REG - 01.04.7 Emergency Communications and Campus Safety Alerts Regulation

1. Purpose

1.1 North Carolina Central University (NCCU) is committed to ensuring that students, employees, visitors, and other members of the campus community receive timely, accurate, and useful information during emergencies, dangerous situations, criminal incidents, severe weather events, and other safety-related conditions that may affect the health, safety, or operations of the University.

1.2 This policy establishes the authority, criteria, procedures, and documentation requirements for issuing Campus Safety Alerts, also known as Eagle Alerts, through the University’s emergency communications and alert systems. Consistent with the University’s Annual Security and Fire Safety Report, NCCU recognizes three primary types of Safety Eagle Alerts:

1.2.1 Timely Warnings;

1.2.2 Emergency Notifications;

1.2.3 Community Awareness Messages

1.3 This policy supports compliance with the Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act, applicable federal regulations, UNC System requirements, and UNC Policy Manual Regulation 1300.7.3[R], Regulation on Campus Emergency Communication and Alert Systems.

1.4 NCCU Police Department Policy 317, Public Alerts, expands upon this policy, provides internal departmental procedures for public alerts, Emergency Notifications, Community Awareness Messages, statewide public safety alerts, supervisor responsibilities, telecommunicator responsibilities, and quarterly public alert system testing.

2. Scope

2.1 This policy applies to emergency communications issued by or through the NCCU Police Department and the University’s designated emergency alert system, and is applicable for:

2.1.1 Timely Warnings;

2.1.2 Emergency Notifications;

2.1.3 Community Awareness Messages;

2.1.4 Emergency Weather Alerts;

2.1.5 Update messages;

2.1.6 All-clear messages;

2.1.7 Emergency alert system testing;

2.1.8 Emergency communications training;

2.1.9 Emergency alert system documentation and records;

2.1.10 Emergency communications audit and compliance activities.

2.2 All provisions within this policy apply to all NCCU employees and officials with responsibility for requesting, approving, issuing, supporting, documenting, testing, or auditing emergency communications.

3. Emergency Alert Systems

3.1 NCCU shall maintain a centralized, multimodal emergency alert system designed to provide emergency and safety information to the campus community through multiple communication methods.

3.2 Emergency alert communications shall be centralized through the University’s designated emergency alert system when issued to communicate emergency information to the campus community.

3.3 Emergency communications shall be issued without unnecessary delay when a significant emergency or dangerous situation is confirmed and when notification is necessary to protect the health or safety of students, employees, visitors, or other campus constituents.

3.4 Campus Safety Alerts/Eagle Alerts shall be accurate, timely, action-oriented, and coordinated through the University’s approved emergency communications process.

4. Designation of Campus Emergency Alert Authority and Responsibilities

4.1 The Chancellor shall designate a campus law enforcement or other campus public safety official with principal responsibility for coordinating NCCU’s emergency alert system. The NCCU Chief of Police and Director of Public Safety shall serve as the principal Campus Emergency Alert Authority, unless otherwise designated by the Chancellor.

4.2 The principal Campus Emergency Alert Authority shall be responsible for:

4.2.1 Coordinating the University’s emergency alert system;

4.2.2 Establishing and maintaining standardized emergency messaging templates;

4.2.3 Ensuring authorized users receive required training;

4.2.4 Maintaining procedures for Timely Warnings, Emergency Notifications, Community Awareness 

4.2.5 Messages, update messages, and all-clear messages;

4.2.6 Ensuring emergency alert system testing is conducted and documented;

4.2.7 Ensuring appropriate redundancy measures are identified and tested;

4.2.8 Designating no fewer than two backup officials who are able to fully carry out these responsibilities in the principal official’s absence.

4.3 The designated backup officials shall include:

4.3.1 First Backup: Clery Act Compliance & Outreach Coordinator

4.3.2 Second Backup: Assistant Director of Public Safety

4.4 The principal Campus Emergency Alert Authority and designated backups shall have direct and timely access to the Chancellor and senior leadership during significant campus incidents impacting health or safety.

5. Campus Safety Alerts/Eagle Alerts

5.1 NCCU uses Campus Safety Alerts, also known as Eagle Alerts, to notify the campus community of certain criminal incidents, emergencies, dangerous situations, severe weather events, or other safety-related conditions. The University recognizes three primary types of Safety Eagle Alerts:

5.1.1 Timely Warnings;

5.1.2 Emergency Notifications;

5.1.3 Community Awareness Messages, formerly known as Crime Alert/Informational Messages

5.2 The appropriate type of alert shall be determined based on the facts and circumstances of the incident, including the nature of the incident, whether there is an immediate or continuing threat, whether the incident falls within Clery geography, whether emergency action is needed, and whether issuing the alert could compromise law enforcement or emergency response efforts.

