- Employee Campus Closure and Cancellation Policy

Comment on Policy

.1 - AUDIENCE

All University employees.

.2 - PURPOSE STATEMENT

The purpose of this Policy is to establish policies, procedures, and guidelines regarding reporting to work issues when the University’s campus is closed or classes are cancelled.

.3 - DEFINITIONS

Essential Staff—include Facilities, Food Services, and Campus Safety staff, as announced by the University on the date of the closure.

.4 - THE POLICY

The philosophy of Thomas More University is that classes will be held except under extreme adverse conditions. The University realizes that there are times when road conditions on campus are acceptable, yet travel from some parts of the Tri-State area may be inadvisable. The University expects individual students, faculty and staff to make whatever decisions are necessary for their own safety.

If conditions are questionable, University officials will attempt to make a decision as early as possible, typically by 6:00 a.m. as to delaying campus opening or closing the University. If conditions change during the course of the day, decisions on later classes will be made as early as possible, typically by 3:00 p.m. Thomas More University's Campus Closure and Cancelations Policy does not apply to online courses.

Depending on the nature of the events, some University positions may be considered to be Essential Staff.  Unless otherwise directed by an immediate supervisor, employees in such positions are required to report to work during an official University campus closing.  At the time of hire, Essential Staff will be so notified by the employee’s immediate supervisor.

.5 - RELATED POLICIES AND APPLICABLE LEGAL OR ACCREDITATION STANDARDS

Crisis Management Plan

.6 - PROCEDURES

I. Announcement Procedures

With all decisions, announcements will be made through the University's Emergency Notification System (text and voicemail), an all campus email will be sent out, messages sent through the University’s official social media outlets and announcements on local television stations. The Thomas More University websites will be updated as soon as a decision is made or updates occur during the day.

The University may make separate decisions for the Blue Ash campus. Unless specified, however, any announcement about the University shall be interpreted to mean both campuses unless otherwise stated. Athletic Events and Special Events will be addressed separately by those overseeing the event. They will use the website, email, social media outlets and television to communicate the plans.

Changes to an announcement will be made in a timely fashion and updates sent to all employees and students. If classes are delayed, a specific starting time will be identified in the announcement. All classes held prior to the indicated start time will be cancelled. Faculty will need to determine the process for making up the work scheduled that specific day and communicate that to their students promptly.

Types of Announcements include:

• College Closed - indicates only essential staff report. 
• College Delayed - indicates only essential staff report as normal. Everyone else please stay home until designated time when classes will resume.

The process for determining what the campus will do regarding Campus Closure and Cancellation will be made by the Provost with consultation of Director of Facilities and Director of Campus Safety.

II. Additional Guidelines

In the case of adverse conditions, the following policy guidelines will apply:

1. If the campus remains open and the employee is unable to get to work, it will be the employee’s responsibility to notify his/her immediate supervisor. Staff employees will be allowed to charge the absence to a vacation day provided they have the time available in their vacation bank.
2. If, in the administration’s best judgment, offices close before the normally scheduled work time because of threatening weather conditions, full-time non-exempt employees and employees who work 20 or more hours a week, will be paid for the entire day if they were scheduled to work on the day of the closing. Non-exempt employees leaving before the officially designated time of dismissal will not be paid beyond time of departure.
3. If a non-essential employee feels that s/he must leave because of poor weather, even if the office is not officially closing, the employee must have the approval of his/her immediate supervisor. In this instance, non-exempt employees will not be paid for the remainder of the day, but may use vacation time if available.
4. If the University announces a delayed start time or an early dismissal, full-time non-exempt employees and employees who work 20 or more hours a week will be paid the hours needed to make them whole for that day.
5. When non-faculty employees are on scheduled vacation or a scheduled sick day leave and the University campus closes due to weather and/or emergency conditions, vacation or sick leave is recorded as scheduled. Non-faculty employees do not receive additional time off.

.6 - REFERENCING THE POLICY

.7 - HISTORY

This is a new policy, replacing language in the Staff Manual (May 2014).

.8 - APPENDIX

There are no appendices to this Policy.

.9 - APPROVALS

Laura Custer, Director of Human Resources

Bill Wilson, Director of Campus Safety

Rob Munson, Chief Financial Officer

Dr. Kathleen Jagger, Acting President