Despite the elevation of the opioid crisis in the U.S. to the level of a nationwide public health emergency in 2017, the number of opioid-involved overdose deaths has continued to rise. The impact of the opioid epidemic extends well beyond the tragedy of fatal overdose. Nonfatal overdose can result in brain injury and permanent disability, and…

It is essential to save lives during emergencies not only in hospitals but also in colleges and universities. Failure to identify risks and take prompt action during catastrophes and emergency situations could result in the loss of life and property for the campus community. This research aims to explore the feasibility of using data analytics to…

Our nation's postsecondary institutions are entrusted to provide a safe and healthy learning environment for the students, faculty, and staff who live, work, and study on campus. Planning for emergencies may be challenging for institutions of higher education (IHEs) because of geography, environment, governance, around-the clock-operations, and…

A key component of comprehensive school and higher ed emergency operations plans (EOPs) is an exercise program that includes the five types of exercises: (1) orientations, (2) tabletop exercises, (3) drills, (4) functional exercises, and (5) full-scale exercises. The exercise program can be developed during Step 5 of the six-step planning process…

In October 2017, the President and acting U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary determined that a public health emergency exists nationwide. Opioids can help in the management of certain types of pain, but they pose serious health, financial, and social consequences when misused. Schools, school districts, and institutions…

The paper revisits the outbreak of COVID-19 in Italy and particularly in Lombardy region, the first and initially most severely affected area among western countries. First, we provide an overview of the impact of the pandemic in the country and in the region, mentioning the turning points and the main effects on the national and local economy.…

Proper prior planning prevents pitifully poor performance: The purpose of this research is to address mitigation approaches -- disaster recovery, contingency planning, and business continuity planning -- and their benefits as they relate to university operations during a worldwide pandemic predicated by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The most…

When a major emergency event affects a school, school district, or institution of higher education (IHE), there are various functions that responding organizations have to activate in order to respond and recover effectively. Education agencies are particularly unique because they are entrusted to protect the vulnerable populations they serve and…

Systemic racism represents a major barrier to the effective resolution of sustainability challenges. Resolving these challenges requires understanding, cooperation and strategic action across industries and societies. Volume III of "No Sustainability Without Justice: An Anthology on Racial Equity and Social Justice" shares perspectives…

Planning for a pandemic influenza outbreak at a college or university cannot be done in a vacuum. Like any emergency plan, it needs to be a coordinated effort by a dedicated and unselfish group of individuals at the university pulling together a multitude of people and resources focused on a common goal. There is an ongoing struggle among…

The ability to securely connect to virtual systems is an important element within a safe and supportive learning environment. This is particularly the case within institutions of higher education (IHEs), where students are increasingly learning in digital formats; faculty, staff, and visitors are constantly accessing and sharing information…

Students or staff with access and functional needs (AFN) are those who need accommodations and modifications due to a temporary or permanent condition that limits their ability to take some actions in the event of an emergency. An access or a functional need may be due to physical, sensory, behavioral, mental health, intellectual, developmental,…

There is little published literature on operational coordination during a real time disaster regardless of the setting. This study describes a university's emergency management plan and its execution in response to a specific natural disaster, the May 8, 2009 "inland hurricane," which was later classified as a "Super Derecho."…

Crises, whether human or natural, occur on all college campuses. Extensive research has been conducted on crisis preparedness at four-year, nondenominational institutions. This study examined crisis preparedness at Christian institutions of higher education. The study examined the perspectives of presidents of Christian institutions of higher…

In this essay, Paul Vallas--education reform expert and key advisor to the government of Haiti in developing its national education plan--discusses his plan for Haiti. The paper explores the successes and challenges of education reform in Haiti, before and after the earthquake that devastated the nation in 2010. The essay describes the…