5.3 NCCU does not segment Campus Safety Alerts/Eagle Alerts. Timely Warnings, Emergency Notifications, Community Awareness Messages, Emergency Weather Alerts, update messages, and all-clear messages are issued to the full campus community through the University’s emergency communications system. This approach is intended to ensure that emergency and safety information is communicated consistently, broadly, and without unnecessary delay.

5.4 While NCCU may determine the appropriate content, communication method, and follow-up messaging based on the facts and circumstances of an incident, the University does not limit Campus Safety Alerts/Eagle Alerts to a specific building, group, department, residence hall, or geographic segment. If a message is relevant to campus safety, it is distributed to the full campus community.

6. Timely Warnings

6.1 NCCU shall issue Timely Warnings to the campus community about Clery Act crimes that occur within the University’s Clery geography and are considered by the institution to represent a continuing or ongoing threat to the campus community.

6.2 NCCU may also issue Timely Warnings for other serious crimes occurring in the University’s Clery geography, or for Clery-related or other serious crimes occurring outside the University’s Clery geography, when those crimes present an ongoing threat to the campus community.

6.3 Timely Warnings shall be issued in a manner that is timely and will aid in the prevention of similar crimes. Although the Clery Act does not define “timely,” the intent of the warning is to enable members of the campus community to protect themselves. For purposes of this policy, NCCU defines the timely warning period as seven calendar days from when the incident is reported or alleged to have occurred.

6.4 Incidents reported more than seven calendar days after they are alleged to have occurred will generally not result in the issuance of a Timely Warning, unless the available facts indicate a continuing or ongoing threat to the campus community. NCCU may still use other appropriate communication methods when information should be shared with the campus community for safety, awareness, or crime prevention purposes.

6.5 A Timely Warning should be issued as soon as pertinent information is available within the defined timely warning period. The issuance of a Timely Warning shall be decided on a case-by-case basis after considering all available facts, including:

6.5.1 The nature of the crime;

6.5.2 The continuing danger to the campus community;

6.5.3 The possible risk of compromising law enforcement efforts;

6.5.4 The availability and reliability of information; and

6.5.5 The need to provide information that enables the community to take protective action.

6.6 The content of a Timely Warning should be sufficient to inform the campus community but shall not compromise an investigation. Personally identifiable information about victims shall not be included.

6.7 Timely Warnings will be issued through the emergency communication system. Timely Warnings are not segmented for different NCCU populations (e.g., faculty, staff, students), but are sent to the entire campus community. The seriousness of the threat shall dictate the methods of dissemination.

7. Emergency Notifications

7.1 NCCU shall issue emergency notifications upon confirmation of a significant emergency or dangerous situation involving an immediate threat to the health or safety of students, employees, visitors, and/or other members of the campus community occurring on or imminently threatening the NCCU campus.

7.2 Emergency Notifications shall be issued through the emergency communications system and, in an emergency or dangerous situation, NCCU shall, without delay and taking into account the safety of the campus community:

7.2.1 Determine the content of the notification;

7.2.2 Issue the notification to the full campus community through the University’s emergency communications system;

7.2.3 Initiate additional emergency notification methods, as appropriate;

7.2.4 Provide protective action instructions when appropriate.

7.3 The University may delay issuing an Emergency Notification only if, in the professional judgment of responsible authorities, issuing the notification would compromise efforts to assist a victim, contain the incident, respond to the emergency, or otherwise mitigate the emergency.

7.4 Emergency Notifications are triggered by an event currently occurring on or imminently threatening the NCCU campus and shall be issued immediately upon confirmation of the event. Emergency Notifications may be issued for incidents including, but not limited to:

7.4.1 Active shooter or active assailant;

7.4.2 Armed intruder or armed person;

7.4.3 Fire;

7.4.4 Hazardous materials release, including chemical, radioactive, or biological release;

7.4.5 Norovirus or other serious illness;

7.4.6 Tornado warning;

7.4.7 Bomb threat;

7.4.8 Civil unrest or rioting;

7.4.9 Explosion.

8. Confirmation of an Emergency or Dangerous Situation

8.1 Before issuing an Emergency Notification, NCCU officials shall confirm that a significant emergency or dangerous situation exists. Confirmation may occur through one or more of the following:

8.1.1 Observation or confirmation by officers on site;

8.1.2 Reports from the NCCU Police Communications Center;

8.1.3 Background sounds such as distress, commotion, alarms, or other indicators audible to a dispatcher during a call;

8.1.4 The University’s internal camera system;

8.1.5 Reports from public safety personnel;

8.1.6 Reports from Durham Police Department or another law enforcement or emergency response agency;

8.1.7 Reports from local, state, or federal public safety agencies;

8.1.8 Information from the National Weather Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or another governmental authority;

8.1.9 Other credible information available to University officials.

8.2 Confirmation does not require complete information if/when delaying the message would increase risk to the campus community.

