Gettysburg College Inclement Weather Policy

Purpose of Policy

This policy establishes the protocol for maintaining campus operations during inclement weather conditions while prioritizing the safety of students, faculty, and staff. The policy defines operational categories and responsibilities to enable effective decision-making and communication during weather-related events that may impact normal campus activities.

Scope of Policy

This policy applies to all Gettysburg College students, faculty, and staff during inclement weather conditions. It addresses both on-campus residential students and employees who commute from surrounding geographic areas. The policy applies to all campus operations, including academic classes and labs, athletic activities, administrative operations, and essential student support services during weather-related events.

Definitions

• Category 1 - Campus Open with Modified Operations: Campus remains open but with flexible arrangements for classes and labs, athletic practices, and administrative offices. Essential student support areas (Campus Safety, Dining Services, Facilities Services) are open and staffed in person. Student support areas including the Library, Jaeger Center, and the CUB desk must have an on-campus presence, although services may be limited. See full description below.
• Category 2 - Campus Closed with Virtual Operations: Campus is closed for safety reasons and operations move to virtual format for a designated time period (partial or full day). Designated Emergency Personnel are required to report to campus. See full description below.
• Emergency Personnel: Employees previously identified as performing duties essential to maintaining campus operations who are required to report to campus during closures.
• Flex Time: Modified work schedule arrangements allowing employees to adjust their hours to accommodate inclement weather conditions.
• Virtual Operations: Remote delivery of classes, administrative services, and other campus functions during designated closure periods.
• Inclement Weather Committee: Committee responsible for monitoring weather conditions and making operational recommendations.

Policy Description

As a residential college, Gettysburg College is responsible for its on-campus students, so the College continues operations even during inclement weather. However, for the safety of students and employees, there may be times when weather conditions cause the College to keep the campus open but with modified operations (Category 1), or to close the campus and move to virtual operations for a designated period of time (Category 2). These two operational categories are described in detail below. During times of inclement weather, the Facilities Services Department will work diligently to clear sidewalks, parking lots and roadways.

Category 1: Campus Open with Modified Operations

Classes/Labs and Athletic Practices: Classes and labs may be held in person or virtually at the discretion of faculty. Faculty are responsible for notifying their students. Athletic practices may be held in person or virtually at the discretion of coaches. Coaches are responsible for notifying their athletes.

Offices: Essential student support areas including Campus Safety, Dining Services, and Facilities Services are open and staffed in person. Additionally, student support areas including the Library, Jaeger Center, and the CUB desk must have an on-campus presence, although services may be limited. All other administrative departments and offices must be easily accessible either in person or remotely.

Employees: The College recognizes that employees come from a wide geographic area. If the College is open but an employee believes that driving to or from campus may compromise their safety, the employee should notify their supervisor, who will determine whether remote work is available in accordance with the College's Remote and Hybrid Work Policy. If remote work is not available, the employee may choose to use flex time.

Flex time for hourly employees may be used as follows:

• Hourly employees may modify their normal work schedule to accommodate inclement weather by coming to work late or leaving early and making up the lost time. This should be done within the same week for hourly employees.
• Hourly employees may choose to be paid for unworked hours by using accrued sick or vacation time.
• Hourly employees may take the hours off without pay and without the need to make up those hours.

Category 2: Campus Closed with Virtual Operations for a Partial or Full Day

A decision to close campus and move to virtual operations will be made only for safety reasons. The decision will be made as soon as possible and will be based on weather forecasts, campus conditions, and the conditions surrounding campus.

Virtual operations are in effect for a designated time period, which could be a partial day (e.g. delayed opening or early release) or a full day.

Designated Emergency Personnel are required to report to campus (see below).

Classes/Labs and Athletic Practices: Classes and labs may be held virtually or cancelled at the discretion of faculty. Faculty are responsible for notifying their students. Athletic practices may be held virtually or cancelled at the discretion of coaches. Coaches are responsible for notifying their athletes.

Offices: Essential student support areas including Campus Safety, Dining Services, and Facilities Services are open and staffed in person by designated Emergency Personnel, although services may be limited.

All other administrative departments and offices operate virtually for the designated time period.

Employees: The following measures are in place for employees based on their individual work circumstances:

