4.1-1
CANCELLATION OF ALL CLASSES AND
CLOSING OF THE UNIVERSITY DUE TO
WEATHER OR OTHER ADVERSE CONDITIONS

Policy

1. The campus will be kept open if at all possible, and classes and other normal business will continue. Each employee and student is expected to make every reasonable effort to get to the campus while avoiding serious risks. An individual staff or faculty member who cannot report for work as scheduled must notify the appropriate dean or supervisor.
2. In the event weather conditions in a local area are more severe than in the campus area, each person should use his/her own judgment about driving to the campus.
3. All classes may be canceled or the campus closed for an appropriate reason, but the decision will normally be made in consideration of available information concerning:
   1. The condition of principal roads leading to the campus.
   2. The condition of drives on the campus.
   3. The availability of a reasonable amount of parking space relatively free of snow.
   4. The condition of heat and other utilities on campus.
4. If adverse conditions necessitate the closing of campus and/or canceling classes and activities, the decision to do so will be made prior to 6:30 a.m. for day classes which begin before 4:00 p.m.
5. The decision to close campus and/or cancel evening classes and activities (those scheduled to begin at 4:00 p.m. or later) will be made not later than 2:30 p.m.

Procedures

1. The Vice President for Administration and Business Affairs will cancel classes or close the University after consultation with Campus Facilities.
2. The media will be contacted regarding the cancellation or closing.
3. Campus Facilities will arrange for the appropriate message to be placed on the SVSU Weather/Information line. The telephone number is (989) 964-4477.
4. A message will appear on the SVSU website (www.svsu.edu).
5. In the event that sudden and severe weather conditions develop and you have an emergency situation on campus, call University Police at ext. 4141.

Announcement Information

The following information will be distributed on an annual basis to all employees by the Office of University Communications:

1. Adverse Weather Policy Information
   Adverse weather conditions, especially those associated with Michigan winters, may affect the normal operations of the University. The decision to cancel classes and/or close the main campus will be made by the Vice President for Administration and Business Affairs. If adverse conditions necessitate cancellation or closing, the decision to do so will be made prior to 6:30 a.m. for day classes (those beginning before 4:00 p.m.) and by 2:30 p.m. for evening classes (those beginning after 4:00 p.m.).

   Because commuting students, faculty and staff come from such a broad geographic area, it is extremely difficult to arrive at a decision that is appropriate to each vicinity. The quad-county area alone includes approximately 2,000 square miles, and weather conditions are rarely uniform throughout this large area. There is no one decision that will satisfy everyone; however, a diligent effort is made to arrive at a reasonable decision that considers the safety of students as well as their right to receive instruction. Under no circumstances does SVSU ask students, faculty or staff to assume undue risk in traveling to class in inclement weather.

2. Radio/Television Announcements
   
   1. Information about class cancellations/closings will be relayed to radio and television stations as soon as the decision has been made. Messages will be broadcast on local radio and television stations conveying the following messages:
      • The campus is closed for daytime classes and activities.
      • The campus is closed for evening classes and activities.
      • The campus is closed for both daytime and evening classes and activities.
   2. No public announcement will be made when the University is open.
   3. The media will announce only complete cancellations/closings and not the cancellation of individual classes or activities.
3. Weather/Information Line Messages

   The SVSU Weather/Information line - (989) 964-4477 - will state one of the four following messages regarding the open/closed status of campus:

   1. Thank you for calling the Saginaw Valley State University Weather/Information Line. Because of adverse conditions, the campus is closed and all daytime classes and activities scheduled to begin before 4:00 p.m. have been canceled. For information on contracted conferences, please call (989) 964-4348. If conditions necessitate canceling evening classes and activities scheduled to begin at 4:00 p.m. or later, announcements will be made on local radio and television by 2:30 p.m. Please listen to your radio or television for updates or place a return call to the Weather/Information Line.
   2. Thank you for calling the Saginaw Valley State University Weather/Information Line. Because of adverse conditions, the campus is closed and all classes and activities scheduled to begin at 4:00 p.m. or later have been canceled. For information on contracted conferences, please call (989) 964-4348. If conditions necessitate canceling classes and activities tomorrow, announcements will be made on local radio and television by 6:30 a.m. Please listen to your radio or television for updates or place a return call to the Weather/Information Line in the morning.
   3. Thank you for calling the Saginaw Valley State University Weather/Information Line. Because of adverse conditions, the campus is closed and all classes and activities scheduled for today and this evening have been canceled. For information on contracted conferences, please call (989) 964-4348. If conditions necessitate canceling classes and activities tomorrow, announcements will be made on local radio and television stations by 6:30 a.m. Please listen to your radio or television for updates or place a return call to the Weather/Information Line.
   4. Thank you for calling the Saginaw Valley State University Weather/Information Line. The University is open today, and classes and activities are continuing as usual. Please listen to your radio or television for updates or place a return call to the Weather/Information Line.

Adopted 10/07/81
Revised 11/19/02 VP-ABA