482 University Closing

RATIONALE:  The University Closing Policy and accompanying procedures provide guidance for the orderly Cancellation of Classes, Delayed Start, Emergency Closing, and Early Release of Employees during Extreme Conditions.

POLICY:  To ensure continuity of services to students and the public, it is the policy of Oakland University (University) to remain open except under Extreme Conditions.  During Extreme Conditions the University may initiate Cancellation of Classes, Delayed Start, Emergency Closing or Early Release of Employees.  Responsibility for such a decision rests with the Chief Of Staff (COS), in consultation with the President, the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost (Provost), the Sr. VP for Student Affairs and the VP for Finance & Administration.  Department heads, managers, and supervisors are not authorized to make such decisions.

SCOPE AND APPLICABILITY:  This policy applies to all faculty, staff, students, visitors, vendors and University departments unless specific exceptions are granted.  The policy applies to all University activities regardless of the day of the week.

DEFINITIONS:    

Cancellation of Classes:  Classes are cancelled due to Extreme Conditions for a given period of time and the University remains open and all University offices continue to operate and staff continues to work regular shifts.

Delayed Start:  If a Delayed Start is initiated, a Delayed Start time will be announced and communicated and all classes that normally begin before the Delayed Start time are canceled.

Emergency Closing:  An unanticipated official closing of the University due to Extreme Conditions.  Scheduled classes are cancelled and most University offices are closed with University operations ceasing.

Early Release:  Permission is granted for employees to leave work before their regular quitting time without loss of pay or use of leave due to Extreme Conditions.  Early Release may also be applicable to specific building closures due to Extreme Conditions in or around a specific building while the University remains open. 

Operational Day:  Unless otherwise specified, the Operational Day (24 hour day) for Emergency Closings begins at 5:00 a.m.  A regularly scheduled shift is cancelled for an Emergency Closing if the start time of the shift occurs at the beginning of or during the Operational Day on the day of closure.

Extreme Conditions:  Extreme Conditions include, but are not limited to, severe weather, natural disasters, major utility failure, and public safety issues.

Designated Essential Personnel:  Designated Essential Personnel include certain personnel in the Police Department (OUPD), Facilities Management, Student Housing, and others determined to be necessary by the President or appropriate division head.

PROCEDURES:    

1. When inclement weather is likely to impact southeastern Michigan, the Chief of Police will convene a weather team to discuss the impact of the storm and any possible operational adjustments needed to ensure that the campus is safe for normal business and academic activities.  Once a recommendation is determined, the Chief of Police shall forward this recommendation to the Chief of Staff, President, Provost, Sr. VP for Student Affairs, and the VP for Finance & Administration for their consideration.  The Chief of Staff will make the final determination based on their input.
  

2.  Emergency Closing Procedure:  When an Emergency Closing is declared, students and employees will receive notice of closing by various means; website homepage, email, text message or local media and/or, for employees, established departmental procedures.

3.  Early Release of Employees:  Early Release is at the discretion of the Deans, department heads, managers, supervisors or their designees.

4.  Academic Considerations:  Asynchronous online courses will not have any assignments or exams due during the Cancellation of Classes or Emergency Closure period.  Existing synchronous online courses and in-person on campus courses are canceled.

Academic issues related to class make-up, online classes, test rescheduling, individual faculty or student absences, etc., will be addressed on a case-by-case basis by the responsible faculty member or appropriate academic department or unit.  If a Cancellation of Classes or Emergency Closing occurs during a final examination period, any missed final examination periods or days will be made up in sequence on the first day or days after the end of the originally scheduled final examination period.  Rescheduled final examinations will take place at the same time and in the same place as originally scheduled.  No final examinations will be rescheduled on Saturday or Sunday unless the class is regularly scheduled on a Saturday or Sunday.

5.  Scheduled On-Campus Programs:  All scheduled activities will be cancelled during an Emergency Closing, however, in special circumstances, the President, or designee, may allow a scheduled event (e.g. special meeting, athletic competitions and activities, etc.) to occur.  The Communications and Marketing Department will make a public announcement.

6.  During Emergency Closings and Cancellation of Classes, Oakland University classes at the Macomb University Center (MUC), Oakland University West Campus (OWC), Moceri House, and the Engineering Research Facility will also be cancelled.

If Macomb Community College Center Campus (and University Center) is closed, OU classes at the MUC will be cancelled.

The Director of Macomb County Outreach, in collaboration with the Provost, or designee, has the authority to cancel classes at the MUC under Extreme Conditions.  

7.  OUWB School of Medicine:  See OUWB School of Medicine Student Handbook for guidance on class cancellation. 
 

8.  Other Off-site Locations:  During Emergency Closings and Cancellation of Classes, off-site locations will close or cancel classes only if the location management in which the off-site locations reside have closed or canceled classes. 

9.  Public Announcement:  All public announcements concerning Cancellation of Classes, Delayed Start or Emergency Closings are to be coordinated by the Communications and Marketing Department.  Designees of the Athletics and Campus Recreation Departments will inform the Communications and Marketing Department about the status of events and the availability of facilities in those two areas.  As soon as the decision has been made to cancel classes, delay the start of classes, or to close the University, notification will go out to local media outlets and information can be obtained through the campus information telephone line, (248) 370-2000, and website, www.oakland.edu as well as the Emergency Notification System.  (Please do not telephone the OUPD dispatchers for closing information).  The Student Information Center and the Office for Student Involvement will serve as information sources for students.  Pertinent information regarding the University Closing Policy will be printed in the Oakland Post annually.

10.  Guidelines for Compensation during Emergency Closings

a.  Employees who are on sick, vacation, or personal leave (or are scheduled for such) would continue to have the time away from work charged to their respective accrual accounts, because they would not have been at work during the Emergency Closing.

b.  All non-bargained for employees, who are scheduled to work, qualify for payment for their regularly scheduled work hours for that Operational Day.  Employees who do work are to be paid for time worked and be granted compensatory leave at the rate of one hour for each hour worked.  Compensatory leave should be scheduled within the next four (4) weeks, at a time to be mutually agreed upon between the employee and immediate supervisor.

c.  All bargained for employees (OUCMT, OUPSA, AAUP, POAM and COAM) should refer to their respective collective bargaining agreement.

d.  Temporary, casual and student employees are not eligible to be paid except for hours actually worked and approved by their supervisor.

11.  Guidelines for Compensation for Early Release of Employees

a.  Employees who are granted such release time will be paid at their regular rate for the remainder of their regular work schedule that Operational Day.

b.  Employees not granted Early Release will continue to be paid for regularly scheduled hours worked at their regular rate of pay.

c.  Temporary, casual and student employees are not eligible to be paid except for hours actually worked and approved by their supervisor.

12.  Designated Essential Personnel:  It is the responsibility of the Directors in essential areas to develop appropriate reporting and work assignment procedures for Designated Essential Personnel to be executed during Emergency Closings and Early Release of Employees.  These procedures should be communicated regularly to affected employees by their respective managers and supervisors.

RELATED POLICIES AND FORMS:    

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