Inclement Weather - Safety and Security Policy - 70140

1.1. This policy shall establish the process for determining when to close the campuses/sites and/or cancel classes due to inclement weather, how to communicate notice of closings, and timekeeping and employee compensation issues during closings.

2.1. Responsible parties: The Vice President for Academic Services and Vice President for Administrative Services are jointly responsible for making a decision on closing the campuses/sites and/or canceling classes. The College reserves the right to hold classes or operations at one campus or site when another campus/site is closed if the situation warrants. The Vice Presidents shall employ various methods to research conditions including assessments from College staff, Virginia Department of Transportation, and weather services.

Each person who has responsibility for inclement weather closing procedures shall notify others in the process when he or she will be unavailable and will designate a substitute and communicate this information to other individuals in the process.

2.2. Closed campuses/sites

When an individual campus/site is closed, all classes, meetings, programs, and other activities are canceled at that particular campus/site. No faculty, staff, or students involved at that particular campus/site are to report to that campus/site except essential personnel who are to report as scheduled within their work units. Non-essential employees reporting to work when closings have been announced or communicated shall not be credited with compensatory time in accordance with policies of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Essential personnel is deemed those necessary for safety and security, to remove snow, ice and/or other debris, to effect repairs to the building and building systems, and to remove hazards preventing operations.

The bookstore, food services, and ODU Teletechnet courses will close in conjunction with closings and class cancellations; no classes, no services available. If classes are in session, the services will be available.

Use of the College facilities by outside groups will be canceled in conjunction with closings and class cancellations.

2.3. Delayed opening

When the College will open on a delayed basis, classes will begin and employees are to report at the time announced. Classes will begin when the college officially opens and any remaining time for instruction will be utilized. For example, if the class is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. and the college opens at 10:00 a.m., instruction for that class will commence at 10:00 a.m.

2.4. Classes canceled

When only classes are canceled, employees shall be expected to report to their normal workstations. In such an event, the radio or television announcement will include the time for administrators and staff to report.

2.5. Off-campus sites

Closings at off-campus sites will be determined and communicated by the Vice President for Academic Services or designee. If an off-campus site is closed for its other intended purpose, classes will not be held at that site until it reopens. For example, if a class is scheduled for a high

school and the high school announced it is closed for the day, Germanna shall not conduct classes at that site on that day.

2.6. Weekend activities

Determination of weekend cancellations and closings shall be determined in a manner similar to the processes used during the week; however, various employees will rotate duties. A calendar or schedule of employees and duties will be developed in the fall for distribution among all impacted persons and positions. If a weekend is not specifically identified, those positions with inclement weather responsibilities during weekdays will have responsibility. If a person is unable to serve on their scheduled weekend, it is the responsibility of that person to identify a replacement and to notify all other persons scheduled for duty that weekend of the change.

2.7. Safety notice

If classes are held and the campus/site is open, each individual must assess conditions at the point from which that person is traveling since conditions can vary throughout the service region. No one is expected to place class or work attendance above personal safety.

2.8. Media stations and announcements

A listing of Radio and Television Stations will be reviewed annually by the President and his Staff and will be available in the Inclement Weather brochure and on the Germanna Community College website.

Any closing or delayed opening announcements will also be on the college website: www.germanna.edu

3.1. The decision to close or open late

3.1.1. Assessment and reporting

3.1.1.1 Weekday

The Vice President for Administrative Services will designate individuals in different areas of the service region to assess whether and roadway conditions. The Facilities Manager will assess conditions on the campus/site and in the service region through personal observation, staff reports, and reports from on-duty security personnel. Additionally, the Vice President for Administrative Services shall research road conditions and weather predictions through Internet websites, television reports, and/or radio reports.

All individuals will report their findings and recommendations to the Vice President for Administrative Services or a named designee by 5:30 a.m.

The Facilities Manager will assess conditions on the campus/site and throughout the service region through personal observation, staff reports, reports from on-duty security personnel, and other means.

The Facilities Manager will also assess the length of time it would take to make the College facilities safe for operations.

The Vice President for Administrative Services shall research road and weather conditions via Internet websites, television reports, radio reports, and updates from the Facilities Manager.

3.1.1.2 Weekend

Assessment and Reporting shall be combined so that one person from Financial & Administrative services will assess road, College facilities, and weather conditions.

