POLICY TEMPLATE University Class Cancellation and Closing Procedures Category: Approval: Responsibility: Date: Operations PVP Vice President, Finance and Administration Date initially approved: Pre-2005 Date of last revision: November 18, 2014 Definitions: Class or Exam Cancellation means that classes or exams are cancelled, normally due to hazardous weather conditions, but that employees report to work as soon as it is safe to do so in accordance with their departmental procedures, so that other university operations may continue. If employees are already at work, they are to obtain permission from their supervisor before going home early during working hours. Special event organizers and departments with practica are responsible to decide whether or not to cancel their activity, and to inform participants. Emergency Closing of the University means that all activities conducted on one or more Trent campus(es) will be cancelled, buildings will be locked and notices posted around campus to that effect. Only Campus Security/G4S Oshawa and designated personnel as defined in the Trent University Emergency Management Plan (i.e. Campus Security, Physical Resources and Information Technology staff and the Emergency Response Team) will be allowed on campus; all others will be evacuated. At the discretion of the Associate Vice-President Students, and if it can be done safely, special provisions may be made for students living in residence. Purpose/Reason for Policy: It is the intent of this policy to provide clear authorities and detailed, consistent procedures to be implemented in the event that a university closure or class/exam cancellation is required. Scope of this Policy: This policy applies to all Trent University activities conducted on Symons, Traill and Oshawa campuses and to all employees, students, contractors, volunteers and visitors to those campuses. The Emergency Management Plan provides additional information. Policy Statement: It is the policy of Trent University to maintain operations as scheduled unless physically prevented by an emergency situation or in a situation, such as severe weather, when there is a significant risk to personal safety. In such cases, class/exam cancellation or temporary closure may be required. 1
Responsibilities: The authority and responsibility for cancelling classes and/or closing the University rests with the Vice-President, Finance and Administration in Peterborough and/or the Head, Trent in Oshawa for Oshawa. During exams, this decision will be taken in consultation with the Registrar when possible. Class cancellations and emergency closings will be firm and not left to the discretion of individuals or departments. As well, individual Department Heads/Chairs are not authorized to unilaterally close their department or cancel departmental classes or exams. However, decisions to cancel or postpone specific activities or allow individual employees to leave work in specific circumstances of high risk rest with the responsible Department Head/Chair. Due to risk of liability, no special arrangements will be made to continue any events when Emergency Closure of the University is announced. All university employees are to read and follow the provisions of this policy. Contact Officer Director, Risk Management Date for Next Review 2015/08/01 Related Policies, Procedures and Guidelines Policies Superseded by This Policy Emergency Management Plan Nil 2
APPENDIX B Contact Officer PROCEDURE CLASS CANCELLATION AND/OR CAMPUS CLOSURE Director, Risk Management Purpose The purpose is to provide instructions and timelines for cancelling classes/exams or closing university campuses in Peterborough and/or Oshawa in the case of severe weather or other emergency. Procedure Whenever someone other than the primary individual noted in the first column have responsibilities relating to each step, their title is highlighted in bold in the second column outlining the procedure. PROCEDURE Campus Security Severe Weather It is the responsibility of Campus Security in Peterborough to monitor weather, road conditions and bus service after normal working hours, and try to determine whether the other educational institutions in Peterborough or Oshawa are likely to cancel classes or close. When hazardous weather conditions are imminent, Campus Security shall provide information about weather reports, road conditions, local bus service and closure decisions of other institutions to the VP Finance and Administration and/or the Head, Trent in Oshawa. Security may consult the following phone lines or web sites: Peterborough County OPP OPP Operations Centre Orillia (emergency line) Ministry of Transportation (road conditions) Peterborough Community Police Service Environment Canada Peterborough Peterborough Transit Sir Sandford Fleming College Campus Security () Sir Sandford Fleming College Security Manager (Fleming College) GTA Post-Secondary Institutions email group Security Directors including UOIT/DC, U of T Scarborough, Centennial College, George Brown College and Sheridan College Durham Police Service Oshawa Transit Durham Region Police Service CAA Emergency Road Service http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/city/pages/on-121_metric_e.html http://www.theweathernetwork.com/weather/caon0536 http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/traveller/conditions/ 3
