4.119 Human Resources
CLOSING OF MSU DUE TO EXTREME WEATHER CONDITIONS
Date Adopted/Most Recent Revision: 08/04/2006

  1. General
    Midwestern State University will remain open during severe weather unless conditions are such that the majority of students, faculty, and staff are unable to traverse city streets and other thoroughfares leading to the campus, or unless a fuel curtailment to the university causes a critical shortage of energy.

  2. Response Guidelines
    The university has two choices in responding to extreme weather conditions:

    1. To remain open for normal operating hours, during which time all students, faculty, and staff are expected to perform their normal work assignments.
    2. To dismiss all classes and close all offices, during which time all students, faculty, and staff are not expected to perform their normal work assignments, except for the following offices which will continue to provide essential services:

      1. University Police
      2. Housing (all residence halls) and Food Service
      3. Essential services staff of Physical Plant
      4. Other essential services determined by the Provost and each vice president
    3. Those non-exempt employees in the essential services areas listed above, who are required to work when the university is closed, will earn compensatory time in an equivalent amount for the hours they work.
  3. Decision to Close
    The official decision to close will be made by the President in consultation with the vice presidents and the MSU Chief of Police. The President will immediately notify the Director of Public Information and Marketing. The Director of Public Information and Marketing will notify the news media.

  4. Public Notification
    If the university plans to close offices and/or suspend classes, all area television and radio stations will be notified the previous evening or no later than 6:00 a.m. of the day in question. The exact period of closing will be specified. (The university will be open for business as usual if MSU is not on the news media's list of schools and businesses to be closed.)

  5. Internal Notification
    The vice presidents will notify their office directors and deans when a decision is made to close the university. When possible, a recorded message will provide the information and can be received by calling the university's main number.