3.1.2. Decision-making

3.1.2.1 Weekday

The Vice President for Administrative Services shall call the Vice President for Academic Services with a summary of conditions and recommendations no later than 5:50 a.m. The Vice Presidents will make a joint decision.

3.1.2.2 Weekend

Assessment and reporting position shall contact the on-duty Academic Services manager to report conditions. Academic Services Manager will make decision.

3.1.3 Communication of Decision

3.1.3.1 Weekday

The Administrative Assistant for Facilities Management, the Facilities Manager and the Financial Coordinator, will be contacted by the Vice President for Administrative Services regarding the decision. If the decision is to close or delay opening:

The Administrative Assistant to the Facilities Manager or designee will contact the Administrative Assistant to the Vice President for Administrative Services. The Administrative Assistant for the Facilities Manager will contact the radio stations (see policy) and Administrative Assistant to the Vice President for Administrative Services will contact the television stations (see policy) with the proper announcement.

The Facilities Manager will arrange with B&G staff and/or contractors for the removal of snow, ice, and/or other impediments from the driveways, parking lots, and sidewalks from both campuses as necessary to permit College operations at the agreed upon time or date.

The Facilities Manager shall arrange for security coverage during the period the campuses are closed.

The Financial Coordinator shall ensure the voice mail messages at the main telephone numbers for both campuses and the Germanna Center for Advanced Technology in Culpeper are updated and will arrange for receptionist/telephone switchboard coverage, if necessary.

The Administrative Assistant to the Vice President for Administrative Services will contact the Technology Support Services person to update the College website.

3.1.3.2 Weekend

Assessment and Reporting person will contact the first of two media persons.

The first media person will contact the second Media person and the two Media positions will contact all listed television, radio, and Internet sites (except College website).

The Academic Services Manager will contact the Dean of Student Services.

The Assessment and Reporting person will contact a representative from the Business Office to update all voice mail messages for the main number at each campus or site.

The second media person will contact the on-call Technology Support Services person to update the College website.

The Assessment and Reporting person will contact the Facilities Manager, or designee, to initiate any necessary actions to bring the facilities to a usable condition.

The Assessment and Reporting person will contact the Security Supervisor to arrange security coverage.

3.1.4. Delayed opening

Classes will begin when the college officially opens and any remaining time for instruction will be utilized. For example, if the class is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. and the college opens at 10:00 a.m., instruction for that class will commence at 10:00 a.m.

If the College opening will be delayed, a time will be announced when the College will open. All employees who were scheduled to begin work on or before the announced time will be expected to report and be ready for work at the announced time. In accordance with State policy, an employee reporting to work earlier than the delayed opening time will not be credited with hours worked or with compensatory time, if an announcement regarding the delayed opening was made by the College.

3.1.5 Compensation during college closing, delayed opening or early closing

If the college closes for the entire day or a portion of the day, classified employees, teaching faculty and faculty- ranked administrators will be compensated for the hours they are normally scheduled to work that the college is closed. For documentation purposes on the timesheet, the code OT (other time) is used. For example:

If an employee’s regular schedule is 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. and the college has a delayed opening at 10 am, that employee would have 1.5 hours of OT. If an employee is on an alternate schedule and works ten-hour days Tuesday to Friday and the college is closed for inclement weather on Monday, the employee would receive no additional compensation or leave, as they were not scheduled to work the day the college closed.

When an employee is on pre-approved leave and the college is closed, the hours will not be charged to the employees’ leave balances

Employees are expected to report to work the hours the college is open. In some exceptions, road conditions or transportation difficulties may cause an employee to arrive late or not report at all. With proper notice and explanation, the employee is approved to use appropriate accrued leave.

3.2. A decision to close during the day

3.2.1 Weekday

The Chief Administrative Officers, or designee, at each campus, shall assess conditions and make a joint decision. The decision should be made no later than 4:00 p.m. The procedures in Section 3.1.3 will then be employed.

3.2.2 Weekend

The Academic Services manager shall assess conditions and make a decision and may contact the on-duty security officer and/or the Assessment and Reporting position to relay additional information on conditions.

DHRM Hours of Work 1.25
DHRM Emergency Closing 1.35

Vice President for Administrative Services

Approved by President’s Council September 17, 2001.
Revised and Approved by President’s Council, October 6, 2003
Revised and Approved by President’s Council, October 16, 2006