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Severe Weather Policy
The university's severe weather policy covers such issues
as criteria for changing the university's operation during such
conditions, employee and student attendance, and announcement
of any changes.
It is the obligation of Shippensburg University to offer the
full range of instructional, student life and general support
services to its customers as scheduled without interruption.
Accordingly, the university WILL remain open, classes
WILL be held, and services WILL be provided during
periods of severe winter weather. Only in those rare occasions
when it becomes impossible to reasonably accommodate students
and others on the campus, due to conditions which exist on campus,
will consideration be given to adjusting class schedules and/or
employee work shifts or authorizing a partial or full day closing.
Only the university president may authorize these adjustments
in emergencies.
 Students, faculty, and staff associates
face a wide variety of circumstances and conditions which affect
their ability to meet their obligation to report and perform
their duties during periods of severe winter weather without
taking unnecessary risks regarding their personal safety. Employees
covered by provisions of the Commonwealth or SSHE leave program
(other than those designated in advance as ''essential'' in such
circumstances), who determine that they are unable to report
as scheduled, must notify their supervisor of this fact and have
their time off charged against annual leave, personal leave or
minor holiday leave as appropriate.
Students are required to notify their instructors as soon
as possible of the weather-related reason for their absence.
The decision to modify schedules and/or authorize a partial
or full day closing will be made by the president in the most
extreme circumstances only. The primary basis for this decision
will be the capability and condition of the campus to accommodate
students and others in relative safety. It is recognized that
during severe winter weather, roadways and parking lots should
be expected to be snow covered and icy regardless of efforts
to keep them clear. Accordingly, employees and students should
equip both themselves and their automobiles to deal with this
inconvenience. The condition of major roadways leading to campus
will normally be taken into consideration for decisions in regard
to the conduct of the evening graduate programs which enroll
a high proportion of students commuting from considerable distance.
During periods of severe winter weather, the director of public
safety will monitor weather conditions on a 24 hour per day basis.
After compiling information and determining that conditions on
the campus are such that a schedule modification or alteration
may be required, the director will confer with the vice president
for administration and finance to develop a recommendation to
the president. The vice president for administration and finance
will then confer with other administrators as necessary to make
a recommendation.
If the recommendation is to modify schedules and/or close
the University, it will address both the issue of class schedule
for faculty and students, and work schedules for staff. These
are two separate questions, and the action taken on one may not
be the same as the action taken on the other. For example, a
decision might be made to release staff early to begin clearing
parking lots for evening or the next day, while at the same time
continuing the normal schedule of day classes. Similarly, the
beginning of classes may be delayed in the morning while employee
work shifts continue as scheduled.
When a decision is made, it will be forwarded to the director
of public relations and events to announce. As the timing of
the announcement of a decision is crucial, an attempt will be
made to announce a decision prior to 6 a.m. for day classes and
shifts, and prior to 4 p.m. for night classes and other shifts.
Timing of the decision will be based upon conditions.
Announcements will be made ONLY if the university's
regular operation is disrupted. Announcements will NOT
be made saying the University is open.
If the decision is made to change schedule prior to the start
of the regular day, announcements will be given to selected area
broadcast media, on Hotline, and via phonemail. Hotline answers
24 hours a day and is available at ext. 1200 on-campus and 477-1200
off-campus. Please do NOT call University Police during
severe weather.
If the decision is made after the start of the regular academic
day affecting daytime operation, announcements will be made through
a phonetree via staff associates in the offices of the vice presidents
and executive director for university relations, given to selected
area media, on Hotline, and via phonemail.
If the decision is made to close affecting nighttime operation,
announcements will be made through a phonetree via staff associates
in the offices of the vice presidents and executive director
for university relations, given to selected area media, on Hotline,
via phonemail, and contact of relevant personnel by appropriate
supervisors.
The following broadcast media will be used exclusively by
the university for announcements of changes in operation: WSYC-FM,
WHP-AM/WRVV-FM (580 AM/97.3 FM), WITF-FM (89.5), WGAL-TV (8),
WHTM-TV (27) and WHAG-TV (25).
To avoid any confusion as to meaning and intent, announcements
about changes in operations will be made in the following standard
format:
"Shippensburg University is closed; no day or evening
classes are scheduled; essential personnel report."
"Shippensburg University is closed; no day classes are scheduled;
essential personnel report."
"Shippensburg University is on a class-delay schedule; liberal
leave in effect; essential personnel report."
"Day classes at Shippensburg University are canceled for
the day; staff are to report; liberal leave in effect."
"Evening classes at Shippensburg University are canceled;
scheduled staff are to report; liberal leave in effect.
Everyone is reminded that while the statements are given to
members of the media in this format, the statements may not be
broadcast in these exact words.
Under the policy, priorities are set for the snow removal
efforts. Snow will be removed from the following in this order:
access roads to all buildings; maintenance/shop vehicle parking
lot, gasoline storage tanks and warehouse lot; Reed/Robb Field
lots; Steam Plant lot; Reisner Hall lot and front of Etter Health
Center; pedestrian and handicapped accessible walkways from primary
parking lots to main buildings and from residence halls to food
service facilities; all egresses of occupied buildings; commuter
parking lots; secondary faculty/staff lots; connecting walkways;
other sidewalks; and resident overnight lots.
If a delay of classes is necessary, the delay will only be
for two hours with the class schedule beginning at 10 a.m. The
10 a.m. start is the only class delay schedule the university
will use.
Under a class delay, following is the class schedule:
|
50 MINUTE CLASSES |
| Beginning at |
will meet |
| 8 |
10-10:33 |
| 9 |
10:40-11:13 |
| 10 |
11:20-11:53 |
| 11 |
Noon-12:33 |
| 12 |
12:40-1:13 |
| 1 |
1:20-1:53 |
| 2 |
RESUME NORMAL SCHEDULE |
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75 MINUTE CLASSES |
| Beginning at |
will meet |
| 8:00 |
10-10:50 |
| 9:30 |
11-11:50 |
| 11 |
Noon-12:50 |
| 12:30 |
1-1:50 |
| 2 |
RESUME NORMAL SCHEDULE |
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Other provisions of the policy include:
Day classes having been missed the equivalent of one week
of class time will begin to be made up.
Night classes (beginning at 6:30 p.m. or later) having been
missed the equivalent of more than one week of class time will
begin to be made up.
Saturdays are the best days to use for make-up days.
Every effort will be made to keep the Library open even when
classes are canceled provided adequate staffing can be maintained.
All residence halls will remain in service during the period
of severe winter weather.
Every effort will be made to keep the Cumberland Union Building
open in the event of severe winter weather even when classes
are canceled through the use of student staff.
Every effort will be made to keep the recreation facilities
open in the event of severe winter weather even when classes
are canceled through the use of student staff. The decision to
cancel any athletic events or travel will be made by the Director
of Athletics in conjunction with the Vice President for Student
Affairs.
Dining services will maintain their regularly scheduled hours
during severe winter weather. However, in the event the decision
is made to close the University for the entire next day, dining
services will operate on a brunch/dinner schedule in Reisner
Hall only. All other dining facilities will be closed.
Health services will operate during any period of severe weather.
For more information
or answers to questions, please send e-mail to
Office of University Communications
and Marketing
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