Policy on Evacuation

The university President, or his designee, has the authority to declare an evacuation of any or all of Tulane’s campuses. An evacuation can be short-term, only lasting a few hours or days; or long-term, lasting several weeks or months. Factors that are considered when deciding to evacuate include, but are not limited to, health and safety, governmental evacuation orders or recommendations, the university’s ability to fully support and sustain life safety measures for the on-campus population, mission-critical staff, and mission-critical research. If the local government issues a mandatory evacuation order, then the university will follow that order. If the local government issues a voluntary evacuation recommendation, then the university will take that into consideration when making its decision. Additionally, the ability of the university to support the off-campus population that may need services (food, power, safe shelter) will be considered. 

All faculty, staff, and students are required to have a personal evacuation plan that they can implement without reliance on the university. All students are expected to activate their personal evacuation plans when the university encourages the activation of personal evacuation plans. Students should promptly evacuate campus and take any valuables, pets, services animals, and emotional support animals with them. Faculty, staff, and students are not allowed to remain on Tulane’s campuses when an evacuation is declared unless they have been pre-identified as essential personnel by their supervisor or department head and informed of the requirement to remain on campus during emergencies. A list of all essential personnel must be provided to the Office of Emergency Preparedness and Response prior to the start of hurricane season and approved by the Sr. VP and COO or their designee. Students that are unable to activate their personal evacuation plans may, to the extent possible, receive evacuation assistance from the university.

8.1 Communications

The university’s evacuation policy shall be communicated to students and employees annually prior to the start of the academic year. This may be done through mailers to employees and students as well as email communications. The university community will be notified of an evacuation by various means, including email, text message, the university’s emergency website, and social media. The notification may include additional information on the status of classes, evacuation assistance, the status of university services, etc. Information specific to an office, location, or specific groups of people may be provided by VPs, Deans, Directors, and Department Heads.

8.2 University-Assisted Evacuation

Priority for university-assisted evacuation shall be given to on-campus students with financial needs, disability, and access and functional needs (DAFN) and other students that cannot activate a personal evacuation plan (i.e., international students). Students with service animals or emotional support animals will be accommodated in university-assisted evacuation. University-assisted evacuation is typically only for Tulane students that reside on-campus and cannot activate their personal plans. However, when circumstances permit and at the university’s discretion, the university-assisted evacuation may be extended to off-campus students and non-affiliates (i.e., roommates of off-campus students, immediate family members off-campus students).

•  At the discretion of the administration, non-affiliates and non-Tulane students, faculty, staff, and general persons may be charged a fee due at the time of boarding the evacuation bus. 
•  If additional university resources are provided to assist the non-affiliates and non-Tulane students upon arrival in the evacuation city, they may be assessed a per person/per day fee.

 All on-campus students should bring any valuables with them when they evacuate or properly secure the valuables under lock and key (i.e., lockable trunk, chest, locker, or safe). A locked residence hall door is not sufficient to meet this requirement. The university is not responsible for the loss or damage of student personal property, regardless of the cause. Any valuables (including cash) left in a student’s room will be the sole responsibility of the student, not the university. On-campus students should refer to the Housing Agreement for additional information about the responsibility for student property. Students should expect basic emergency shelter accommodations with university-assisted evacuation. Depending on the circumstances, the evacuation location could include gymnasiums with cots and communal bathrooms or shared hotel rooms where students will share rooms and restrooms. Students will be required to check in and out with a Student Affairs representative upon arrival and departure at the evacuation location. Students are obligated to adhere to the check-in and check-out procedures at the evacuation location. Students who do not follow these procedures, which shall be communicated to them upon arrival at the evacuation location, may face student conduct consequences. Students at the evacuation location are subject to Tulane rules and the Student Code of Conduct. 

If students who utilized university-assisted evacuation can neither go home nor anywhere else post evacuation, the university may assist them in finding a suitable place to stay, meals, and transportation back to New Orleans post-evacuation. The post-evacuation expenses are the student’s responsibility. The university may assist them with Student Emergency Assistance Fund if necessary and available. 

All students that activate their personal evacuation plan shall not join the university-assisted evacuation. University-assisted evacuation is only for students that cannot activate their personal evacuation plan.

8.3 Personal Evacuation Plan Implementation Assistance

To assist students with implementing their personal evacuation plans, the university may provide shuttles to the New Orleans International Airport if resources are available, and it is safe to do so. For hurricane evacuations, this may begin several days before the storm’s landfall and continue as long as circumstances permit. 

Students who cannot implement their personal evacuation plan from New Orleans may be evacuated by the university to the location best able to facilitate the most efficient evacuation. Students should arrange to depart on the same day of arrival at the evacuation location. If students require shelter in the evacuation city prior to evacuating, they should expect that the evacuation location could be a gymnasium with communal bathrooms or shared hotel rooms. All evacuation locations will be communal living for students. Upon arrival in the evacuation city, students will have up to three days to determine where they will relocate to and implement their post-evacuation plan. Exceptions may be granted by Student Affairs based on need.

