The University of Massachusetts is committed to the safety and protection of its employees, students, operations, research, education and facilities. In support of this commitment, the University has critical operations that must be performed, or rapidly and efficiently resumed in an emergency. Continuity planning is an effort to ensure that essential functions of the University can continue across a wide range of potential emergencies.
Continuity Planning at UMass is designed to address three types of disruptions:
  • Denial/loss of access to a facility (such as damage to the building); 
  • Service interruption due to a reduced workforce (such as a communicable disease); and 
  • Service interruption due to equipment or systems failure (such as IT systems failure). 

Critical Campus Functions

Twelve areas have been identified by the UMass President’s Office as critical business continuity development areas for the entire University of Massachusetts system:
  1. Emergency Management and Business Continuity 
  2. Controller’s Office
  3. Budget / Administration and Finance
  4. Communications / Public Information
  5. Environmental Health and Safety
  6. Executive Office (President and Chancellor’s Offices)
  7. Human Resources
  8. Information Technology
  9. Police Department
  10. Procurement and Purchasing
  11. Facilities 
  12. Residential Life
Our Role
The Office of the Controller works with these departments to ensure risk management and disaster recovery planning processes are maintained. Together, we work to identify, assess and make plans for the timely response to risks associated with loss of that department’s ability to execute its core processes.