Inclement Weather Procedure

This procedure supports Op 3.29 University Cancellation/Closure Policy and the Employee Handbook, Section 2.15.1 Severe Weather Closing. Due to the nature of the university’s 24/7 operation, some operations are essential and must continue regardless of weather conditions.

Definitions
1. Class cancellation – The cancellation of academic classes with the
  exception of online courses. This only impacts faculty and students.
2. University closure – The closure of other university functions other than academic classes. This impacts all non-faculty personnel other than those that have been deemed as essential by the vice president of the division.
Decision Process
1. Day prior when winter weather may potentially impact operations
  1. Emergency preparedness will prepare weather briefings and distribute to:
    1. Vice president for administrative services
    2. Director of university safety
    3. Director of facilities management
  2. Support services will provide a listing of the hourly number of seated courses for the following day and the number of students in those classes to the vice president for administrative services.
2. Prior to daytime classes beginning
  1. Should conditions appear to warrant possible cancellation/closure/delay, the director of university safety, the vice president for administrative services and the director of facilities management will discuss the expected condition of the parking lots, sidewalks and roadways by 4:45 a.m. They will typically review information from the Greene County Office of Emergency Management, the National Weather Service, local media and the Missouri Department of Transportation concerning road conditions and impending weather changes.
  2. The vice president for administrative services will consult with the executive vice president, vice president for marketing and communications, vice president of student affairs and the provost or their designees, after which the vice president for administrative services will decide whether adjustments to normal operations should occur.
    1. Based upon the decision for the university, Greenwood Lab School and the Child Development Center will follow their approved Inclement Weather/School Closure Procedures.
  3. The president will be informed.
  4. The decision will typically be announced to the news media prior to 6 a.m. on the day of the cancellation/closure/delay and will include the timeframe affected.
3. After daytime classes begin
  1. Once classes begin for the day, if weather conditions occur that might warrant cancellation of classes or closing of the university, a separate decision will be made later in the day.
  2. During periods of inclement weather, the director of university safety, the vice president for administrative services, and the director of facilities management will consult with one another concerning the expected condition of the parking lots, sidewalks and roadways during the late afternoon and evening hours. They will typically review information from the Greene County Office of Emergency Management, the National Weather Service, local media and the Missouri Department of Transportation concerning road conditions and impending weather changes.
  3. The vice president for administrative services will consult with the executive vice president, vice president for marketing and communications, vice president for student affairs and the provost or their designees, after which the vice president for administrative services will make a decision on whether adjustments to the normal operations should occur.
    1. Based upon the decision for the university, Greenwood Lab School and the Child Development Center will follow their approved Inclement Weather/School Closure Procedures.
  4. The president will be informed.
  5. A decision to cancel classes or close the university will typically be announced at least two hours prior to the starting of the cancellations.
Notification Process
1. The cancellation/closure/delay decision will be given to the director of university safety, the director of strategic communication and the director of facilities management to provide notifications.　
  1. All notifications shall specifically denote the timeframe of the closure.　
  2. The notification shall also specifically denote whether the university will be open or closed, and if closed, how long the closure applies.
2. The director of university safety or their designee shall notify the campus of the decision via
  1. KY3/KSPR33, and
  2. The school closing network (all other media outlets).
  3. The directors of the Child Development Center and Greenwood Lab School.
3. The director of strategic communication or their designee will
  1. Notify the units in section 4 below
    1. Advising them of the University's decision
    2. Requesting they notify the director of strategic communication if they will have open or closed hours that are different than the university closure.
  2. Notify the campus of the decision via
    1. Missouri State Alerts, including phone, campus email, and text messaging,
    2. The Missouri State University homepage,
    3. The Missouri State Alert page,
    4. Social media, including Facebook and Twitter.
Special considerations
1. In the event classes are cancelled and/or the university is closed due to weather, efforts will be made to maintain services in the following operations:
  1. Selected units within the division of student affairs
    1. Residence Life, Housing and Dining Services
    2. Magers Health and Wellness Center
    3. University Bookstore Operations
    4. Foster Recreation Center
    5. Plaster Student Union
  2. Computer Services
  3. Meyer Library
  4. Hammons Student Center, if events scheduled
  5. Great Southern Bank Arena, if events scheduled
  6. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts, if events scheduled
  7. Blunt Jordan Valley Innovation Center and Plaster Center for Free Enterprise, if open
  8. MSU Care Clinic
  9. Academic buildings, if events scheduled
  10. Bear Line Shuttle
2. Closure decisions impacting those areas will be made by the appropriate administrator and communicated to the campus community and employees through their normal processes and will be posted on the Missouri State University homepage.