Inclement Weather Policy including Essential Personnel - Northern Michigan University

IN GENERAL

1. IF NO OFFICIAL ACTION IS TAKEN BUT THE WEATHER IS SEVERE

• AFSCME, Local 1094
• Students
• Faculty members
• All employees, including faculty

2. IF THE UNIVERSITY IS OFFICIALLY CLOSED

• Classes (excluding Final Examination Period)
• End of Semester Final Examination Period
• Athletics
• Other Events
• Employee Groups

3. IF CLASSES ARE CANCELED BUT THE UNIVERSITY IS NOT CLOSED

• Classes, including Final Examination Period
• Events
• Employee Groups

4. ESSENTIAL PERSONNEL DEEMED NECESSARY AND REQUIRED TO SHOW UP TO WORK DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER   (Updated July 2021)

IN GENERAL

The primary responsibility for implementing the Inclement Weather Policy resides with each individual.

• Students bear the responsibility of making their special circumstances known to their professors.
• Faculty members bear the responsibility of making their special circumstances known to their students and their department head, and to apply this policy as fairly as possible.
• All employees bear the responsibility of making their special circumstances known to their supervisor.

Everyone is responsible for monitoring NMU announcements on inclement weather days. When the university closes due to inclement weather, the announcement is sent to area media, posted on the NMU home page and social media channels, emailed to everyone with an NMU email address, put on the B-R-R-R line (227-2777) and sent via the NMU emergency text alerts. The emergency text alerts are the fastest mode of notification.  (www.nmu.edu/alerts).

1. IF NO OFFICIAL ACTION IS TAKEN BUT THE WEATHER IS SEVERE

AFSCME, Local 1094

Staff members are to report to work as regularly scheduled. Individuals who find it impossible to make it to work (e.g., police/MDOT have closed roads making it impossible to travel to the University) may take annual leave, personal leave, or a floating seasonal bonus day, if applicable, providing the staff member has called his/her supervisor or the NMU Police Department prior to the start of his/her shift. Please refer to the Master Agreement, Article 37, for detailed information.

Students

Excused absence because of inclement weather conditions is generally a matter between a student and their professor. If there is an unresolved matter after a student has sought an excused absence from an instructor, it is the student’s right to appeal the matter to the head of the department in which the instructor is a member or, in their absence, to the dean of the college.

Students who miss class because of inclement weather must notify the faculty member at the earliest possible time—preferably within 24 hours—and not a week or two later.

Faculty members

Faculty members are encouraged to excuse students who provide timely notification that inclement weather made travel unsafe and allow students to make up any missed assignment. A faculty member may consider whether a student resides in an area where conditions have caused local school closings. For example, if schools in Ishpeming have been closed, a student in that area may well have problems driving into Marquette.

Faculty members who are unable to drive to the campus for a class because of inclement weather/unsafe road conditions are expected to call the department or dean’s office to do everything possible to provide timely notification to students that class has been canceled. Faculty may also notify their students through email and/or the class roster function in EduCat.

To verify road or weather conditions on a particular day, contact the NMU Police Department  (906-227-2151).

All employees, including faculty

The decision to travel in bad weather is always each individual’s decision.  Each individual is the best judge of road conditions in their location. Anyone who cannot make it to work is expected to communicate as early as possible with their supervisor. See the collective bargaining agreements and the Non-Represented Employee Handbook for information regarding use of leave when inclement weather makes travel unsafe.

2. IF THE UNIVERSITY IS OFFICIALLY CLOSED

Classes (excluding Final Examination Period)

All classes, including online classes, will be canceled when the university is closed.

1. No tests, quizzes, or other assignments, including those that are online, will be due when the university is closed for inclement weather. Assignment deadlines should be adjusted so that nothing is due when the university is closed for inclement weather. Faculty are encouraged to include inclement weather alternate due dates in their syllabus. (Example: If the assignment was originally due on February 12 at 11:00 p.m. and the university closes for inclement weather on February 12 and February 13, the assignment will not be due until 11:00 p.m. on February 14.)

End of Semester Final Examination Period

Due to limited makeup opportunities, special protocols apply when the university closes for inclement weather during the designated final examination week at the end of a semester.

1. If the University were to close one day during the first four days of final exam week, that day’s exams would be moved to Friday of exam week. Should the University close a second day or on the Friday of exam week, the exams scheduled for that day would be moved to Saturday afternoon of exam week.
2. If a University closure disrupts the in-class final exam of a course that ends prior to the last week of the semester, the exam would be moved to Friday of that week. Should the University close on the Friday of that week, the exam would be moved to Saturday afternoon of that week.
3. Faculty members may move in-class final exams to an online format in response to an unplanned University closure only if the following conditions are met:
   
   a.  The course syllabus distributed at the beginning of the term states that the final exam would move online if the University closed.
   b.  The online final exam is available to students during a time that includes, at minimum, the originally scheduled date and time. The online exam may be accessible to students for a longer period of time than the originally scheduled exam.
   c.  The faculty member must notify their department head of the changed format on the day that the final exam was originally scheduled.
    
4. Final exams originally scheduled to be online (e.g., online or hybrid classes) will be administered during the originally scheduled time frame regardless of the changes to the in-class exam schedule due to unexpected University closures.
5. Faculty members are encouraged to make alternative arrangements for students who are unable to access the exam because of the inclement weather.

