Riskonnect Business Continuity & Resilience (BC&R)

The University of Illinois Chicago uses the Riskonnect Business Continuity & Resilience (BC&R) platform to support and strengthen our campus-wide continuity and crisis management efforts. This system enables colleges, departments, and administrative units to centralize critical continuity data, streamline plan development and reviews, and coordinate real-time response efforts during disruptions. With Riskonnect, UIC planners can efficiently assess vulnerabilities, document critical functions, ensure regulatory compliance, and enhance operational resilience across academic, research, healthcare, and support operations.

What Does Business Continuity & Resilience Planning at UIC Involve?

UIC’s approach to organizational resilience is grounded in a two-part planning process supported by the Riskonnect BC&R platform. This ensures our critical functions are protected and our campus is prepared to respond quickly and effectively to unexpected disruptions.

  • Business Impact Analysis (BIA)
    Through the BIA process, each unit/department at UIC evaluates its most critical operations by identifying essential functions, estimating the potential impact of disruptions, and modeling realistic threat scenarios. This allows us to uncover operational vulnerabilities, interdependencies, and resource gaps, enabling proactive risk mitigation and tailored response strategies.
  • Business Continuity Planning (BCP)
    BCP translates BIA insights into actionable continuity strategies. UIC units/departments develop clear, accessible plans that can be activated during emergencies to maintain or restore essential services. These digital plans are centralized within Riskonnect, allowing for real-time access, rapid coordination, and efficient communication across academic, research, healthcare, and administrative units.

 

Access the BC&R Planning Tool

Policy: Inclement Weather & Emergency Curtailment of Operations

Understand how UIC ensures continuity during weather-related disruptions and campus emergencies. This policy outlines closure procedures, operational expectations, and unit responsibilities.
View the full Policy

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Planner Support

Need help with your BIA or BCP? The UIC BC&R team is here to support you every step of the way:

Not sure who your person is? No worries, just email ready@uic.edu and we’ll get you sorted out.

Tip: Click here to view your College or major administrative unit point of contact for our Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery planning efforts to ensure you’re working with the right support.

May 14, 2025 Update: UIC's Operational Continuity Sprint - Full Launch Begins

UIC’s 12-Week Sprint to Operational Continuity is officially underway, and we’re charging ahead! With dedicated planner support and an abundance of resources available to you, we’re set to collaboratively build, refine, and finalize our continuity plans.

As the global emphasis on operational resilience grows, we must ask ourselves: Are we fully prepared for when challenges emerge? A key first step is establishing a well-trained crisis management team that ensures our business continuity and disaster recovery plans are consistently maintained and ready for action. This is not a one-time effort, it’s an ongoing process of continuous testing, scenario simulations, and refinements to ensure that our response protocols stay sharp. Additionally, by validating our technology infrastructure through simulated outages, we can identify any weaknesses and ensure that UIC’s systems can sustain operations during any disruption. By prioritizing our people, process, and technology, we can fortify UIC’s resilience and maintain our ability to respond effectively in times of need.