City College may be receiving a new full-time risk management faculty member for safety and natural disaster planning.

Superintendent-President Dr. Lori Gaskin recommended a reorganization of the Human Resources department to pay for the new full-time position. The position would be in charge of overseeing the entire Campus Security department and responsible for ensuring oversight, accountability and responsibility for all aspects of emergency/disaster preparedness and response.

“I’m pretty fervent about ensuring that we are ready in a disaster and emergency and that we are properly trained,” said Gaskin at the Nov. 8 Board of Trustees meeting.

After receiving feedback from faculty members at the College Planning Council meeting, Gaskin said she isn’t convinced that this is the direction the college will be taking and that they are working on “some alternative scheme on how we would address [emergency preparedness and response] at the highest level.”

The college will be moving forward with the commitment to reorganize Human Resources to acquire extra savings, Gaskin said. According to a document presented to the board, limited progress has been made across the college to address issues with emergency/disaster preparedness and response.

Joe Sullivan, vice president of business services, is working with Gaskin on alternative plans to address this issue.

“It will be a little bit different model than what we presented, but I think a very good one,” Sullivan said. “We have looked at how we can get those [reorganization] savings in place and this helps us retain that.”

The Human Resources department reorganization will eliminate the position of Director of Human Resources and make interim vice president Patricia English the permanent vice president, along with reclassifying a technician position.

Sullivan said the new plan would be presented at the Dec. 14 regular board meeting. The college hopes have the reorganization complete by Jan. 1.