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05-011 Inclement Weather Policy

I. SCOPE

This policy addresses class schedule adjustments at SUNY Canton due to inclement weather conditions and applies to employees and students.

II. POLICY STATEMENT

SUNY Canton is committed to maintaining a safe learning environment for all students and employees. Severe weather systems can pose a risk to those traveling to and from campus. It is essential that unsafe travel conditions be determined and class delays or changes be communicated to students and employees as quickly as possible, and in the case of early morning weather, prior to the start of morning classes.

POLICY

University Police will monitor weather conditions and make recommendations to the President’s designee(s). The Provost is the designee for scheduled class concerns. Each area division head will serve as designee for employee scheduling concerns in their division. The VP for Student Affairs will serve as the designee for student activity scheduling concerns. Final determinations are made by the appropriate designee, and when necessary, they will advise the Director of Public Relations to release information via the proper channels.

Members of the SUNY Canton community should also be aware of the following:

• SUNY Canton has an Emergency Response Plan set forth in the College Policies and Procedures Manual. Nothing in this policy should be interpreted as superseding the Emergency Response Plan.
• The closing of the SUNY Canton campus can only occur following a directive from the Governor’s Office of Employee Relations. The College is allowed to make changes in class schedules or mode of delivery due to weather or other emergency conditions without a directive from the Governor’s Office.

Remote Operations Expectations

• Classes delivered in a remote modality are expected to continue course work as scheduled.
• All faculty should be prepared to shift their face-to-face classes to online instruction. Clinicals, labs, and other hands-on classes should move online at the instructor’s discretion. Faculty should communicate their expectations with their students regarding shifts of these activities to remote learning in their syllabi and at the beginning of each semester.
• All off-campus college activities will follow the determined classroom schedule adjustments unless otherwise noted.
• Area division heads and/or supervisors should clearly communicate expectations and responsibilities to their employees during a shift to remote operations.

IV. DEFINITIONS

None

V. OTHER RELATED INFORMATION

None

VI. PROCEDURES

University Police personnel will monitor weather conditions (i.e. snow, ice, rain, etc.) and other major disruptions (see the Emergency Response Plan for details). Special attention will be paid between the hours of 4:30 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. If circumstances exist which, taken in totality, would justify the need to make students and employees aware of inclement weather affecting class schedules, the officer or officers will:

1. By 5:15 a.m., contact St. Lawrence County Central Dispatch for weather conditions throughout St. Lawrence County.
2. By 5:30 a.m., contact the Chief of University Police or designee and provide the relevant information from County Dispatch. Information from travel advisories, road conditions, road closures, school cancellations, or other pertinent information, should also be noted.
3. By 5:45 a.m., the Chief of University Police or designee will contact the Director of Facilities or their designee to consult on campus conditions.
4. By 6:00 a.m., the Chief of University Police or designee will contact the Provost.
5. The Provost will decide whether to:

• • Shift to remote learning for a set period of time to allow for travel conditions to improve, or,
  • Shift to remote learning for the entire day.

1. The Provost will make the final determination, and when necessary, will advise the President’s Cabinet and the Director of Public Relations.
2. Each division head will contact their employees and provide clear expectations. The Director of Public Relations will release the information via the proper channels. (See Public Relations Policies and Procedures (#05-008) for information about class modifications due to weather.)
3. In case of an extended extreme weather event, operations will be reevaluated and communicated daily.

VII. FORMS

None

VIII. AUTHORITY

None

IX. HISTORY

Previously approved – migration to new format with minor updates.

X. APPENDICES

None

XI. FREQUENCY OF REVIEW AND UPDATE

Policies will have a normal review period of every five (5) years unless required otherwise.

Notes: 
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