Scope
The purpose of this policy is to provide guidance to students and employees in the event of the cancellation of classes, campus closure, if directed by the Governor, or early departure, due to extreme weather conditions.
Policy Statement
It is SUNY Geneseo's practice to continue normal hours of operation and maintain a regular work and class schedule for faculty, staff members, and students during periods of severe weather to the extent that it is possible. Notwithstanding this practice, it is understandable that in certain extraordinary situations it may not be possible for employees to get to work or students to attend classes without jeopardizing their personal well-being. In situations such as these, College faculty staff, and students should make their own decisions about reporting to work or classes with due consideration for travel safety.
Definitions
Policy
Policy for Students
Students are encouraged to clarify what their faculty members expect of them prior to the onset of a weather event. Students seeking further clarity related to the expectations of their faculty are encouraged to contact the Dean of Students. Students who have decided to miss class due to weather events should notify their faculty members in a timely fashion.
Only the Governor has the authority to close state facilities and offices. Although pursuant to NYS Executive Law, Article 2-B, a Chief Executive of a County, City or Village may declare a state of emergency, such declaration has no authority over the closure of state offices or facilities. In the event of such declaration, only the Governor determines the closure or non-closure of state offices.
Even though only the Governor can “close” New York State campuses, the College president has the authority to declare an extreme weather day (i.e., snow day) and cancel classes.
If classes have been cancelled, residence halls and dining halls will remain open.
Communication of the President’s decision to the Geneseo community will be through announcements via the College’s listservs. Additionally, there will be a “Weather Alert” button on the SUNY Geneseo home page linking to applicable information when extreme weather-related conditions exist. Posts will also be made to Geneseo’s social media platforms. NYAlert may be used in extreme weather emergencies.
If cancellation of classes has been declared prior to the start of the instructional period, announcements will be sent to local and regional media outlets.
Policy for Staff
Only the Governor has the authority to close state facilities and offices. Although pursuant to NYS Executive Law, Article 2-B, a Chief Executive of a County, City or Village may declare a state of emergency, such declaration has no authority over the closure of state offices or facilities. In the event of such declaration, only the Governor determines the closure or non-closure of state offices.
Even though only the Governor can “close” New York State campuses, the College president has the authority to take the following actions:
- declare a weather emergency and cancel classes. When this decision has been made, absences of non-instructional employees who are normally scheduled to work may follow standard call-in procedures to communicate their absence due to the weather to their supervisor. Employees who decide not to report to work shall charge the time against appropriate accrued time, such as compensatory time, vacation accruals, or personal leave. This does not apply to essential services personnel.
- excuse reasonable tardiness without charge to leave credits when extraordinary weather conditions delay the arrival time of a significant number of employees (full- day absences, however, cannot be excused without charge to leave credits or payroll adjustment).
- allow the early departure of employees when, in their opinion, weather conditions are such as will likely disrupt return transportation to their homes. Employees who decide to leave work early shall charge the time against appropriate accrued time, such as compensatory time, vacation accruals, or personal leave. This does not apply to essential services personnel.
Staff members who have decided to miss work due to weather events should notify their supervisors in a timely fashion and charge the appropriate accrued time, such as compensatory time, vacation accruals, or personal leave. At campus discretion, where an employee is able to fulfill their work obligation from an alternate location they may do so.
Essential Services Personnel
Essential services (i.e., power plant, maintenance, University Police, information technology, animal care, food service, health service, those with responsibility for laboratory experiments and other employees who are essential to maintaining the University's vital or mission-critical services, to providing food for residents and to clean the parking lots and roadways, or other emergency response, relief, and recovery) must be maintained in spite of severe weather conditions and College employees previously designated as essential services personnel must remain on duty or make every effort to report to work to avoid interruption of essential services unless directed or permitted to do otherwise in accordance with these guidelines. Professional staff should make every attempt to contact their supervisors in case of emergency conditions to assure that all essential services are covered. Faculty and staff reporting to work during Extraordinary Weather Conditions should park only in B or K parking lots to permit effective snow removal.
Implementation
- The Chief of University Police is responsible for monitoring weather reports and road conditions for the College. The Chief of University Police may consult with the state, local and county police, and the Assistant Vice President for Facilities and Planning to monitor the effect of weather conditions on transportation to and from the campus.
- The Chief of University Police will advise the President or designee if reports indicate that conditions will severely hinder students and employees from safely traveling to and/or from the College.
- The President or designee will decide the appropriate action to be taken.
- Communication of the President’s decision to the College community will be as follows:
- The President will notify, or delegate authority to the University Police Department to notify, each college vice president, the chief communications and marketing officer, and the associate vice president for human resources.
- The Chief Communications and Marketing Officer will facilitate announcements via Geneseo’s emergency messaging, including media, social media, email, text message, and listservs. Additionally, there will be a “Weather Alert” button on the SUNY Geneseo home page linking to applicable information when extreme weather related conditions exist.
- If cancellation of classes has been declared prior to the start of the instructional period, announcements will be made on the local and regional media outlets.
- If the President concludes that prevailing weather conditions justify the excuse of reasonable tardiness, employees will be notified by the Department of Human Resources.
- If the President communicates an opportunity for early departure, the President will advise the Vice Presidents and the Associate Vice President for Human Resources. The Vice Presidents will notify supervisory personnel in their areas to communicate to employees not required for essential services of the opportunity for early departure. Employees should not leave their work locations until approved to do so by their immediate supervisors.
- If appropriate, follow-up notifications related to staff and faculty issues will be sent by the Associate Vice President of Human Resources via Allstaff-L listserv. Student-related notifications will be sent by the Dean of Students via AllStudents-L listserv.
Frequency of Review and Update
Every 5 Years
Approval
Date of Approval