Procedure Emergency Closure or Cancellation of Classes Closure Due to Severe Weather Conditions

Transcription

1 Procedure Emergency Closure or Cancellation of Classes Closure Due to Severe Weather Conditions Type: C (Institutional) Board Last Approved: Executive Responsibility: President and Vice-Chancellor Next Review: Administrative Responsibility: Executive Director, Facilities Services & Campus Development/Executive Director, Communications & Public Relations Policy: STATEMENT: 1. Nanaimo Campus The following procedures are to be used in the event that the Nanaimo campus must be closed or classes and activities cancelled, due to severe weather conditions. a) Before a decision is made to cancel classes and or activities due to snow or severe weather conditions, the Executive Director of Facilities Services and Campus Development, or designate, will have monitored local weather stations, RCMP advisories and other weather and road information sources for reports. b) The decision to close the campus or cancel classes and activities is that of the President, or designate, in consultation with the Executive Director of Facilities Services & Campus Development, or designate, and will be communicated to the Executive Director of Communications and Public Relations or designate. The Executive Director of Communications and Public Relations or designate will then implement VIU s communication protocols to the broader internal and external communities. c) In situations where the Nanaimo campus is closed for snow or other severe weather conditions, campus closure will be considered in the following blocks: i) Daytime Classes and Activities - decision made by 6:00 am employees working on the Nanaimo Campus will not be required to report to work. Daytime refers to any class or activity ending by 6:00 pm. ii) Evening Classes and Activities- decision made by 2:00 pm Evening refers to any class or activity starting at or after 6:00 pm. d) If evening classes and activities are taking place on a day that daytime classes have been cancelled, these evening classes and activities will operate without support services.

2 These service areas include the Library, Cafeteria, Student Services and other service and support units. Security will be on campus during snow or other severe weather closures. e) The Library Commons and Cafeteria seating will remain open during snow or severe weather closures. Once a decision has been made to close the Nanaimo Campus the Director of the Development and Alumni Office and the Deans responsible for offsite Nanaimo programs (HEO, Paine Centre etc.) and the Director of Milner Gardens and Woodlands, will be responsible for the closure of those facilities and communicating the closure to their employees and to the Executive Director of Communications and Public Relations or designate, 1.2. Media and Employee Notification a. When possible, once the decision is made to close the campus and cancel classes and activities, the Executive Director of Communications and Public Relations, or designate, will be notified, before 6:00 am, and will call all primary media outlets in the Region. These outlets include, but are not limited to: Radio WAVE FM Nanaimo Radio WOLF FM Nanaimo Radio BEACH 88.5 FM Parksville Radio CHLY FM Nanaimo Radio SUN 89.7 FM Duncan Radio The Peak 93.3 FM Port Alberni Radio SUN 95.7 Powell River A-Channel Nanaimo CH TV News Nanaimo CBC Radio Victoria CBC Radio - Vancouver This list will be reviewed annually. b. The Executive Director of Communications and Public Relations or designate will place a notice on the website and send an message to all employees and all those registered on the VIU emergency listing. c. A message communicating the closure will be placed on the Nanaimo switchboard. There will be times when weather conditions change quickly and VIU s ability to notify employees and students by 6:00 am will be impacted. There will also be unforeseen circumstances when individual employees may not be able to commute to the campus due to weather conditions in the area in which they reside. In these circumstances, employees must work through their Dean or Director, to make alternative arrangements if required.

