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Part 2. Campus Services
Section A. General Campus Policies
Policy Number: 2.A.1
Date Issued: November 1, 2001
Approved By: VP for Employee and Campus ServicesEMERGENCY CLOSURE NOTIFICATION
A. Policy Statement
In the event of severe weather conditions or other emergency situations, the University may suspend normal operations and classes. If suspended, all employees whose positions are designated as essential must report to work in order to sustain the University's operations and protect its assets.
B. Procedures
1. The President, upon the advice of the Vice President for Employee and Campus Services concerning weather conditions or emergency situations, shall make the decision to suspend the University's normal operations and classes.
2. If conditions arise during non-business hours that may require the suspension of normal operations, such decision shall be made by 5:00 a.m. The Vice President for Employee and Campus Services shall notify the Chief of the University Police Department (UTPD), the Director of the Physical Plant, the Director of Utilities and Energy Management, the Executive Officers and the Vice President for Public Affairs.
3. The Vice President for Public Affairs shall notify the news media; and shall make every reasonable effort to provide members of the University community and the public with notice of the suspension of normal operations by 6:00 a.m.
4. If the need to suspend normal operations and classes arises during hours of normal operation, the Vice President for Public Affairs shall follow the same notification procedures as outlined above as soon as possible after the President makes that decision.
C. University Responsibilities
It is the responsibility of the Vice President for Public Affairs to notify the news media. Every effort will be made to notify the public of a closing by 6:00 a.m. The Vice President for Public Affairs or his or her designee will initiate an appropriate Home Page, e-mail and emergency switchboard message, and provide regular status updates as they become available.
D. University Campuses and Facilities Outside of Austin, Texas
The decision to cancel classes and work at University campuses and facilities outside the city of Austin will be made by the director of that campus or facility, independent of the campus and facilities of the University in Austin.
E. Attendance Requirements
If the University is declared officially closed, all non-essential employees will be granted administrative leave for the hours they were scheduled to work. Hourly employees and student employees are excluded from this provision.
All employees who are required to work during a declared emergency closure will be granted equivalent compensatory time.
An employee who is on a prior approved annual leave during an emergency closure shall have the annual leave changed to administrative leave.
F. Emergency Essential Personnel
Essential personnel are employees designated by their departments as vital to the operation of the University. Their presence is required regardless of the existence of an emergency. If an essential employee cannot report to work, he or she should advise their supervisor immediately of their situation. At the discretion of their supervisor, employees may be subject to disciplinary action for failure to report.
Departments are responsible for providing UTPD with the names and building assignments of all essential employees that require access to the campus to respond to emergencies during a closure.
For Assistance: Questions regarding Emergency Management Closures should be directed to the Vice President for Employee and Campus Services.
Source: New UT Austin Policy