9. Emergency Notification Issuance Responsibilities

9.1 After being notified by the NCCU Police Communications Center of an emergency, and upon confirmation of the emergency or dangerous situation, the NCCU Police Department Shift Supervisor shall issue the Emergency Notification from their desktop or mobile device.

9.2 If, due to the circumstances, Shift Supervisor cannot issue the Emergency Notification, then the Shift Supervisor shall immediately contact the Communications Center and instruct the Telecommunicator to issue the Emergency Notification. The Shift Supervisor shall instruct the Telecommunicator on which template to use and provide the necessary information to complete the template.

9.3 The Shift Supervisor may contact and consult with the Clery Compliance Coordinator, Chief of Police, or other appropriate official, but consultation shall not delay an Emergency Notification when immediate safety action is needed.

9.4 If a police officer or public safety officer becomes aware of an emergency or dangerous situation, the officer shall immediately contact the Shift Supervisor. Upon confirmation, the Shift Supervisor shall issue the Emergency Notification.

9.5 If the Assistant Director of Public Safety or the Clery Act Compliance & Outreach Coordinator becomes aware of an emergency or dangerous situation, either person may issue the Emergency Notification upon confirmation.

9.6 When practicable and available, at least two authorized individuals should confirm the need for and content of an Emergency Notification before issuance. However, this process shall not delay the issuance of an urgent life safety message.

10. Community Awareness Messages

10.1 NCCU Police and Public Safety Department may issue a Community Awareness Message (formerly Crime Alert/Informational Message) when an incident occurs that is not an emergency and does not pose an immediate or continuing threat to the campus community, but the information may be useful to the campus community.

10.2 A Community Awareness Message may be used for:

10.2.1 General safety awareness;

10.2.2 Crime prevention information;

10.2.3 Requests for information from the campus community;

10.2.4 Incidents that do not meet the criteria for a Timely Warning or Emergency Notification;

10.2.5 Operational safety concerns;

10.2.6 Other information that may enhance campus awareness or safety.

10.3 A Community Awareness Message shall not be used in place of a Timely Warning or Emergency Notification when the criteria for those alerts have been met.

11. Emergency Weather Alerts

11.1 Emergency Notifications may automatically be sent to the campus community for certain Emergency Weather Alerts that affect Durham County.

11.2 Emergency Weather Alerts are issued through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and are pushed through the University’s system by monitoring Durham County NOAA alerts.

11.3 Emergency Weather Alerts may include, but are not limited to:

11.3.1 Tornado Watch

11.3.2 Tornado Warning

11.3.3 Hurricane Watch

11.3.4 Hurricane Warning

11.3.5 Tropical Storm Watch

11.3.6 Tropical Storm Warning

11.3.7 Flash Flood Warning

11.3.8 Winter Weather Advisory

11.3.9 Winter Weather Watch

11.3.10 Winter Storm Warning

11.4 Emergency Weather Alerts may be disseminated by text, phone, email, desktop pop-up, or other available methods depending on the alert type and system configuration.

11.5 Communications personnel shall manually activate emergency sirens upon receiving a Tornado Warning notification when siren activation is appropriate.

12. Communicable Disease Emergency Notifications

12.1 The Director of Environmental Health and Safety shall serve as the managing official for communicable disease matters in accordance with the NCCU Pandemic and Communicable Disease Policy.

12.2 Reports of a communicable disease emergency on campus shall be reported immediately to the Director of Environmental Health and Safety or designee.

12.3 Upon confirmation of a communicable disease emergency on campus, the Director of Environmental Health and Safety shall coordinate the preparation and distribution of an Emergency Notification with the NCCU Chief of Police and the NCCU Clery Coordinator.

12.4 The Emergency Notification shall be sent by the appropriate Police and Public Safety Department official or designee. Sirens shall not be sounded for a communicable disease emergency unless a separate immediate life safety condition exists requiring siren activation.

12.5 Following issuance of a Communicable Disease Emergency Notification, the Emergency Operations Plan and Pandemic and Communicable Disease Policy shall guide further information and response actions.

