatment across 12 labor contracts?– Recognize and plan for economic/emotional

impact on staff – Emphasis on personal/family preparedness

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Observations

• We have bootstrapped this effort into general progress on all hazards planning – key to long term utility of plan documents

• Strong leadership commitment; no general awareness

• Commitment to student outcomes will hopefully guide settlement of policy disputes

• Lack of federal guidance is not helpful

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Observations, cont.

• Financial impacts are incalculable at this point

• Possible state and federal assistance also unknown

• We are ready enough if it happens tomorrow

• Leadership committed to planning principles

• Staff and student personal planning are critical to plan’s success

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Presentation available at:

www.chancellor.mnscu.edu/avianflu/index.html