Glossary

Building Coordinators 

Each facility has one or more building coordinator trained to work with first responders during certain emergencies.

Closed 

As required by inclement weather or emergency situations, the President or his designee may delay campus opening or close the campus during the day. In the event of delayed opening, afternoon closing, or evening closing, nonessential employees who were scheduled to be at work will be excused from work for the time the campus was closed.

COOP 

A Continuity of Operations Plan, or COOP, is a plan to assure continuance of minimum essential functions across a wide range of potential emergencies, to include localized acts of nature, accidents, technological, and/or attack-related emergencies. A COOP is activated if needed after the initial response to an emergency.

Environmental Health and Safety (Department of) 

The UMB Department of Environmental Health and Safety works to ensure a safe environment for education, research, and service. Among EHS’ responsibilities are to oversee safety and regulatory compliance in UMB laboratories and research facilities, ensure the proper handling and disposal of hazardous chemicals and waste, and provide guidance and support on a wide range of occupational and environmental safety issues.

Essential Employees 

Deans and vice presidents or their designees are responsible for providing written notice to employees that they are designated as "essential" or "nonessential." Those employees not notified that they are "essential" may presume that they are considered "nonessential." Essential employees are never excused from work and are required to report and perform their duties as scheduled regardless of any decision to delay opening or to close the campus. Essential employees who work when nonessential employees are excused shall be compensated with compensatory leave or cash payment equivalent to the value of the time worked.

Evacuation 

Campus evacuation is one of several response options available to emergency management directors of the University of Maryland, Baltimore in the event of an emergency. The campus evacuation plan can be used as an alternative to or in conjunction with the shelter-in-place plan as a means of protecting students, faculty, and staff in the event of emergencies. For more information, see General Campus Evacuation.

Hazardous Material (HAZMAT) 

Any substance (biological, chemical, or radiological) that has the potential to cause harm to humans, animals, or the environment, either by itself or through interaction with other factors.

Incident Command System (ICS) 

A standardized organizational structure used to command, control, and coordinate the use of resources and personnel that have responded to the scene of an emergency. The concepts and principles for ICS include common terminology, modular organization, integrated communication, unified command structure, consolidated action plan, manageable span of control, designated incident facilities, and comprehensive resource management. The University of Maryland, Baltimore utilizes ICS to respond to emergencies.

Incident Commander (IC) 

Under the Incident Command System (ICS), this is the person assigned to have overall responsibility for being in charge for the response to an incident.

Liberal Leave 

In the event of severe inclement weather or other unusual conditions affecting traffic conditions or the operation of public transit or campus facilities, the UMB president or his designee may declare "liberal leave" to be in effect for the entire day affected by the inclement weather or other conditions. If a media announcement issued by UMB specifically states "Liberal leave policy is in effect for UMB employees," nonessential employees may elect to work or to take accrued annual, holiday, personal, or compensatory leave, or leave without pay. Supervisors may establish reasonable procedures for nonessential employees to follow to notify their departments if they decide to take leave, but prior approval to take leave shall not be required when liberal leave is in effect.

Shelter-in-Place 

Sheltering in place is one of several response options available to emergency management directors to provide an additional level of protection to staff and students in the event of an emergency. Sheltering in place means persons will remain in a building until emergency management officials issue additional instructions or declare that the emergency condition has ended. It is a short-term option for limiting the potential exposure of persons to hazards that may be present in the outdoor environment.