Continuity Planning in Higher Education: Insights from David Farris

A continuity planner’s job is to look into the future, anticipate possibilities, and calculate responses. In a business continuity plan, there is an initial reaction, a long-term plan if the disruption continues, and a recovery plan once things begin to stabilize. It’s an incredibly complex job, especially when you’re dealing with an educational institution with a plethora of departments, buildings, labs, and offices. For an emergency management specialist moving into a new role, an existing foundation of basic plans is a helpful starting point; but that foundation isn’t always available.

As the Director of Safety and Emergency Management for George Mason University, David Farris had to create and integrate a continuity plan for the school from absolutely nothing.

Understanding Higher Education Continuity Planning Challenges

David Farris began his career at George Mason University as a chemical hygiene officer before transitioning into a leadership role in emergency and continuity planning. Over time, he and his team built the university’s emergency response and continuity plans from scratch, tackling the complex challenges of higher education continuity planning.

With over 36,000 students and 7,000 employees, George Mason University is the largest educational institution in Northern Virginia. Its proximity to Washington, D.C., adds the potential for various critical scenarios, from natural disasters to terrorism and man-made disasters, making continuity planning an ongoing necessity.

How David Farris Started Continuity Planning from Scratch at George Mason University

When David Farris was tasked with developing a comprehensive continuity plan for George Mason University, he found that the school’s business continuity and emergency management strategies were inadequate. Like many institutions in higher education, continuity planning had been an afterthought.

“We started looking at continuity of operations and saying, ‘Okay, this is a really big gap,’” Farris recalled. “We had some responsiveness and preparedness, but we recognized that we had no recovery plans whatsoever.”

At the same time, a state executive order requiring all agencies to participate in continuity of operations (COOP) planning provided Farris and his team with the leverage to secure funding for basic continuity and recovery planning.

Building a Comprehensive Continuity Plan for Universities

Farris began by identifying the university's core functions—public safety, facilities, ITS systems, academics, human resources, and payroll. He collaborated with representatives from each of these units and, over many meetings, gathered detailed surveys to aid in planning emergency responses.

However, after the initial push, Farris wondered, “How are we going to sustain this process moving forward?” The team struggled to keep the surveys updated and organized across departments.

How Kuali Ready Transformed Continuity Planning at George Mason

Looking for a solution to manage the extensive data involved in continuity planning, Farris and his team researched various tools and found Kuali Ready to be the ideal fit for their university’s needs. The software allowed George Mason University to streamline its continuity and recovery planning, bringing efficiency to their emergency preparedness efforts.

“We looked through the Kuali product and quickly realized that A) it captured all of the information that we were already capturing, B) it had even more information that we wanted to solicit from stakeholders, and C) it was much more convenient and easier to manage,” Farris explained.

Kuali Ready’s user-friendly interface was an easy sell to stakeholders, who appreciated the efficiency it brought compared to their previous document management processes.

Breaking Down Silos in Higher Education Continuity Planning

Today, within George Mason University, there are numerous units that each have their own individual plans within the Kuali system. However, one of the biggest challenges in higher education continuity planning is addressing silos—units that function independently, unaware of what others are doing or planning.

In emergency scenarios, this siloed approach poses risks. “I can’t overstress the importance of sitting down with those units and being engaged in the process of identifying their critical functions and dependencies,” said Farris. His team plays a crucial role in helping these units see the big picture and understand their interdependencies, ensuring a cohesive continuity plan across the university.

Prioritizing University Departments in Emergency Scenarios

When determining which units get priority in an emergency, the job of a continuity planner becomes tricky. Some difficult conversations must take place, as department leaders may believe their needs are the most critical.

Farris and his team regularly gather information about each department’s critical functions using Kuali Ready tools. They then prioritize based on university-wide needs. “We tell everyone why they can’t be back up in 12 hours like they want—i.e., the health clinic comes before getting the engineering department back up and running,” Farris said.

Workshops, meetings, and tabletop exercises help department leaders understand their role within the larger institution and adjust expectations around recovery timelines.

Balancing Educational and Safety Priorities in University Continuity Plans

David Farris takes a dual approach to his continuity plan. Education is the number one priority for any university, and Farris ensures there are several plans for educational continuity, such as relocating classes in the event of a building being quarantined or damaged.

However, student safety must always come first. “We need to do wellness and counseling services, and that might be the thing that comes back after police and public safety, heat, food, and those types of things,” Farris explained. His continuity plans prioritize services that provide food, shelter, and protection for university students in emergency scenarios.

Grassroots Continuity Planning: Collaborating with University Stakeholders

Many emergency management professionals advise starting continuity planning at the top with leadership buy-in and working down through the institution. David Farris takes a more grassroots approach.

“First, I formulate my ideas and get them on paper, and then I share those ideas with the stakeholders—sort of a grassroots thing,” said Farris. By presenting a preliminary plan, meetings become more efficient as stakeholders review and make necessary edits.

Emergency management is all about perspectives—whether adopting a department’s perspective or seeing the big picture for the institution. With Kuali Ready, a solid team, and strong collaboration, higher education institutions can develop effective continuity plans that ensure operational resilience.

Watch the full interview with David Farris and learn more about what Kuali Ready can do for your institution’s continuity planning.

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