http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/traveller/trip/road_closures.shtml http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/traveller/ http://www.thewolf.ca/ To assist in determining the estimated timing of weather events, Environment Canada defines time of day as follows: Morning 6.00 am - 12.00 pm Afternoon 12.00 pm - 6.00 pm Evening 6.00 pm - 12.00 am Overnight 12.00 am - 6.00 am Early morning 6.00 am - 9.00 am Early afternoon 12.00 pm - 3.00 pm Early evening 6.00 pm - 9.00 pm Near noon 11.00 am - 1.00 pm Late morning 9.00 am - 12.00 pm Late afternoon 3.00 pm - 6.00 pm Late evening 9.00 pm - 12.00 am Near midnight 11.00 pm - 1.00 am Please note that there is one exception to this: for the forecast issued at 4:00 p.m., the evening is from 4:00 p.m. until midnight. Campus Security will specifically determine whether there is a local OPP travel advisory in place and whether Peterborough or Durham Transit is expected to or has ceased operations. In either instance, class cancellation is advised. Campus security will contact the Director, Risk Management with a report on the weather before: 6:15 a.m. on a workday to ensure the decision is broadcast on local radio by 7:00 a.m. By 3:30 p.m. to ensure the decision to cancel evening classes is promulgated by 4:00 p.m. At least three hours in advance of any exam sessions that are to be cancelled The Director, Risk Management will make a recommendation to the VP Finance and Administration or Head, Trent in Oshawa regarding cancellation or closing. Vice-President Finance and Administration and/or Head, Trent in Oshawa Assistant to the VP Finance and Administration Will decide whether or not to cancel classes or close the university, at what time and so instruct the Director, Risk Management and the Executive Director, Marketing and Communications. Will immediately email the Senior Management Committee to provide them with advance warning of class cancellations so that they can ensure their employees are advised to remain at work. In the case of an emergency closing, Senior Management Committee may not receive advance warning. Executive Director, Marketing and Communications Will issue the following Emergency Communications System (ECS) Announcement for class cancellations or emergency closure ATTENTION PLEASE, ATTENTION PLEASE. EFFECTIVE (state time) CLASSES WILL BE CANCELLED/THE UNIVERSITY IS CLOSED 4
and/or Campus Security UNTIL (date and time or FURTHER NOTICE ) DUE TO (specify reason). TRENT EMPLOYEES ARE TO CONTINUE THEIR NORMAL WORK SCHEDULE/DESIGNATED PERSONNEL ARE TO REMAIN ON CAMPUS AND CONTACT THEIR SUPERVISORS; ALL OTHERS ARE TO LEAVE CAMPUS IMMEDIATELY (PROVIDE TRANSIT DETAILS). PLEASE CONSULT THE TRENT WEB PAGE, INFO TRENT 748-1234 OR LOCAL MEDIA FOR UPDATES ON THIS SITUATION This message will be repeated three times, followed by a text message and an email to employees and students. The message will be repeated periodically throughout the closure. The Executive Director, Marketing and Communications will: change the recorded message on InfoTrent 748-1234. post the cancellation/closure on the Trent internet welcome screen and the student and employee intranet portals. change the recorded message on the main University number 748-1011. advise local media as per the attached list. NOTE: In the event of a power failure, the ECS will remain operational for 30 minutes so the closure/cancellation announcement is to be made during this time. If further announcements are required, they can be made from a telephone in the DNA building, but will only broadcast to those phones with backup power (DNA, most e-phones). Campus Security, with the assistance of all available employees, will endeavour to post notices around campus and inform people of the closure/cancellation by cell phone and word of mouth. Executive Director, Marketing and Communications will update MyTrent as soon as possible once power is restored and will deliver messages by any available means to local media Note: If the decision is not to cancel classes or close a campus, the Executive Director, Marketing and Communication will post a notice on the main web page that Trent remains open. 1 Campus Security or the Executive Director, Marketing and Communications will notify the operations listed below, which are not on the Trent ECS system. TAS Communications via radio Walk-Home Program via radio TUEFRT via radio MNR Health in Motion CUPE TCCBE Peterborough Transit 1 Added for clarity at request of Office of Risk Management, December 5, 2013. 5
If Transit advises that buses are being cancelled, Campus Security will inform the TCSA Operations Coordinator and may use the ECS to inform the Trent community of the impending cancellation along with information as to how people can obtain transit to town. Every effort will be made to schedule several final bus runs to transport students, including asking Transit to arrange for emergency snow clearance on the Trent express route. Campus Security/G4S Oshawa EMERGENCY CLOSING Campus Security will inform the Director, Risk Management of any emergency situations. As per the Emergency Management Plan, the Director, Risk Management will inform the VP Finance and Administration or Head, Trent in Oshawa of the circumstances along with recommendations as to whether the Emergency Operations Control Group (EOCG) should be convened, classes/exams cancelled or the campus(es) closed. In an emergency closure, Campus Security/G4S will make every effort to ensure all non-designated individuals leave campus, unless it is unsafe for them to do so. In such a situation the OC Cafeteria/Oshawa cafeteria will remain open as a gathering place for stranded persons until safe travel can resume. The Great Hall Cafeteria will be a secondary gathering place. Security will inform Chartwells to keep the appropriate gathering place open until further notice. Executive Director, Marketing and Communications RESUMPTION OF NORMAL OPERATIONS Once the unsafe or emergency situation has passed, the Executive Director, Marketing and Communications will update InfoTrent, Website and main university number messages to advise that Trent is operating normally. In the event of a Friday or weekend cancellation or closure, the Executive Director, Marketing and Communications will make arrangements to revise InfoTrent, Web site and main University number messages on Saturday or Sunday as required, noting when all University operations return to the normal weekend/weekday schedule. Head, Trent in Oshawa OSHAWA Trent's classes held in Oshawa may be cancelled even though Peterborough classes are not; or Peterborough classes may be cancelled when Trent in Oshawa continues to operate. The Head, Trent in Oshawa, will make the decision to cancel classes or close the campus based on the same considerations that are outlined above. The G4S guard will be responsible to monitor weather conditions during working hours and inform the Head if conditions become hazardous. Once the decision to cancel classes or close the campus is made, the Head, Trent in Oshawa will notify: 6
