Faculty leading or coordinating off-campus programs will submit EVENT REPORTS to document events that adversely affect an individual student or the group.

The guiding principle of Guilford’s risk management strategy, while students are abroad or away, is to give first priority to stabilizing a situation, with rapid communication, in a specific sequence to the home campus, concluding with onsite leaders following up every event with appropriate support services.

 

GOCI divides the unexpected events that transpire off-campus  into four categories, each of which suggests a different kind of response:
 

Incident—an event that affects either an individual student or the group at the level of extreme inconvenience or discomfort, but without a threat to safety, such as the loss or theft of a passport.

Emergency—an event that affects an individual student or the group and includes a short-term threat to the safety and/or well-being, such as an assault or serious injury.

Crisis—an event that affects either an individual student or the group with a lasting threat to the safety and/or well-being of that individual or the group, bringing into question the ability to persist to the program's conclusion.

Disaster—events that affect the health and well-being of the entire group and bring the program to an early conclusion.

Communication Protocol for Events

For each of the above, students and onsite faculty/staff should rely on the following communication protocol.

1.  Student victim contacts the onsite program leadership. In the event of a disaster, students will meet the program leadership at an agreed-upon gathering place.

2.  Onsite program leadership contacts local authorities and medical experts (as relevant to the situation).

3.  Leadership contacts the GOCI emergency hotline, facilitating communication between the student victim(s) and persons of authority. Note: in the absence of phone service, send a text message, which often still functions.

4.  At the earliest possible convenience, faculty file an event report or series of reports via an online form which can be found HERE. This form sends a message automatically to GOCI, the director of public safety, and a representative from campus life.

5.  The Director of GOCI contacts families, providing information on the event, response, and wellness of the student(s).

6.  Onsite program leadership follows up with individuals to ensure physical and psychological well-being, documenting and notifying the Director of GOCI in writing of all actions taken and progress made.

7.  For responses to either crises or emergencies, the onsite leadership will base all decisions and communication of information in the public sphere on close consultation and coordination with the Director of GOCI and the home institution.
 

On Campus Communications for Crises and Disasters
 

1.  GOCI contacts the President of Guilford College, the Dean of Students, the Director of Public Safety, and the Associate Vice President of Communications and Marketing. The President, Dean of Students, and Director of GOCI decide what to tell the parents and what to announce to others, sharing this information with the aforementioned other parties.

2.  GOCI will communicate with students off-campus, if possible before any announcements are made to the on-campus community.

3.  The Office of Communications and Marketing will release a voicemail and/or written announcement to the Guilford College community. Possibly, that announcement will also be shared with the local press. All requests for additional information from the press and general public will be handled by Communications and Marketing.

4.  Guilford College sends either the Program Coordinator or the Director of GOCI to the country as soon as possible.

5.  In case of the death of a student(s), Guilford College should be prepared to cover the cost of the roundtrip airfare for the parents.