This is a copy of our Tar Heel Mission Ready newsletter, a monthly publication that provides information and updates related to mission continuity, preparedness and planning. All members of the University are invited to subscribe.
This month, we focus on identifying and documenting upstream and downstream dependencies using our Kuali software, with a special emphasis on our campus lifelines. As Mission Continuity Plan Managers, one of your key responsibilities is to anticipate and plan for potential disruptions. Identifying both upstream and downstream dependencies is crucial to this process.
What are Dependencies:
- Upstream Dependencies
- These are external or internal resources that your department relies on. Examples include suppliers, service providers, or other departments whose functions are critical for your operations.
- Downstream Dependencies
- These are entities that rely on your department. This includes services and functions you provide that students, faculty, and other departments or units that critically depend on.
Identification and Documentation
Steps to Identify Dependencies
- Review Processes: Begin by mapping out your key processes and services. Identify the critical steps and resources needed for each process.
- Consult Stakeholders: Engage with stakeholders to understand their needs and dependencies. This includes both those you depend on and those who depend on you.
- Analyze Data: Utilize historical data and performance metrics to identify patterns and critical points of failure. Consider real events such as planned power loss, maintenance, or impacts from upstream/downstream dependencies.
Steps for Documentation
Kuali, our Mission Continuity software, is designed to facilitate the seamless documentation of these dependencies. Here’s how to leverage it effectively:
- Input Dependencies: Enter all identified dependencies into Kuali. Make sure to categorize them as either upstream or downstream.
- Detail Critical Information: Include detailed information about each dependency, such as contact information, criticality level, and any existing MOU or MOA agreements that may be impacted.
- Regular Reviews: Dependencies can change over time. Schedule regular reviews and updates within your team to ensure all information remains current.
Campus Lifelines
Our campus lifelines are modeled after FEMA’s community lifelines, tailored to our university’s unique environment. These lifelines represent essential services and infrastructure critical to the campus’s functioning and resilience. Restoration and prioritization of plan development are given to the departments/units that support campus lifelines. Lifelines include:
- Campus Safety
- Includes campus police, emergency services, and safety protocols. For example, consider whether your department/unit depends on the services provided by UNC Police or EHS
- Food and Shelter
- Includes dining services, potable water, and student housing. For example, consider whether your department/unit depends on the services provided by dining or housing services.
- Health and Medical
- Includes campus health, counseling, and employee medical services. For example, consider whether your department/unit depends on the services provided by Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) or University Employee Occupational Health Clinic (UEOCHC).
- Physical Infrastructure
- Includes electricity, heating, cooling, backup power systems, campus transit systems, parking facilities, and access routes. For example, consider whether your department/unit depends on services provided by electricity, water, fuel, transportation, etc.
- Communications and IT
- Includes IT infrastructure, communications, and emergency communications. For example, consider whether your department/unit depends on the services provided by University Communications, UNC Police, 9-1-1, or centrally owned IT applications.
- Administration & Culture
- Includes procurement processes, human resources, finance, and community engagement. For example, consider whether your department/unit depends on the services provided by HR’s payroll and staffing services, institutional assessment, OUC, and campus programming/events organizers.
- Academics and Research
- Includes enrollment, instruction, student resources, compliance, and research activity. For example, consider whether your department/unit depends on the services provided by registrar, financial aid, student instruction, research, or student engagement.
Effective business continuity planning is all about staying prepared and ahead of the game. By identifying and documenting your department’s dependencies, and understanding how your role supports our campus lifelines, you help ensure the university’s resilience and readiness for anything that comes our way.
Stay resilient, be Mission Ready!
Resources for Plan Administrators
Why do we use Campus Lifelines? FEMA created Community Lifelines to reframe incident information, understand and communicate incident impacts using plain language, and promote unity of effort across the whole community to prioritize efforts to stabilize the lifelines during incident response.
Need Help? Whether you need assistance with plan development, risk assessment, or creating your own Risk Matrix, don’t hesitate to contact Crystal Donaldson. She can help you schedule a review of your Mission Continuity Plan to ensure your strategies are effective and up-to-date.