3 1.3. On Campus Notification of Cancellation of Classes and/or Activities f) Facilities Services will arrange to have signs posted on entrances to the Library, Bookstore, Theatre, and Welcome Centre advising the public that classes and services are closed. g) All Deans and Directors will arrange to pass on information as quickly as possible to all classes and activities under their direction. Deans and Directors will also attempt to ensure that those employees scheduled to work in the evening are informed. h) A pre-recorded message will be left on the switchboard communicating the closure. i) The closure procedures will be promoted clearly and frequently by the Executive Director of Communications and Public Relations. 2. Regional Campuses & Centres a. The Regional Campus Principals and the Dean, Adult and Continuing Education or designate are responsible for deciding on closures or class cancellations on their own campuses. They will coordinate radio announcements through the Executive Director of Communications and Public Relations, All classes will be notified as to the situation and the Principals will also try to ensure that faculty and staff who are due to travel to their campuses are informed. The President or designate, and Facilities Services will be notified of all campus closures. NANAIMO CAMPUS The following procedures are to be used in the event the Nanaimo campus needs to be closed or classes cancelled because of weather conditions, or other emergency situation: 1. Decision to close the campus or cancel classes is that of the President, or his/her designate, in consultation with the Executive Director of Facilities Services & Campus Development and the Executive Director of Communications and Public Relations. (Continuing Education Coordinator if evening classes are affected.) 2. In case of a complete closure of the campus for one day, employees will not be expected to report for work. 3. In the case of class cancellations, employees will be expected to report for work unless otherwise notified by radio announcements and posting on the Vancouver Island University website. 4. Class or examination cancellations will be considered in the following blocks: a) Morning Classes - decision made before 6:00 am b) Afternoon Classes - decision made 10:00-11:00 am c) Evening Classes - decision made 1:00-2:00 pm

4 5. CANCELLATION OF DAYTIME CLASSES Once the decision is made to close the campus or cancel classes, the Executive Director of Communications and Public Relations will be notified, before 6:00 am, and will call in order of priority: Radio WAVE FM Nanaimo or Radio WOLF FM Nanaimo Radio BEACH 88.5 FM Parksville Radio CHLY FM Nanaimo Radio SUN FM 89.7 Duncan Radio The Peak 93.3FM or Port Alberni (Island Radio) A-Channel Nanaimo CH TV News Nanaimo CBC Radio Victoria CBC Radio Vancouver Radio CHQB 1280 AM Powell River The Executive Director of Communications and Public Relations will place a notice on the website and send an message to all employees. CANCELLATION OF AFTERNOON OR EVENING CLASSES Before a decision is made to cancel afternoon or evening classes, the Executive Director of Facilities Services and Campus Development will contact the local weather station, and the RCMP or a local radio station for an up-to-date weather report and road conditions. A list of afternoon and evening classes and instructors affected, as well as a list of Continuing Education courses affected, will be reviewed. Once these facts are known they will be presented to the President, the Executive Director of Facilities Services & Campus Development and the Continuing Education Dean. If the decision is made to close the campus, the Executive Director of Facilities Services and Campus Development will update the message on the Switchboard. The Executive Director of Facilities Services & Campus Development will arrange to have the following voice mail message placed on all campus telephones: "All (afternoon/evening) classes and services, including Continuing Education courses, at the Nanaimo campus are cancelled due to weather conditions. If we have to keep the campus closed tomorrow morning, announcements will be placed on local radio stations. The Executive Director of Facilities Services & Campus Development will arrange to have signs posted on entrances to the Library, Bookstore, Theatre, and Welcome Centre advising classes and services are closed.

5 All Deans will arrange to pass on the information as quickly as possible to all classes in their area. Deans will also try to ensure that faculty who are due to work in the evening are informed. 6. During the months November to March, the recorded nighttime message on the switchboard should state: "If you are concerned that classes may be cancelled due to weather conditions or other emergencies, please listen to your local radio station for announcements or check the Vancouver Island University website at 7. Pre-recorded messages should be left at the switchboard by Facilities Services & Campus Development when the decision is made to close the campus or cancel morning classes. The messages should state: "The Nanaimo campus is closed today. Please listen to your local radio station for further announcements about tomorrow's classes" or "Classes at the Nanaimo campus have been cancelled this morning. Please listen to your local radio station for further announcements about afternoon and evening classes." 8. This procedure should be advertised clearly and frequently by the Executive Director of Communications and Public Relations to the University community so students know to listen to the radio for announcements, and employees know they are expected to try to report for work. REGIONAL CAMPUSES & CENTRES The Regional Campus Principals and the Dean, Adult and Continuing Education or Designate are responsible for deciding on closures or class cancellations on their own campuses. They will coordinate radio announcements through the Executive Director of Communications and Public Relations. All classes will be notified as to the situation and the Principals will also try to ensure that faculty and staff who are due to travel to their campuses are informed. The President, the Nanaimo Switchboard, and Facilities Services (Security after hours) will be notified of all campus closures. end of document