Emergency Weather Policy

The intent of this policy is to ensure the safety of Mount St. Mary's students, faculty, staff and administrators and to ensure the efficient operation of the university during periods of severe/ hazardous weather.

Mount Saint Mary's University defines severe/hazardous weather conditions as any weather condition that may endanger our faculty, students, or staff while en route to their classroom or work place. Faculty, students, and staff are encouraged to follow the guidelines of this institutional policy.

1. The president of the university will decide if severe/hazardous weather conditions exist and warrant a delayed opening or a closing of the University. The Seminary, as a resident institution, does not close because of severe/hazardous weather.

In the absence of the president, the decision will be made by the executive vice-president. A delay or closing of the university includes both classes and offices . The president will make the decision in consultation with the director of public safety, based on the following information:

• conditions of the campus roadways and parking lots and the ability of physical plant staff to keep up with the storm
• conditions of local roadways and the ability of the state and county to keep the roads passable
• weather forecasts for the next 12 hours - (according to the National Weather Service)
• state and/or county restrictions

2. For storms occurring late at night or early in the morning, the decision to close the university or delay operations will be announced at approximately 5:30 a.m. The decision to cancel evening undergraduate and graduate classes will be made by the president before 3:00 p.m. The decision to cancel off campus classes will also be made at this time, by the president in consultation with the dean for continuing studies.

3. Severely changing weather conditions could dictate that these decisions be made at a later time or that a delay be extended. When a storm is in the forecast, faculty, students, and staff are expected to monitor the designated TV and radio station in their area, access the university web page, or call one of the Information-Call-Lines for updated information. In no cases should students, faculty, or employees travel to campus if the local weather conditions are unsafe. Given the distances and local weather conditions the university will accept the personal judgment concerning the safety of travel. Students, faculty and employees should always exercise caution and consider safety as their first priority.

4. There are two delay schedules: Schedule "A" is for the class schedule on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Schedule "B" is for Tuesdays and Thursdays. Essential personnel arriving on campus before that time will be paid overtime.

 5. Following a decision to delay or close the university, an emergency status will be immediately implemented. The President will notify the vice presidents, the director of athletics and the director of communications. The director of public safety will be responsible for contacting the appropriate media outlets. The Mount's "Weather Line" and the university's web page will be the first notified of the decision. Class cancellations will be posted on the Mount's Weather Line and web page and updated every half hour.

Information-Call-Lines:
Mount Weather Line: 301-447-5777
The following radio and TV stations can be monitored as an additional source of information concerning the status of the university:

Radio Stations:
Gettysburg WGET 1320 AM
WGTY 107.7FM
Frederick WFMD 930 AM
WFRE 99.9 FM
WAFY103.1 FM
Waynesboro WAYZ 1380 AM
Chambersburg 101.5FM
Hagerstown
Greencastle
TV Stations:
Hagerstown WHAG Channel 25
Washington WUSA Channel 9
Baltimore WBAL Channel 11

6. In the event of a university closing, only essential personnel should report to work. In the event of a delay, essential personnel and all physical plant personnel should report to work as regularly scheduled. Hourly staff employees will be paid in accordance with the Employee Handbook for Staff Employees of Mount Saint Mary's University .

Scheduled Public Safety officers, Residence Life staff, Student Health Services staff, and designated Physical Plant employees are considered essential personnel. Although not considered essential services, the library, media center, PC Labs, and Knott ARCC have each developed contingency plans so that limited services can be offered except in the most extreme of weather conditions. The post office, university store, and all other offices and services are considered non-essential and will not open when the university is declared closed.

Non-essential employees must not report to work during a delay or university closing without the expressed consent of their immediate supervisor. This permission should not be given by the immediate supervisor without first consulting the executive director of human resources or the divisional vice president.

7. Unless otherwise announced, all extra-curricular activities (lectures, recitals, athletic events, etc.) are canceled when the university is closed because of weather conditions.

8. Weather conditions in a particular area that is not severe enough for a university delay or closing still might make it hazardous for a faculty member or employee to make it to the Mount. In such cases, faculty members should inform Public Safety of their class cancellations. This information will be added to the Mount Weather Line and the university web page. The faculty member will be asked to provide the last four digits of his/her Social Security number. Employees, including those designated essential employees, should notify their immediate supervisors prior to their scheduled shifts if they cannot report to work.

9. The liberal leave policy will be recognized for any employee who cannot get to work because of hazardous

weather conditions. Liberal leave means an employee must use his/her vacation, personal leave, or leave without pay, but need not have to obtain for prior approval.

10. Resident and commuter students can obtain information on University closings, delays, or class cancellations through:

A. School Closing or delay:
- X5777 Weather Line
- radio and TV announcements
-  university web page (Student and Staff Announcements)
- RA's
B. Class cancellation:
•  X5777 Weather Line
•  university web page (Student and Staff Announcements)

11. No university fleet vehicle will be dispatched to any university employee or student when road conditions are unsafe for travel. If the snow emergency plan for Frederick County is in effect no vehicles will be dispatched from campus till it is lifted.

12. Vehicles parked in a "snow emergency" lot which are not assigned to that lot, and are interfering with snow removal, will be towed at the owner's expense. Terrace, Pangborn, Bradley (front and back), and Apartment lots are designated as snow emergency lots. It is the owners' responsibility to move vehicles to the assigned lot in advance of an approaching storm.

13. Snow removal plan - following is the schedule for snow removal. Keep in mind that several operations will be occurring at the same time.

A. main Campus Roads, including ARCC circle
B. parking Lots

1) Dining Services ........................... lot 9
2) Pangborn .......................... lots 5 and 5A
3) Faculty & Commuter Lots ........... lots 10 and 8
4) Bradley Admin istration ............ lots 3 and 3A
5) ARCC employee lots ........ lot 14 and north ramp
6) Seminary ........................ lots 11 and 11A
7) Science Building .......................... lot 6
8) Resident and Theme Homes
9) Resident Student Parking .......... lots 7 and 10
10) ARCC event parking ............. lots A-F and 14A

C. Essential walkways and steps - the main arteries from parking lots, Academic Center, and McGowan Center to residence halls and offices.

14. The university will reopen at normal times the following day unless otherwise notified.