Continuity of Operations

Continuity of Operations, also known as COOP, is an effort within the University and individual departments to ensure that primary mission essential functions continue to be performed during a wide range of emergencies, including localized acts of nature, accidents, and technological or attack-related emergencies. While the severity and consequences of an emergency cannot be predicted, effective contingency planning can minimize the impact and disruption on the University’s mission, leadership, personnel, and facilities.

Chapter 252.365, Florida Statute and Florida Board of Governors Regulation 3.001 requires UCF to create and maintain a comprehensive and effective program to ensure continuity of essential university functions under all circumstances.

UCF Policy 3-117.1 – Continuity of Operations requires that designated departments or units submit COOP plans to the Department of Emergency Management (DEM) annually before June 1st. Additionally, each department must designate one staff member to become the department Continuity Coordinator. The mandatory department list can be found on the DEM website. https://police.ucf.edu/continuity-operations.

Department COOP Plans are now completed and submitted online via the cloud-hosted Business Continuity in the Cloud platform. The Department Continuity Coordinator will complete the Business Impact Analysis (BIA) and Business Continuity Plan (BCP) within the cloud-hosted system and publish the plans for review by the Department of Emergency Management.

Business Continuity in the Cloud is a free resource made available by the Department of Emergency Management and can be most easily accessed by visiting https://police.ucf.edu/about-us/department-of-emergency-management/. From that page, click on the Infinite Blue Business Continuity in the Cloud icon to access the page. Your account is connected to your UCF Single Sign On (SSO), so there is no requirement for a unique login. If you have been designated by your department as the Department Continuity Coordinator and you do not have access, please contact us at EOC@ucf.edu to request access to the portal, training materials, and support materials.

The Department Continuity Coordinator is responsible for developing and managing the COOP plan for their respective department, college, or unit. Additionally, the Continuity Coordinator provides COOP training to their department personnel and participates in university continuity training programs. If the department COOP program requires funding, the Continuity Coordinator will work with department leadership to create a dedicated budget.

A BIA is a method for determining the criticality of mission essential functions and associated resource requirements to ensure operational resilience and continuity of operations during and after a business disruption. The BIA quantifies the impacts of disruptions on service delivery, risks to service delivery, and recovery time objectives (RTOs) and recovery point objectives (RPOs). These recovery requirements are then used to develop strategies, solutions and plans.

Mission Essential Functions are those activities that enable the UCF to provide vital services, exercise civil authority, maintain safety and well-being of the general populace, and sustain its industrial and economic base in an emergency. After an event or emergency that reduces the university’s resources, any functions not deemed “Mission Essential” will be deferred until additional personnel and resources become available.

Vital records, also known as essential records, refer to information systems and applications, electronic and hardcopy documents, references, and records needed to support essential functions during a continuity event. The two types of vital records are: Emergency Operating Records and Rights and Interest Records. Emergency Operating Records may include, but are not limited to, emergency plans, orders of succession, delegations of authority, and staffing assignments. Rights and Interest Records are critical to carrying out an organization’s legal and financial functions (i.e. payroll, accounts receivable, insurance, etc.).

The decision to activate a department’s COOP Plan and related actions will be tailored for the situation and based on projected or actual impact and whether or not there is warning. The UCF Department COOP Plan contains a decision matrix for activation with warning and without warning during duty and non-duty hours.

Organizations need to have the capability for continuity personnel to be fully operational and carrying out Mission Essential Functions at an alternate facility no less than 12 hours after a continuity event. As such, alternate facility locations should be properly equipped with data connectivity and power, and should have enough space for personnel and equipment including computers and furniture. It is recommended that departments create drive-away kits for prepositioning or rapid deployment to the alternate facility.

Trainings and exercises serve to assess, validate, or identify for subsequent correction, all components of continuity plans, policies, procedures, systems, and facilities used in response to a continuity event. Periodic testing also ensures that equipment and procedures are kept in a constant state of readiness. Guidance and training sessions will be offered to departments through the UCF DEM. Online training opportunities will be posted on the Continuity of Operations Microsoft Teams Portal and in-person trainings are available upon request. If you want assistance with training or exercising your COOP Plan, contact the Department of Emergency Management
using the contact information below.