Applies to: (examples; Faculty,Staff, Students, etc)

Faculty , Staff , Students , Contractors_Vendors

Policy Overview:

Inclement weather conditions or other unforeseen circumstances may necessitate a delay in the start of classes, changing to online instruction and/or work, or closing certain programs or events at the University.  Whether to remain open, go on a snow schedule, change to online instruction/work, or close the University is often a difficult decision that is made after thorough consideration regarding the safety of faculty, staff, and students, as well as clinical and patient care services.  It is not possible for University officials to know the weather and road conditions throughout the St. Louis region, so students, faculty, staff, and contracted employees are urged to use their best judgement in determining whether travel to the University is prudent.

Applies to all students, faculty, staff, and contracted employees.

Procedures:

1. Students
   1. Excused Absences
      1. In instances when the University remains open or on a delayed snow schedule, and an individual student determines it is unsafe to travel to the University because of road or weather conditions, that student must notify the appropriate dean by contacting deansoffice@uhsp.edu prior to class to receive an excused absence for that day’s class or classes.
2. Faculty and Staff
   1. In the event the University is on a snow schedule, faculty and staff are expected to report to work at 9:30 a.m., unless they lead a 7:30 a.m. lab. If they lead a 7:30 a.m. lab section, they are expected to report to work at 9:00 a.m.
   2. In the event the University is on a snow schedule, regular business hours will begin at 9:30 a.m.  Faculty and staff should report to work at this time, unless otherwise indicated by their supervisor.  On a snow schedule, lab sections normally scheduled to begin at 7:30 a.m. will begin at 9 a.m.
   3. If the University remains open or on a delayed snow schedule, and faculty and staff are unable to report to work at their appointed time or as soon after as is practical given the road conditions, vacation or personal time must be used.
   4. To maintain essential University operations, supervisors may designate essential personnel who may have to report to work at specific times.
   5. Employees who previously requested vacation or sick leave will not be credited in the event of inclement weather closures or delays.
   6. In the event of a decision to move to remote work, non-essential employees who are not required to be on campus will follow departmental procedures for working remotely and should contact their supervisor with questions. 
3. Decision to Move to Online Instruction/Remote Work
   1. In this scenario, all non-essential employees will work remotely, all classes will be taught virtually, and labs may be canceled or moved online at faculty discretion.  Employees should check with their supervisor or President's Staff representative to review the essential employee assignments and services that must be maintained on campus during inclement weather events.
   2. Library and Technical Support Center may not have in-person services during inclement weather but will be available virtually.
   3. Package pick-up and mailing services will be available during inclement weather and building access will operate as usual.
   4. Dining Services will be available during inclement weather, and changes to menus or hours will be communicated to the campus communtiy as needed.
   5. Athletic events impacted by inclement weather events will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
   6. Other University operations will be determined by department leaders.
   7. Late night and early morning decisions to go on a snow schedule or move to online instruction will be communicated to media outlets including 1120 AM KMOX Radio, KTVI Channel 2, KMOV-TV Channel 4 and KSDK-TV Channel 5 by 5:30 a.m., and announcements will be included in listings as dictated by those media outlets. 
   8. Email messages will be sent to all faculty, staff, and students, and messages wil be placed on the University's website, official Facebook page, and at the main telephone number, 314-367-8700.  Text messages will also be sent to those students, faculty, and staff who have signed up for UHSP Alerts.
   9. Snow or ice amounts may also influence the decision to close the campus if ingress/egress routes around campus cannot be cleared adequately for safe travel on campus.
4. Wind Chill Closures
   1. During most instances of very cold temperatures, the University will remain open and in session.
   2. It is the University's policy to use the Wind Chill Chart from the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration to determine whether to move to online instruction/remote work during forecasted cold temperatures. The University will remain open unless combined temperature and wind speed results in a wind chill that can cause frostbite in 10 minutes or less.
      1. Example: The University will remain open if the ambient air temperature is 0°F and the wind is 15 mph with the resulting wind chill at -19°F. The University will make the decision to close campus if the air temperature is -5°F with a wind speed of 35 mph which would result in a wind chill of -34°F, cold enough for frostbite to occur within 10 minutes.
5. UHSP Alerts
   1. Students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to enroll in the UHSP Alerts Emergency Notification System.
   2. Enrollment can be completed online at uhsp.edu/alerts. To enroll: 
      1. Click “Sign up for emergency alerts now.”
      2. Log in to the system using your UHSP credentials
      3. Select “Add” to add up to three phone numbers and two additional email addresses.
   3. Your UHSP email address is automatically enrolled in the system.
6. Snow Schedule
   1. When a snow schedule is announced, class times change as indicated in the table below.

Responsibilities:

Policy Contacts:

Supplemental Information:

Original PDF: