P&HCC Website

Catastrophic Events

The component of the Emergency Operations Plan provides policy and practices around disaster recovery during a catastrophic event. 

Definition
Catastrophic Event - Any event or occurrence which has taken place and has halted the operations of P&HCC.

Student Records Retention
P&HCC is part of the Virginia Community College System (VCCS) and is governed by the State Board for Community Colleges.  The VCCS has one policy manual for which all community colleges work from.  Regarding student records retention, all colleges are guided by Policy 6.2.5:

6.2.5 Student Records Retention (SB)

Each college shall comply with the Virginia State Library and Archives Records Retention Schedule and procedures for destruction of records.

As for records safeguarding and management, due to P&HCC being a state agency via the VCCS, it adheres to the Code of Virginia and follows the guidelines provided below:

§ 42.1-78. Confidentiality safeguarded

Any records made confidential by law shall be so treated. Records that by law are required to be closed to the public shall not be deemed to be made open to the public under the provisions of this chapter. Records in the custody of The Library of Virginia that are required to be closed to the public shall be open for public access 75 years after the date of creation of the record. No provision of this chapter shall be construed to authorize or require the opening of any records ordered to be sealed by a court; however, upon a petition filed with the clerk, a judge may enter an order releasing any record sealed prior to January 1, 1901. All records deposited in the archives that are not made confidential by law shall be open to public access.

1976, c. 746; 1979, c. 110; 1990, c. 778; 1994, c. 64; 2006, c. 60; 2020, c. 773.

§ 42.1-79. Records management function vested in The Library of Virginia

A. The archival and records management function shall be vested in The Library of Virginia. The Library of Virginia shall be the official custodian and trustee for the Commonwealth of all public records of whatever kind, and regardless of physical form or characteristics, that are transferred to it from any agency. As the Commonwealth’s official repository of public records, The Library of Virginia shall assume ownership and administrative control of such records on behalf of the Commonwealth. The Library of Virginia shall own and operate any equipment necessary to manage and retain control of electronic archival records in its custody, but may, at its discretion, contract with third-party entities to provide any or all services related to managing archival records on equipment owned by the contractor, by other third parties, or by The Library of Virginia.

B. The Librarian of Virginia shall name a State Archivist who shall perform such functions as the Librarian of Virginia assigns.

C. Whenever legislation affecting public records management and preservation is under consideration, The Library of Virginia shall review the proposal and advise the General Assembly on the effects of its proposed implementation.

To that end, all student records are kept electronically and follow the above procedures for maintaining student records.

Services for Impacted Students
Should instruction for students at P&HCC be rendered inoperable, students will be given three options:

1.  1) Teach out – In accordance with SACSCOC guidelines, students will receive the most practical modality of instruction to allow the student to complete their plan of study within three years after the catastrophic event occurred.

2) Transfer – Given P&HCC is a part of the Virginia Community College System (VCCS), students have a multitude of other schools that can provide a seamless transition to ensure the student may continue their plan of study

 3) Refund – Students follow P&HCC’s refund policy as outlined by the VCCS.