Emergency Evacuation for Students, Staff, Faculty and Administrators with Disabilities

Siena College is committed to maintaining a comprehensive safety and emergency management program for all members of the campus community.  Siena has developed emergency and threat assessment responses. Information about Siena’s Emergency Information, including how Public Safety responds to emergencies and urgent situations may be obtained by viewing the Siena College Emergency Response Guide. The basic emergency procedures outlined in this Operations Plan are designed to enhance the protection of lives and property through effective use of College and campus community resources. 

 

Siena College acknowledges that individuals with disabilities may require additional assistance during fire drills and actual fires as well as during emergency situations such as evacuation because of an intruder on campus or a campus shelter in place. In addition, inclement weather and out-of-order elevators pose unique issues for individuals with disabilities. Siena College has developed procedures for emergencies such as these. 

 

Siena’s goal is to ensure that students, staff, faculty and administrators with disabilities are provided a full and equal opportunity to benefit from these services appropriate to their needs.

 

The College encourages individuals with disabilities to identify their own evacuation plans and identify primary and secondary evacuation routes from buildings in which they have classes or offices. 

 

The College will work with individuals in identifying evacuation routes and safe areas to stay during an emergency until rescue assistance arrives. The College can assist individuals with mobility issues, visual and hearing disabilities.

General information about access to Siena College may be obtained from the following resources:

 

                                                Public Safety: 

                                                                Emergency Line: 783-2999

                                                                24 Hour Business Line: 783-2376 

                                                Services for Students with Disabilities: 783-4239

                                                Human Resources: 783-2420

                                                ADA/504 Coordinator: 782-6673

 

Individuals are also encouraged to register for the Siena Alert System by contacting http://www.siena.edu/student-life/safety-parking/public-safety/siena-alert-system/

 

This system allows Siena to send urgent text messages to cell phones that have this capability, emails, websites and pagers.

 

 

In order to provide assistance to students, staff, faculty and administrators with disabilities, Siena College must be informed of the disabilities. The College asks individuals to self-disclose their disability. Staff, faculty and administrators may contact Human Resources. Students may contact the Director of the Services for Students with Disabilities.   Both offices will maintain information provided to them confidential and will not permit any one to retaliate against an individual who has disclosed their disability.  

 

Both offices will assist individuals with the development of an emergency preparedness plan.

 

Siena College has developed a form for the purpose of identifying a need for special assistance in an emergency. This form is available on line on both the Human Resources and Services for Students with Disabilities websites.

 

 

Siena recognizes that individuals may be uncomfortable disclosing their disability. Siena College includes disabilities as a protected category in its Nondiscrimination Policy and Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Policy. 

The Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act prohibits discrimination and harassment on the basis of a disability. These laws require that the needs of students and staff, faculty and administrators with disabilities to be met as adequately as the needs of individuals without disabilities.

 

It is the commitment of Siena College to ensure the campus is free from negative, aggressive and inappropriate behavior, and that the work/learning environment is aimed at providing high quality services and education in an atmosphere of respect, collaboration, openness, safety and equality. 

 

All at Siena share a commitment to building a world that is more just, peaceable and humane. Key to this commitment is efforts to foster and nurture a respectful environment by preventing harassment and discrimination based on disabilities on our campus.

 

Individuals who believe this policy has been violated may contact the ADA and Section 504 Coordinator so (s)he may investigate the complaint promptly, impartially and confidentially. Individuals will not be retaliated against for filing a complaint.

 

Siena College recognizes that at times, students with permanent or temporary mobility related disabilities may be unable to attend class due to circumstances beyond their control.

 

It is the responsibility of the affected student to promptly notify their professor(s) for the reason for their absence. In addition, the student should notify the Services for Students with Disabilities Office. Services for Students with Disabilities will then alert Facilities (and Public Safety if necessary) so the situation can be remedied. Services for Students with Disabilities will also send the student’s professor(s) an email providing a full explanation of the circumstances related to the absence. Students affected may be given an excused absence and/or may not be charged an absence in courses with limited absence policies. During inclement weather Public Safety may drive students to the campus building in which their class is being held or to their residence hall.

 

Conditions may prevent staff, faculty and administrators with a mobility impairment from getting to work, including an elevator failure in the campus building and inaccessible routes to the campus building due to inclement weather, snow removal or construction.

 

Staff, faculty and administrators are to promptly notify their supervisor/chair and Public Safety.

 

Public Safety can then alert Human Resources and Facilities so the situation can be remedied. Human Resources will also send the individual’s supervisor/chair an email providing a full explanation of the circumstances related to the absence.

During inclement weather Public Safety may drive individuals to their offices.

 

Individuals may be given an excused absence and/or may not be charged an absence or tardiness.

 

10-7-2014 Human Resources