2005-2006 WEATHER AND EMERGENCY CLOSING OR CANCELLATION
PROCEDURE FOR FOND DU LAC TRIBAL AND COMMUNITY COLLEGE

I. PURPOSE

In accordance with MnSCU Policy 4.4, the following procedure is followed when it becomes necessary to close the college or cancel academic or non-academic activities, or delay the opening of the college due to inclement weather or other emergency conditions. This procedure will also describe working conditions and the compensation status of employees during the time the college is closed.

II. DEFINITIONS

A. Closing the College: closing the college means to close all operations other than those operations deemed essential to the protection of life and property. Closing the college results in the cancellation of classes, student, faculty and staff activities, and meetings. All general offices are closed.

B. Delayed Opening: delayed opening refers to closing of all operations for a designated period of time other than those operations deemed essential to the protection of life and property.

C. Cancellation of Classes and/or Activities:

1. Cancellations of classes (off-campus or on-campus) means to cancel one, several, or all classes, in the absence of officially closing the entire college.
2. Cancellation of non-academic activities refers to cancellation of an event such as athletic events, theatrical productions, concerts, or workshops.

III. AUTHORITY

In accordance with MnSCU Policy 4.4, the authority to close the college campus, cancel classes or other activities when a weather emergency or other emergency exists, resides with the college president or president’s designee(s). The closure of state agencies by the Commissioner of the Department of Employee Relations does not apply to Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College.

IV. PROCEDURE AND NOTIFICATION

A. Closing or Delayed Opening.

1. The decision to close or delay opening of the college due to weather or other emergency is made by the president or the president’s designee: Larry Anderson, Vice President of Administration and Student Services. Appropriate notification will be made to the MnSCU System Office as the decision is made.
2. In times of weather or other emergency conditions, assessment of conditions shall be the responsibility of the administrative team.
3. The president or designee(s) shall identify and inform essential personnel who must report to work during times the college is closed or there is a delayed opening due to emergency procedures, and must develop procedures for notification of such personnel at these times. The following positions are designated as essential for purposes of closing due to inclement weather or other emergencies:

Donald Day, President
Mark Bernhardson, Building Maintenance Foreman

4. Notification of employees on duty and/or students that are on campus at the time the emergency closing will be as follows:

The administrator shall inform employees of the emergency at the time of closing.

Students will be notified through appropriate student support services and academic offices, which are:

Larry Anderson, VP of Administration and Student Services
Sister Therese Gutting, Vice President of Academic Affairs

5. Notification of employees not on duty or students not on campus: Both employees and students will be notified through announcements on radio and television:

WKLK radio/96.5 FM, 1230 AM, KBJR TV/6, KDAL radio/96 Lite FM/610 AM, WDIO TV/10,

KDLH TV/3, WEBC radio/560 AM, KKCB radio/B105 FM, KLDJ radio/101.7 FM,

KUSZ radio/108 FM, KISS radio/92.1, and KQDS radio/94.9

6. Determination of closing or delayed opening shall be made by 6:00 a.m.
7. The VP of Administration and Student Services will be responsible for contacting news media and the Office of the Chancellor regarding closing information. See above news media.
8. In the event the VP of Administration and Student Services is off campus traveling, the Vice President of Academic Affairs will be responsible for contacting news media regarding closing information. See above news media.

B. Cancellation of Classes and/or Activities:

1. The decision to cancel one, several, or all classes (on and off-campus), in the absence of closing the college, will be made by the president or designee. Special attention will be given to night classes, many of whose students must travel considerable distances. Weather consideration shall be given considerable weight.
2. The decision to cancel a non-academic event, in the absence of closing the college, will be made by the director of the activity in consultation with the person’s supervisor.
3. Whenever possible, decisions to cancel day classes will be made by 6:00 a.m., and decisions to cancel night classes will be made by 3:30 p.m.

V. MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITY

Management will inform employees and students of this procedure by the following methods.

A. This procedure will be permanently posted on all bulletin boards.

B. Each supervisor/administrator shall route a copy of this procedure to each employee, and describe the procedure to employees during staff meetings and/or employee departmental briefings.

C. A copy of this procedure will be provided to the local representatives of each bargaining unit.

D. Copies of this procedure will be provided to appropriate student services offices, staff, faculty, clubs, organizations, etc.

E. Each employee who is designated as “weather essential” shall be provided with a copy of this procedure.

F. A condensed version of this procedure will be published and will be included in the publications provided to students as well as in the Faculty and Staff Handbooks.

VI. WORK RESPONSIBILITIES WHEN THE COLLEGE IS CLOSED OR
CLASSES AND NON-ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES ARE CANCELED

A. Closing the college: when the college is closed due to an emergency which threatens the health and safety of individuals, employees not deemed vital for the safe operation of the college may be excused from duty with full pay. With regard to such closure, the following additional guidelines will prevail:

1. When a campus is closed, college employees are excused from work with pay. A campus closure applies to all employees without regard to labor contract. Weather of other emergency essential employees who are not excused from work will be paid at their regular rate of pay.
2. Employees who reported for work and were sent home should not be paid for more than their regularly scheduled hours. Employees shall not b enriched through additional compensation, including compensatory time, or increased benefits as a result of an emergency situation.
3. Employees who were required by their appointing authorities to remain at work should not be paid for more than their regularly scheduled hours or the actual number of hour worked inclusive of any overtime.
4. Employees on approved sick or pre-arranged vacation/leave shall not have such leave time restored to their balances.
5. Employees on any approved leave without pay shall not be paid for this emergency leave time.
6. Employees who called in, on the day of an emergency, for vacation time, compensatory time, or leave without pay, will be credited with emergency leave from the point of the declaration of the emergency to the end of their scheduled shift, if the appointing authority ceased operations during their regular shift.
7. Employee uniform time reports should indicate the number of emergency hours utilized in the remarks section.
8. An employee’s absence with pay for emergency situations shall not exceed 16 hours during that emergency unless the president has authorized a longer period.

B. Cancellation of Classes and/or Activities:

1. When classes are canceled but the college is not closed, individual faculty shall take personal leave or make appropriate curricular adjustments (e.g., scheduling make up classes, meetings, office hours, or other compensatory activities) as approved by management.
2. When non-academic activities are canceled, the activities shall be rescheduled when appropriate and possible.

Inclement Weather When the College is Not Closed:

1. Due to personal circumstances during inclement weather, such as place of residence, employees might find it necessary to leave work early even though the college has not been closed.
2. Further, employees might be unable to get to work even though the college is open. In such cases, personal leave or vacation leave may be granted or, if working conditions permit, the time may be made up at the discretion of the supervisor.