• Employees required to report to campus (Emergency Personnel): Employees who previously have been identified as performing duties essential to maintaining campus operations (Emergency Personnel) are required to report to campus for work as directed when campus is closed. During such events, Emergency Personnel are eligible for Emergency Pay. Supervisors should clarify with employees their status as Emergency Personnel before inclement weather strikes.
• Employees who are not Emergency Personnel and who can work remotely: An employee who typically works on campus but is able to work remotely should do so ("Occasional Remote Work"). An employee with a "Regular Hybrid Work" arrangement (working on campus and remotely on a rotating schedule) should plan to work remotely during inclement weather, regardless of their rotation schedule. An employee with a "Remote Work" arrangement should work remotely. Alternatively, employees in any of these categories ("Occasional Remote Work", Regular Hybrid Work" or "Remote Work") may use flex time if they opt not to work remotely during the time that campus is closed. However, supervisors must ensure that administrative departments and offices are staffed virtually.
• Employees who are not Emergency Personnel and who cannot work remotely: Employees who have not been previously identified as Emergency Personnel and who are unable to perform their work remotely should not report to work. Such employees will be paid at their regular rate for the hours they typically work during the designated time of the campus closure.
• Student/Casual employees: Student and casual employees who work in Campus Safety, Dining Services, and Facilities Services will be approved to work during a campus closure. Student and casual employees who work in other areas are not approved to work during a campus closure. Supervisors should reach out to student and casual employees to discuss their work schedule during inclement weather. Students and casual employees working in these three departments will be paid Emergency Pay during the designated period. All other student and casual employees should not report to work during a campus closure.

Inclement Weather Committee

The Inclement Weather Committee is charged with monitoring current and future weather conditions and determining how to maintain classes and other activities as possible during inclement weather.

The Inclement Weather Committee consists of the Chief of Staff, Executive Director of Campus Safety, Associate Vice President of Facilities Planning and Management, Executive Director of Human Resources, Director of Academic Operations, Finance, and Communications, and the Executive Director of Auxiliary Services. Additional campus partners from College Life, Athletics, IT, Payroll, and Communications and Marketing are consulted as appropriate.

When inclement weather is forecasted, the Executive Director of Campus Safety or designee contacts campus constituents about events happening before and/or during a storm. The Executive Director of Campus Safety creates a document outlining all of these campus events along with weather predictions.

The Executive Director of Campus Safety or designee then convenes the Inclement Weather Committee to develop a recommendation about the operational category (Category 1: Campus Open with Modified Operations or Category 2: Campus Closed with Virtual Operations for a Partial or Full Day) during the inclement weather.

The recommendation from the Inclement Weather Committee is based on the following information:

• Current weather conditions
• Weather forecasts for the next 12 hours (according to the National Weather Service)
• Condition of College roadways, parking lots, and sidewalks and the ability of Facilities Services to keep up with the storm
• Condition of local roadways and the ability of the County and State to keep the roads passable
• Municipal, County and/or State advisories, warnings, and restrictions

The Chief of Staff, on behalf of the Inclement Weather Committee, makes a recommendation to members of President's Council, including the VP of Finance and Administration, Provost, and VP of College Life (and the President, as needed) about the operational category (Category 1: Campus Open with Modified Operations or Category 2: Campus Closed with Virtual Operations for a Partial or Full Day) during inclement weather. Every effort will be made to provide this recommendation at least 12 hours in advance of the inclement weather. Following conferral with these members of President’s Council, the Chief of Staff communicates the operational category decision to the Executive Director of Campus Safety.

The Executive Director of Campus Safety is responsible for communication to the campus:

• Category 1: Campus Open with Modified Operations
  • An all-campus e-mail will be sent by the Executive Director of Campus Safety
• Category 2: Campus Closed with Virtual Operations for a Partial or Full Day
  • An all-campus e-mail will be sent by the Executive Director of Campus Safety
  • A message will be posted on the College's website and on social media by Communications and Marketing
  • Traditional media outlets, such as TV and radio, will be notified by Communications and Marketing
  • The emergency mass notification system (EMNS) may be used by the Executive Director of Campus Safety in extreme situations in which traditional communication methods are ineffective (e.g. power outage)

Supervisors are responsible for communicating with their staff about possible impact on work schedules.

Transportation Concerns

Transportation trips and transportation vehicle use may be postponed or canceled at the discretion of the Associate Vice President of Facilities Planning and Management or designee. Employees and students should contact Transportation Services at 717-337-6923 to confirm that transportation trips are still running as scheduled or that transportation vehicles are available for use.

Mass transit carrier delays and cancelation information (bus, train, and plane) must be acquired by the individual or the office requesting transportation and will not be the responsibility of the Transportation Department. If a person is delivered to a mass transit site and their bus, train, or plane is canceled, a special trip will not be made to return for the individual. The individual or office requesting transportation will be responsible for their own arrangements.

Questions

Questions regarding flex time or remote work should be addressed to immediate supervisors.

Other questions from administrators and support staff should be directed to the Human Resources Office. The Executive Director of Human Resources will make policy interpretations concerning administrators and support staff.

Questions from faculty should be directed to the Provost's Office. The Provost will make policy interpretations concerning faculty.

Policy Management

The Chief of Staff and the Executive Director of Campus Safety are responsible for implementing this policy.

The Human Resources Office is responsible for policy interpretations concerning administrators and support staff.

The Provost's Office is responsible for policy interpretations concerning faculty.

Related Materials

• National Weather Service forecasts, watches, advisories, and warnings
• Municipal, County, and or State advisories, warnings, and restrictions