Administrative Information Services

Penn State Ready

Penn State Ready logo

Penn State Ready is a continuity planning tool designed specifically for higher education. Penn State Ready utilizes accepted continuity planning methodology but is adapted to the circumstances and culture of higher education. The goal of the planning process is to increase the institutions ability to continue operating during and after a disruptive event.

Structure

Focused at the department level: Penn State Ready produces plans at a departmental level and can be used by any type of department--instructional, research, support, administrative, libraries, museums and even clinical. The completion of the exercise will produce a department continuity plan.
Self-guided: The Penn State Ready tool internally contains all of the information and guidance needed for its use, without lengthy training sessions and large user manuals. Many departments will be able to use the tool without training, but a one-hour training session is available by contacting Continuity Services.
Lean content, clear purpose: Penn State Ready collects only essential data. It avoids overly-detailed recovery strategies making the planning process quick and focused on providing information when needed in an emergency.
All Hazards Approach: The plan utilizes an “all-hazards” encompassing natural, technological, and human-caused disasters.

Plan Outputs

Prioritized list, and details of, the departments Critical Functions
High-level Recovery Strategies for all functions
List of Key Resources with details
Specific section for continuity of Instruction, if that department delivers instruction
Specific section for continuity of IT
Repository of Key Documents
Action Items:
- As the plan is being developed, weaknesses and issues within the processes, policies, and activities conducted by the department will be identified. These issues will be captured in plan “Action Items.”
- The department-level plans identify both action items that can be accomplished by the department and action items that must be solved at a higher level of the university.
- By correcting the Action Item issues before a disaster, the department will be better able to withstand the effects of the event.