All Trent in Oshawa instructors teaching that day and all support staff. This may be done by requiring employees to check the website, by sending emails or by calling individuals at the A/Dean s discretion. Executive Director, Marketing and Communications, who will notify both Oshawa and Peterborough radio and television stations. G4S guard and Trent Campus Security, who will subsequently notify the Director, Risk Management, who will in turn notify the VP Academic and the VP Finance and Administration I.T. Department Manager, Student Services who will contact G4S Oshawa to make arrangements for additional patrols or guard services if warranted due to a power outage. Associate Vice President Strategic Enrolment Management and Registrar EXAM CANCELLATIONS AND CLOSURES In the event that the university must be closed during the exam period the VP Finance and Administration or Head, Trent in Oshawa will consider the exam schedule when making the closure decision. If exams are to be cancelled, normally due to inclement weather, the cancellation decision is to be made and MyTrent updated at least three hours in advance of the exam session(s) to be cancelled, including exams held by Disability Services. If the forecast is uncertain, the decision should be made as close to the three hour advance limit as possible. The Associate Vice President Strategic Enrolment Management and Registrar is to ensure this procedure is communicated to students who will be advised to check MyTrent three hours before their exam. The Associate Vice President Strategic Enrolment Management and Registrar is to ensure that at least one extra day, and where possible additional days, are built into the exam schedule. The exam schedule is to note that any cancelled exams will be rescheduled to the last day(s) of the exam period and advise students not to book any out of area travel until after that date. To ensure consistent messaging, the following frequently asked questions and answers will be posted on the Registrar s Office site in the portal: Q: (student) If exams aren t cancelled, but I cannot safely drive to campus, or I am late due to transportation delays, what should I do? A: Contact your instructor to make alternative arrangements. Students are advised to leave plenty of extra time to drive to campus for exams, especially during inclement weather. 7
Q: (employee) If exams are cancelled, do I have to come to/stay at work? A: Yes, unless advised otherwise by your supervisor. It is your responsibility to contact your supervisor. Q: (invigilator/instructor) What are my responsibilities if exams are cancelled or the university is closed during exams? A: If the university is closed due to inclement weather that results in buses being cancelled and travel advisories issued by the OPP while an exam is underway, instructors or invigilators are responsible to bring to the attention of students the location of emergency transportation and/or accommodations provided by the university, which will be broadcast via the Emergency Communication System. If the university is closed due to any other reason, instructors or invigilators are to follow the directions broadcast via the Emergency Communication System and provide that information to their students. AVP, Physical Resources; AVP, Students; Associate Head, Trent in Oshawa; AVP SEM & Registrar Will provide contact phone numbers for one or more managers in their department who will be on-call throughout the exam period. In the event exams are cancelled, Campus Security or G4S Oshawa will inform these on-call managers of the cancellation to ensure that the exam tables set up in the gym are not struck down until rescheduled exams have been conducted. Date Approved Approval Authority Pre-2005 PVPs Date of Commencement 2010/08/12 Amendment Dates 2010/08/12, 2013/11/05, 2014/01/07, 2014/11/18 Date for Next Review 2015/08/01 Related Policies, Procedures and Guidelines Emergency Management Plan 8
APPENDIX C GUIDELINE TEMPLATE CLASS CANCELLATIONS OR CAMPUS CLOSURE Contact Officer Director, Risk Management Purpose To provide guidance in making a cancellation or closure decision. Guideline In situations where there are significant local school bus cancellations or when severe weather does not create a safety hazard sufficient to warrant cancelation or closure, the Executive Director, Marketing and Communications will post a notice on the main web site that Trent University remains open. Cancellations Class or exam cancellations should be considered when conditions are unsafe for people to get to campus or conditions on campus cannot support those activities (i.e. Power failure). If Peterborough or Oshawa Transit has been cancelled, generally due to inclement weather, many of our students cannot get to campus so classes or exams should be cancelled. If there are OPP or local police travel advisories or extreme weather warnings and other post-secondary education (PSE) institutions are cancelling classes, consideration should be given to cancelling classes or exams. Cancelling classes or exams is very disruptive to students and the academic mission, so the decision to cancel should not be taken lightly. That being said, personal safety is the primary consideration. Weather forecasts can change significantly in a relatively short period. Accordingly, cancellation or closure decisions should be made as close to the 2 hour (3 for exams) travel lead time as possible to ensure the decision reflects actual conditions. Closure A campus would be closed if conditions on campus are unsafe for most people. Examples might include widespread fire or flood, uncontrolled violence or extended power outages. Campus closure is extremely disruptive as it would entail finding alternative lodging for students or conference guests in residence. Related Policies / Procedures Emergency Management Plan 9
Links Links to relevant documentation, forms, explanatory notes. Date Approved 2013/11/05 Approval Authority PVP 10