Tabletop exercise/drill on violence prevention and crisis management readiness

Dear students, faculty and staff,

On Friday, Dec. 8, the Office of Preparedness and Response, in partnership with the Office of the Dean of Students, the Office for Access and Equity and Human Resources, conducted an announced tabletop exercise with UIC’s Behavioral Threat Assessment Teams. The primary objective of the exercise was to evaluate the university’s violence prevention and crisis management readiness when responding to a simulated threat of targeted violence impacting our campus community.

The exercise was a strategic initiative that assessed various components of UIC’s Violence Prevention Plan, examined its integration with UIC’s Emergency Operations Plan and scrutinized the roles and responsibilities assigned to our student and employee Behavioral Threat Assessment Teams and the Campus Violence Prevention Committee. Attendees evaluated the effectiveness of our existing protocols with a focus on strengthening our intracampus communication, fostering collaboration and refining resource management procedures. Beyond serving as a practical application to assess our capabilities against potential threats, the exercise was a valuable platform for learning and refinement.

In addition to the tabletop exercise, the university’s UIC ALERT emergency notification system undergoes a monthly drill, taking place on the first Tuesday of each month at 10 a.m. The test provides an opportunity to confirm the system’s efficiency and familiarize everyone with the diverse notification methods employed during emergency conditions or advisories. It’s important to note that UIC ALERT is the primary system used for communicating inclement weather and emergency curtailment of operations notices.

We recognize the importance of such exercises in challenging us to continuously improve. From these simulations, real progress in university resilience can be made. We encourage you to use the report a concern webpage to share any concerns related to incidents impacting the health, safety or well-being of UIC students, faculty or staff. You may also share non-imminent, threatening or concerning behavior with UIC BTATs using the BTAT Report Form. Your input helps promptly identify and address potential issues, creating a safer and more welcoming environment for everyone.

To learn more about how to improve your individual preparedness and operational readiness, please visit the Office of Preparedness and Response website.

Karen Colley, PhD
Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
Chancellor’s Emergency Operations Policy Group Co-Chair

John Coronado
Vice Chancellor for Administrative Services
Chancellor’s Emergency Operations Policy Group Co-Chair

David Ibrahim, PhD
Assistant Vice Chancellor, Preparedness and Response

For more information, please contact:
Sherry Krsticevic
sherylk@uic.edu