Higher Education Resilience: Are Colleges and Universities Prepared to Rebound?

SALT LAKE CITY, June 13, 2017 -- Universities may not be ready to deal with an emergency, according to survey data shared by The University of Southern California (USC). Kuali created an infographic from the results to visualize the alarming state of business continuity planning in higher education and how it can be improved.

Most US colleges and universities do not have formal plans for institution-wide resilience and could therefore find it difficult to recover from unexpected events.

Continuity planning is complex and should address the entire campus. It includes minimizing the impacts of disruptive events as well as expediting the restoration of critical functions. Despite the importance of continuity planning, USC’s data show that universities and colleges are greatly understaffed when it comes to managing a campus-wide program.

Technology can help lighten the workload of emergency and continuity planning, however the survey showed that more than 30 percent are still using paper-based processes. Institutions have between 100 and 1,000 departments, each of which ideally has a specific plan to address its unique needs. Institutions not using software have an average of 16 departmental plans created, while those using software have an average of 152 plans. Those using Kuali Ready software report an even higher average of 214 plans.

The USC survey results agreed with findings from the National Center for Campus Public Safety which found that most colleges and universities do not have formal plans for institution-wide resilience and could therefore find it difficult to recover from unexpected events.

“Readiness is an operational necessity in higher education,” said Becky Higgins, Product Manager for Kuali Ready. “Institutions that prepare for disruptive events recover faster. When thorough planning is part of the culture, colleges and universities become much more resilient. Kuali Ready makes it easier to reach this goal with intuitive online tools that empower each department.”

“Software designed specifically for higher education business continuity brings plans to life,” Higgins explained. “The online tools help institutions collect, update, coordinate, and track essential information more efficiently than ever before.”   

To view the Kuali infographic on continuity planning and read more about the USC survey, visit the Kuali blog post on the state of continuity planning in higher education. To learn more about how Kuali Ready can assist an institution or to start a free 60-day trial, visit kuali.co/ready.

About Kuali Ready

Kuali Ready is a cloud-based continuity planning solution designed specifically for higher education. It provides colleges and universities with a guided planning process and central access point to create, manage, and evaluate readiness plans for all departments. www.kuali.co/ready

Attachments:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f9dfd80c-414a-463f-9c52-167ea49319da

Attachments:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4bec32d4-3ab2-43df-b7e6-7b4c746c01d0

Laura Kvinge
Kuali
7072979263
[email protected]