Circular letter to the university members

Dear Sir or Madam,
Dear Colleagues,
Dear Students,

We are writing you today to share some information on what the University of Münster plans to do in case of a planned – or unplanned – power outage.

This comes in response to warnings issued by local governments and the media in recent weeks concerning possible strategic cuts in electricity or black-outs in the upcoming winter months. Although the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK) and the Federal Network Agency have meanwhile assessed the risk of blackouts as very low – even lower than just a few weeks ago – we want to be well prepared for such an event in all areas of the WWU.

We wish to stress that there is currently no indication that power shutdowns are planned or widescale blackouts are imminent in our region. Nonetheless, we feel it is important to inform you of the measures which the crisis management team has planned in the event of a planned power shutdown or sudden outage.

We have planned for two scenarios: I) in response to an announced power shutdown, and II) in response to an unplanned power outage.

Scenario I – Plannable, temporary, regionally restricted power shutdown

Should municipalities or an electricity supplier announce a shutdown in advance, we will inform you as soon as possible via email as to when the power shutdown will occur and what actions you should take. The concrete plans, which we would then specify, would apply to the following operations:

  • Teaching, studies, examinations: The plan is to cancel all in-person and digital instruction for the time of the announced power shutdown. In this case, we ask the instructors to offer alternative self-study options so that students may continue acquiring academic competence. Examinations which are scheduled during such a period would be postponed and offered on another date in the near future.
  • Buildings: WWU buildings will close during the time of the announced power shutdown. Regular operations will be reduced according to the circumstances for the duration of the shutdown.
  • Devices and equipment: Devices and equipment which are not connected to an emergency power supply must be powered down well in advance and, if necessary, disconnected from the power grid entirely.
  • Lab tests, samples and hazardous materials: On the day of the planned shutdown, no new lab tests should be commenced. Ongoing tests should be wound down in a controlled manner. Samples and hazardous materials must be secured and transferred to more suitable areas for storage, if necessary.

Scenario II – Sudden power outage

In the unlikely case that the power suddenly and unexpectedly shuts off for an indefinite period of time, we want you to feel as safe and well-prepared as possible while at the WWU.

General behaviour

  • All persons should promptly exit the buildings of the WWU in an orderly manner. Please stay calm, pack your personal belongings and take them with you as you leave the building.
  • Courses and examinations are to be discontinued or cancelled. All participants should leave the building in an orderly manner and gather at the assembly point. Please refer to the instructions provided below under “Teaching, studies, examinations”.
  • Lab tests are to be interrupted and shut down if connected to an emergency power supply.
  • The laboratory emergency plans should be followed. Hazardous materials and samples should be placed in secure storage.
  • Data is to be saved, and documents – if necessary – locked up.
  • Windows and doors are to be locked.

Instructors, supervisors, building supervisors and custodians are to ensure that all persons can exit buildings in an orderly manner and proceed in the direction of the indicated assembly points. You should wait there for about 15 minutes after the power outage. If after this time the building supervisors or technicians do not green-light a return to the buildings, you may then leave the assembly point.

For orientation, please follow the instructions on the “What to do in case of emergency” posters, displayed in every building.

IMPORTANT:
If an alarm sounds, it is NOT a power outage. Please leave the building immediately via the designated emergency exits.

Information channels

  • Email, Internet, social media: In the case of a power outage, the crisis management team will inform you via email as fast as possible on how you should proceed. Therefore, please check your WWU email inbox regularly. We have also prepared a so-called “dark site” containing important information which will replace the WWU homepage in the unlikely case of a longer-lasting power outage. You can access this page via the usual address https://www.uni-muenster.de/. Information will also be provided via all the social media channels of the WWU insofar as we can maintain these services ourselves. Please take advantage of these channels as long as the batteries in your terminal devices allow.
  • SMS: We are currently considering a method to send you important information via SMS in extremely rare and acute emergencies or crises (e.g. power outages). If feasible, we will provide you with further information about his possibility shortly.
  • Notices: You will find notices hanging at central locations of the WWU throughout the city of Münster. These info sheets will be displayed at the main entrances of the following buildings:
  1. Downtown West: Schloss (Schlossplatz 2; handicap accessible)
  2. Downtown Centre: ULB (Krummer Timpen 3)
  3. Downtown South: University of Music (Ludgeriplatz 2)
  4. Coesfelder Kreuz: WWU IT (Einsteinstraße 60; handicap accessible)
  5. Natural Scientific Centre: OC/BC (Corrensstraße 36; handicap accessible)
  6. Leonardo Campus/Sports Centre: Campus Café (Horstmarer Landweg 86b; handicap accessible)
  7. Fliednerstraße main building (Fliednerstraße 21; handicap accessible)
  8. Medical Campus: Medicine branch library (Albert-Schweizer-Campus 1, building 11)
  9. Aasee: Social sciences branch library (Scharnhorststraße 109; handicap accessible)
  • Radio (FM): For longer-lasting power outages, radio is one of the most reliable forms of communication. We are currently looking into the possibility of disseminating information via FM radio.

Teaching, studies, examinations:

  • In case of a sudden, longer-lasting power outage, all courses are to be cancelled for at least the duration of the outage. Teaching activities may resume – at the earliest – one day after power is restored. However, various factors may influence when courses can reliably commence (e.g. safe access to the buildings, technical usability of the classrooms, etc.). Please seek relevant information on the current planning status via the information channels listed above and, if necessary, contact your course instructor after power has been restored.
  • Should an examination be interrupted by a sudden power outage, the interruption is officially regarded as a technical disruption. As a rule, technical disruptions of examinations should not have a negative impact on the examinees. The invigilator must immediately take measures to remedy the situation or offer compensation for the disruption. The decision on what remedial actions to take largely depends on the individual situation, in particular on the duration and intensity of the disruption. In the case of a brief interruption of power, it is conceivable (depending on the concrete circumstances), to continue the examination provided that a) its resumption can be conducted smoothly, and b) participants are granted extra time to complete the examination to offset any lost time. A longer-lasting power outage, on the other hand, represents a severe disruption. In such cases, the examination is discontinued and postponed to a later date.

With this letter, we have shared with you the most important information in advance in the unlikely case of a power shutdown or sudden power outage. We recommend keeping it within reach.

The crisis management team will continue to monitor the situation and provide you with further recommendations as soon as these are available.

Sincerely yours,

Prof. Dr Johannes Wessels, Rector
Matthias Schwarte, Head of Administration