13. Emergency Alert System and Notification Methods

13.1 NCCU shall maintain a multimodal emergency alert system capable of disseminating emergency and safety information through multiple channels. The University’s emergency notification methods may include:

13.1.1 Text messages

13.1.2 E-mail

13.1.3 Voice messages or phone calls

13.1.4 Rave Guardian

13.1.5 Alert-Us

13.1.6 Outdoor warning sirens

13.1.7 Emergency alert website or emergency information webpage

13.1.8 Recorded emergency telephone line

13.1.9 University social media channels routinely used by the institution

13.1.10 Flyers

13.1.11 Police website postings

13.1.12 Media releases

13.1.13 Local radio, television, and press organizations

13.1.14 Emergency Alert System resources, when appropriate

13.1.15 Other approved emergency communication tools

13.2 Emergency information may also be shared with the larger community through the University’s emergency alert website or emergency information webpage, recorded emergency telephone line, University social media channels, police website postings, media releases, local radio, television, press organizations, and other approved communication methods. Media releases and official media communications shall be coordinated by the Office of Communication and Marketing in consultation with NCCU Police Department and other appropriate University officials.

13.3 Parents, guardians of NCCU students, and emergency responders may request to be added to the University’s emergency alert system by completing the request form available on the NCCU Police Department website. Approved external users may receive emergency communications through the University’s emergency alert system; however, the primary audience for Emergency Notifications remains the campus community.

13.4 The emergency notification system consists of several components, including outdoor warning sirens activated by the NCCU Police Communications Center and messaging through emergency alert system. Outdoor warning sirens shall be used to signal emergency events with immediate life safety implications affecting contiguous campus property. When sirens are activated, campus community members should seek additional information through University emergency alert channels.

13.5 All emergency alert communications shall be centralized through the University’s designated emergency alert system to support consistency, accuracy, documentation, and compliance. Noncontiguous or remote facilities may rely on other alerting methods, including text messages, email, telephone, website updates, and social media.

14. University Mass Notification System Enrollment

14.1 All University students, faculty, and staff are automatically enrolled in emergency alert system using contact information found in the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system (at the time of policy establishment, the ERP for NCCU is Banner).

14.2 Students and employees are responsible for maintaining accurate and current emergency contact information, including mobile telephone numbers, in Banner through the “My Profile” application. The ERP system serves as the system of record for this information, and Personal Information maintained in it is transferred nightly to the University’s emergency alert system for emergency notification purposes.

14.3 Each enrolled student and active permanent employee shall be required to provide a current mobile phone number for inclusion in the University’s emergency alert database for purposes of facilitating emergency text notifications. Mobile phone numbers collected for emergency notification purposes shall be stored in a confidential database and used solely for emergency notification and emergency communications purposes. These numbers shall not be used or disclosed for unrelated University activities or functions.

14.4 NCCU shall coordinate with appropriate University offices, including Information Technology Services, Human Resources, Enrollment Management, and other data stewards, to support accurate and timely emergency contact information in Rave.

15. Text Messaging Opt-Out Process

15.1 Students and active permanent employees may request to opt out of emergency text messaging only if:

15.1.1 They certify that they do not possess a mobile telephone device capable of receiving text messages; or

15.1.2 They present other individual circumstances approved by the University’s campus police authority.

15.2 Opt-out requests shall be submitted through a process approved by NCCU Police Department. The Chief of Police, or their designee, shall review, approve, or deny opt-out requests.

15.3 Approved opt-out requests shall be documented and retained in accordance with University recordkeeping requirements.

15.4 Individuals approved to opt out of text messaging may still receive emergency communications through other available channels, including email, website updates, sirens, telephone, Rave Guardian, Alert-Us, and social media.

16. Update Messages and All-Clear Messages

16.1 Once an initial Timely Warning, Emergency Notification, Community Awareness Message, or other Campus Safety Alert/Eagle Alert has been issued, follow-up messages shall be coordinated through the University’s approved emergency communications process.

16.2 Consistent with NCCU’s practice of not segmenting Campus Safety Alerts/Eagle Alerts, update messages and all-clear messages are issued to the entire campus community.

16.3 Update messages may be issued to:

16.3.1 Provide additional information;

16.3.2 Correct or clarify previous information;

16.3.3 Modify protective action instructions;

16.3.4 Identify continuing safety concerns;

16.3.5 Provide operational updates; and/or

16.3.6 Direct the campus community to additional resources.

16.4 No update message related to an emergency incident shall be disseminated outside the process established by the University for emergency communications.