8.4 Student Rebates

Under some evacuation circumstances, students may receive a housing and/or dining plan rebate, but this is not guaranteed. The amount and type of any rebate will be determined by the administration in its sole discretion. Students will be notified prior to such rebates being applied to their accounts. Tuition and fees remain subject to the terms and conditions that all students agree to as a condition of enrollment at Tulane as specified in the Agreement and Disclosure Statement. 

8.5 Department and/or Division Evacuation Plans

Some departments and/or divisions may find it necessary to evacuate employees or students. Departments and/or divisions that want or need to implement their evacuation plans (whether the university is evacuating or not) are required to receive approval for evacuation prior to implementation from the university President, Sr. VP and COO, and Sr. VP Academic Affairs and Provost.

• Employees who will be required to evacuate as part of their department and/or division plan must be identified by May 1 of each year and the names of those employees submitted to the Office of Emergency Preparedness and Response (emergencyprep@tulane.edu) for approval by the Sr. VP and COO.
• A business case must be made for why each individual needs to be part of the university evacuation plan. The Office of Emergency Preparedness and HR should be involved in the planning process.
• These individuals must be critical to supporting the mission-critical operations of the university and continuity of operations for the university. Departments that may be approved include Advancement, Athletics, Communications & Marketing, IT, and Registrar. This list is not exhaustive.
• These departments and/or divisions also must share this information with their designated EOC representative once approved but prior to implementation.
• During a department and/or division evacuation, the department and/or division’s designated Emergency Operations Center representative must be updated on any needs, actions, or plan changes in real-time.
• Any employee who is evacuated as part of a specific department and/or division plan must be fiscally responsible during their evacuation and follow existing or emergency university policies for business expenses. Expenses should not exceed $250 per person per day (including lodging). Expenses beyond this will need to be approved by the Sr. VP and COO.
• If this range is exceeded, the university may the employee, student employee, and/or department/division responsible for the excess expenditures may be required to reimburse the university for the expenditure. Unauthorized expenditures may result in disciplinary action.

8.6 Evacuation Teams

There are two categories of evacuation groups – the Away Team and the Extension Team.

8.6.1 Away Team

The Away Team is a restricted group that is activated when the university President declares an evacuation. This group goes to the location(s) that students using university-assisted evacuation go to. This group includes:

• Employees who will support students who have utilized university-assisted evacuation
• Designated EPG and EOC members.
• Employees to support the EPG and EOC members. 

8.6.2 Extension Team

The Extension Team is a restricted group that may evacuate when the university shelters in place and when the university evacuates. This group may evacuate to a location where the Office of Emergency Preparedness & Response has arranged hotel rooms or to the evacuation location of their choice. This group’s responsibility is to maintain continuity of operations for mission-critical functions of the university, including communications, academic continuity, IT, and donor relations. This group may not evacuate without the approval of the Sr. VP & COO.

The following accommodations and expenses apply to these groups:

• Evacuation accommodations

  o Members of both groups may bring their immediate family members and pets (assuming the evacuation location permits pets or alternate arrangements have been made).

  o If the university has evacuated, it is not guaranteed that additional hotel rooms will be available for family members of Away Team members or Extension Team members, but all attempts to accommodate additional room needs will be made.

   Extension Team members do not have to go to a hotel that is designated by the university – they may evacuate to the location of their choice.

   Away Team members must evacuate to the university-designated location.

  o Members of both groups will have one hotel room and three meals a day provided by the university. Additional hotel rooms, pet fees, and meals for their family members will be at the expense of the employee. 

• Evacuation transportation

  o Individuals who are driving a university-owned vehicle to their evacuation location may not drive their families and pets in university-owned vehicles; their family members and pets need to get to the evacuation location in their personal vehicle.

  o The university’s Mileage Travel Reimbursement Policy will not change during emergencies. Reimbursement policies can be found at https://tams.tulane.edu/content/accounts-payable-forms. 

8.7 Department Evacuation Expenses

During an emergency, whether the university is sheltering in place or evacuating, and regardless of whether a department and/or division has evacuated, all emergency expenses shall be charged to a designated departmental-use code. Any Concur expenses or expenses incurred during the evacuation or because of the evacuation must be submitted within 30 days of the expense for reimbursement, as noted in the Policies and Procedures for Purchasing and Expense Reimbursement. 

• Expenses must be emergency-related, fiscally responsible, and to fill an emergency need.
• Expenses for items that individuals need but failed to bring during evacuation or that are unnecessary (i.e., clothing, electronic devices and/or chargers, excessive meals, and/or entertainment) will not be allowed.
• Any expenses over $5,000.00 must receive approval by the Sr. VP and COO or another designee prior to the expense.

All expenses categorized under the storm departmental-use code will be audited and any that are questionable or unjustifiable will be denied and charged to the offending department’s normal operating budget.