Athletics

1. Intercollegiate competitions may be held even if the university is closed. The Athletics Office and the Chief of Police will determine whether athletic competitions are canceled.
2. There will be no team or individual athletic practices when the university is closed for inclement weather. Exceptions may be made by the Chief of Police and Athletics Office for game day only.
3. The Superior Dome, the PEIF, and the Fit Zone will be closed. All recreational activities, including public walking, will be canceled.

Other Events

1. The Northern Center and Berry Events Center will typically remain open even if the university closes for inclement weather.
   
   a.  Events in the Northern Center will be held unless the event organizer cancels the event.
   b.  Non-NMU events in the Berry Events Center will be held unless the event organizer cancels the event. NMU events, including athletic events, in the Berry Events Center must be approved by the NMU Chief of Police.
    
2. Events outside the Northern Center and Berry Events Center will be canceled unless the NMU Chief of Police gives permission for an event to be held.
   
   a.  Events before 5:00 pm will be canceled if the university is closed.
   b.  Permission to hold events that start at 5:00 pm or later must be requested by 12:00 noon. Event organizers should contact the Chief of Police at 906-227-2151 to request permission. The decision to hold events that start after 5:00 pm will be made by 2:00 pm.
   c.  The Chief of Police may work with event organizers and the University Center to move an event to the Northern Center. The Chief of Police will typically contact the Northern Center by 1:00 pm to ensure adequate time for room setup. Room rental fees may apply.
    
3. Non-credit continuing education events may be held depending on location and conditions. The Continuing Education Office and the Chief of Police will determine whether those events will be held.

Employee Groups

AFSCME, Local 1094

Staff members are to report to work as regularly scheduled. Individuals who find it impossible to make it to work (e.g., police have closed roads making it impossible to travel to the University) may take annual leave, personal leave, or a floating seasonal bonus day, if applicable, providing the staff member has called his/her supervisor or the NMU Police Department  prior to the start of his/her shift. Staff members who work will be given compensatory time off. Please refer to the Master Agreement, Article 37, for detailed information.

Executive, Senior Management, Senior Administrator, Dean, Academic Department Head, and Coach

Staff members should exercise good judgment as to the necessity to work if the University is closed. Individuals will lose no pay if they cannot make it to work, or if they choose not to come to work because of the weather conditions.  It does help the grounds crew if there are fewer cars on campus.

UAW-A/P, Local 2178

Staff members will lose no pay. Individuals who are required to report to work will be given compensatory time off (within the next 30 days). Please refer to the Master Agreement, Article 1, for detailed information.

UAW-C/T, Local 1950

Staff members will lose no pay. Individuals required to report to work will be given compensatory time off (within the next 30 days). Please refer to the Master Agreement, Article 1, for detailed information.

3. IF CLASSES ARE CANCELED BUT THE UNIVERSITY IS NOT CLOSED

In rare circumstances, classes may be canceled, but the university as a whole remains open. This would be specifically indicated in any announcement.

Classes, including Final Examination Period

Same as if the university is closed.

Events

Event organizers should determine whether to hold, reschedule, or cancel events. Organizers should make every effort to notify the intended audience in a timely manner of any cancellation or rescheduling. Notification may include social media, university website, NMU events calendar, and/or other communication channels. Organizers should notify the NMU Chief of Police of cancellations or rescheduling.

Employee Groups

AFSCME, Local 1094

Staff members are to report to work as regularly scheduled. Individuals who find it impossible to make it to work (e.g., police have closed roads making it impossible to travel to the University) may take annual leave, personal leave, or a floating seasonal bonus day, if applicable, providing the staff member has called his/her supervisor or Public Safety prior to the start of his/her shift. Please refer to the Master Agreement, Article 37, for detailed information.

Executive, Senior Management, Senior Administrator, Dean, Academic Department Head, and Coach

Staff members are to report to work as regularly scheduled; however, good judgment should be exercised in each individual case regarding personal safety. Individuals who are unable to come to work may use annual leave, personal leave, compensatory time, or a floating seasonal bonus day, if applicable, providing the staff member has called his/her supervisor prior to the start of their work schedule.

UAW-A/P, Local 2178

Staff members are to report to work as regularly scheduled. Good judgment should be exercised in each individual case regarding personal safety. Individuals who are unable to make it to work may use annual leave, personal leave, compensatory time, or lost time, provided the staff member has called his/her supervisor prior to the start of their work schedule. Please refer to the Master Agreement, Article 1, for detailed information.

UAW-C/T, Local 1950

Staff members are required to report to work as regularly scheduled. Good judgment should be exercised in each individual case regarding personal safety. Individuals who are unable to make it to work may use annual leave, personal leave, or lost time, providing the staff member has called his/her supervisor prior to the start of their work schedule. Please refer to the Master Agreement, Article 1, for detailed information.

4. ESSENTIAL PERSONNEL DEEMED NECESSARY AND REQUIRED TO SHOW UP TO WORK DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER   (Updated July 2021)

A list of University positions that have been determined to be “essential personnel” is available on the Human Resources Department website.  Based on this status, those holding these positions are required to report to work during those times in which the University deems it necessary to close due to inclement weather.

The Human Resources Department has received notification stating the individuals assigned to the positions above were notified by their respective supervisor of their essential status and their employment obligations during University closures.

Questions pertaining to this list can be directed to Human Resources at 227-2330.