16.5 An all-clear message may be issued when the emergency has concluded or when the immediate threat to the campus community has ended. The all-clear message shall be approved by NCCU Police Department, the Emergency Operations Center if activated, or another responsible authority designated by the Chief of Police.

17. System Redundancy

17.1 NCCU shall maintain reasonable redundancy measures to anticipate and mitigate potential emergency alert system failures or loss of critical utilities, including communication failures, electrical power loss, network outages, vendor disruptions, or other system interruptions. Redundancy measures may include:

17.1.1 Vendor-supported backup alerting capabilities;

17.1.2 Multiple trained and authorized users;

17.1.3 Backup authorized users with remote access capability;

17.1.4 Alternative internet or communication pathways;

17.1.5 Backup power where available;

17.1.6 Use of multiple communication channels;

17.1.7 Coordination with the UNC System Office;

17.1.8 Manual or alternative communication procedures;

17.1.9 Other reasonable measures identified through emergency planning.

17.2 Redundancy measures shall be reviewed and tested as part of the University’s emergency alert system testing program.

18. Emergency Notification System Testing

18.1 NCCU shall conduct testing of all components of the emergency alert system no less than quarterly, or more frequently when determined necessary by the University or directed by the UNC System Office. The Assistant Director of Public Safety for Communications & Security Technologies, successor division head, or their designee, shall conduct the quarterly tests.

18.2 Testing may include, as applicable:

18.2.1 Outdoor warning sirens;

18.2.2Recorded telephone line;

18.2.3 Emergency alert website or webpage;

18.2.4 Social media posting capability;

18.2.5 Mass email;

18.2.6 Text messaging;

18.2.7 Voice messaging;

18.2.8 Computer Pop-ups;

18.2.9 Redundancy measures;

18.2.10 Authorized user access;

18.2.11 Message templates;

18.2.12 Other alerting tools used by the University.

18.3 Each test shall be documented. Testing documentation shall include, when applicable:

18.3.1 Date and time of test;

18.3.2 Systems tested;

18.3.3 Individuals involved;

18.3.4 Test message content;

18.3.5 Results of the test;

18.3.6 Identified deficiencies;

18.3.7 Corrective actions;

18.3.8 Date corrective actions were completed;

18.3.9 Reporting submitted to the UNC System Office, if required.

18.4 Testing shall be coordinated with NCCU Police Department Policy 317, Public Alerts, which requires quarterly testing, documentation, Communications Center proficiency, verification of mass notification equipment, and correction of deficiencies.

19. Emergency Alert Message Recordkeeping

19.1 NCCU shall maintain a repository of emergency alert system messages for the most recent seven calendar years, or longer if required by federal law, state law, UNC System requirements, litigation hold, audit request, or institutional policy.

19.2 Records may include:

19.2.1 Timely Warnings;

19.2.2 Emergency Notifications;

19.2.3 Community Awareness Messages;

19.2.4 Emergency Weather Alerts;

19.2.5 Update messages;

19.2.6 All-clear messages;

19.2.7 Test messages;

19.2.8 Distribution channels used;

19.2.9 Date and time of issuance;

19.2.10 Authorized user responsible for issuance;

19.2.11 Training records;

19.2.11 Testing records;

19.2.13 Opt-out documentation;

19.2.14 Corrective action documentation;

19.2.15 Related after-action reports.

19.3 Records shall be made available to authorized officials in the format requested.

20. Audit Oversight

20.1 NCCU’s chief audit officer, or designee, shall evaluate the University’s compliance with UNC Policy Manual Regulation 1300.7.3[R] at least annually. The NCCU Police Department shall cooperate with audit requests and provide relevant records, including, but not limited to:

20.1.1 Timely Warnings;

20.1.2 Emergency Notifications;

20.1.3 Community Awareness Messages;

20.1.4 Emergency Weather Alerts;

20.1.5 Testing records;

20.1.6 Training records;

20.1.7 Authorized user lists;

20.1.8 Opt-out documentation;

20.1.9 Redundancy plans;

20.1.10 Message templates;

20.1.11 Corrective action documentation;

20.1.12 After-action reports.

20.2 The chief audit officer, or designee, shall report findings regarding the University’s emergency communication and alert system compliance to the Board of Trustees Audit Committee at least annually.

21. Confidentiality and System Access

21.1 Access to the emergency alert system shall be limited to authorized users with a legitimate operational need. Authorized users shall not share login credentials or use emergency alert system data for unauthorized purposes.

21.2 Emergency contact information, including mobile phone numbers, shall be treated as confidential and used solely for emergency notification and emergency communications purposes.

21.3 Authorized user access shall be reviewed at least annually and updated when personnel changes occur.