DHS, DOJ, and Education all develop and disseminate emergency  preparedness resources in line with their respective missions. Selected Colleges Prepare for Emergencies by Involving the Campus Community, Developing and Publicizing Plans, and Partnering with Local and State Agencies

		Selected Colleges Varied in Organizational Structures for Emergency Preparedness and Involvement of Campus Community

College offices responsible for emergency preparedness efforts and the  number of staff assigned to such efforts varied among the 18 selected  colleges we interviewed and generally received some input from other  members of the campus community. This lead office ranged from a  dedicated emergency preparedness office at some colleges to offices that  had non-emergency preparedness responsibilities as well, such as offices  of public safety, student affairs, or facilities. Officials we interviewed at all 18 colleges said  their school developed “all hazards” emergency plans, which means the  plans are designed to address a range of emergencies while prioritizing  those that are most likely to affect their campus. Selected Colleges Often Coordinated with Local Partners or State Agencies

Officials at most of the 18 selected colleges stated that they relied on  either their local or state partners, or both, for advice, questions, or to  obtain resources for emergency preparedness. Several Federal Agencies Offer Emergency Preparedness Resources Although Selected Colleges Reported Mixed Awareness

		Federal Agencies Provide Guidance, Training, Technical Assistance, and Other Resources to Help Colleges Prepare for Emergencies

Various sub-agencies within DHS, DOJ, and Education are involved in  developing and providing emergency preparedness resources for  colleges (see fig. 2). FEMA officials have also helped produce  some college-specific resources within NIMS and ICS, such as a  guide for NIMS implementation for colleges, and courses tailored to  college officials, including a course titled “Multi-Hazard Emergency  Management for Higher Education.”
National Center for Campus Public Safety (NCCPS): Funded by  the Department of Justice (DOJ), NCCPS maintains a website with a  library of resources and training for colleges, and distributes a weekly  electronic newsletter to officials who request to be on the distribution  list. DHS officials  collaborate with officials from DOJ and other agencies to conduct  these events. Selected Colleges and Stakeholders Cited Schools’ Mixed Awareness of Federal Resources Despite Agency Efforts to Publicize Them

Officials from the selected 18 colleges cited mixed levels of awareness  regarding federal resources on emergency preparedness developed  specifically for them. A  needs assessment funded by DOJ also found that awareness of federal  resources may be an issue. Officials from colleges, college emergency preparedness associations,  and federal agencies we interviewed identified several factors, such as  colleges’ staffing resources dedicated to emergency preparedness and  the nature of the professional networks used by their emergency  managers, that may lead officials to be less familiar with college-specific  federal resources on emergency preparedness:
Without full-time emergency preparedness staff, colleges, particularly  small colleges, must prioritize the most urgent tasks, and thus,  officials reported not having enough time to research available federal  resources. While agency officials and representatives from college emergency  preparedness associations said that federal agencies have made strides  in publicizing their resources to a population of college officials that can  be challenging to reach, and expressed desire to increase awareness, we  identified potential gaps or missed opportunities in their dissemination  approaches, including:
Agencies commonly publicize new resources through their existing  listservs and social media accounts. For example, a REMS  official reported that the REMS listserv includes approximately 1,000  officials from colleges and related associations. According to federal standards for internal control, in communicating  information to achieve their objectives, agencies should consider  appropriate methods of communication with their external audience (in  this case, college emergency managers). These agencies have  developed a variety of resources intended to support colleges in their  emergency preparedness efforts, but colleges are not always aware of  these resources. Unless federal  agencies address these issues, they will continue to miss opportunities to  more effectively communicate important information to colleges,  particularly those that may be harder to reach, such as smaller schools. (Recommendation 1)
The Secretary of Homeland Security, in collaboration with other agencies,  through the planned interagency working group or another mechanism,  should identify further opportunities to more effectively publicize  resources to reach additional colleges. All three agencies agreed with our  recommendations or described steps they would take to implement them. DOJ did not provide  written comments. GAO staff who made key contributions to this report  are listed in Appendix III.
Why GAO Did This Study

Colleges and other postsecondary schools must plan for various potential emergencies, ranging from natural disasters to violence. A number of federal agencies, including DHS, DOJ, and Education, offer resources to support these efforts. GAO was asked to review colleges' awareness of these resources.
This report examines how (1) selected colleges prepare for emergencies, and (2) federal agencies support college emergency preparedness efforts, including the extent to which selected colleges reported awareness of federal resources.
To answer these questions, GAO interviewed officials from a non-generalizable sample of 18 colleges selected for diversity in size, type, and location. GAO also interviewed officials from three states (Colorado, Kansas, and Virginia) in which some of these schools operated. The states were selected to represent varied approaches to supporting colleges' emergency preparedness efforts. GAO also reviewed federal emergency preparedness resources, agency written responses, applicable federal laws, and federal internal control standards, and interviewed federal officials and representatives from several associations recommended by agency officials.

What GAO Found

Emergency managers at 18 colleges across the country told GAO that their efforts to prepare for emergencies involved working with the campus community to develop, communicate, and practice plans, as well as working with state and local partners. Campus community members who are involved often include personnel from offices such as public safety, student affairs, or facilities. Officials at all 18 colleges reported developing emergency plans addressing a range of potential events—an approach consistent with federal emergency management principles. To publicize plans, officials often reported using websites, text messages, or presentations to the campus community. Colleges also reported practicing plans through drills. College officials noted that buy-in from the college president and other top campus leaders was critical to their efforts; several officials reported struggling to obtain such support. Most officials also said they coordinate with local or state partners such as police and relied on these partners for advice or to obtain emergency preparedness resources.
The Departments of Homeland Security (DHS), Justice (DOJ), and Education (Education) offer a variety of emergency preparedness resources to colleges (see figure). However, officials GAO interviewed at 18 colleges described mixed awareness of federal resources, especially those specifically tailored to colleges, despite federal efforts to publicize these resources in a variety of ways. Federal officials and other stakeholders acknowledged this mixed awareness and identified potential causes, such as college emergency managers having networks comprised of local officials who are more likely to know about federal resources for local agencies versus those for colleges, or some college officials devoting limited time to researching federal resources for various reasons.
DHS, DOJ, and Education all publicize their resources through electronic mailing lists, websites, or other methods, but GAO identified missed opportunities in their dissemination approaches. For example, the electronic mailing list for one key resource may reach the approximately 1,000 officials from colleges subscribed, but may miss at least 3,000 additional schools. GAO also found two federal agency websites that did not include key resources from other federal agencies. Federal internal control standards state that agencies should consider the most appropriate methods for communicating with their external audiences. By identifying opportunities to improve dissemination, federal agencies may increase their ability to effectively communicate important information to colleges.

What GAO Recommends

GAO recommends that DHS, DOJ, and Education work together to identify opportunities to more effectively publicize emergency preparedness resources to colleges. All three agencies concurred with the recommendations or described actions to implement them.