ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú

When severe weather requires changes to ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú University’s normal schedule, there are three ways to access and/or receive emergency weather closing information from the university:

1. The official reference is the university website, The ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú Regionals website is . Please check notices for each campus since it is possible one campus is holding classes while another cancels classes.
2. You’ll also receive information via your ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú University email account.
3. Make sure your information is up-to-date for the emergency text messaging system. Go to and click the RedHawk Alert link to access the emergency text messaging system. You may create an account as well. Check your account annually to make sure it’s current.

Local radio and TV stations receive weather-related campus closing/class cancellation notices from ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú. But, they may edit the notice, so the university cannot ensure the media’s accuracy.

Three designations for campus schedule changes

Campuses will be designated as:

• “open,”
• “open with on-campus, in-person classes canceled,”
• “closed.”

Do not call 911 or the police department to find out if ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú is closed.

If a campus is reporting closed, only essential weather emergency staff are required to report to campus to work.

However, employees who are not weather essential may be requested to work remotely during the closure period to assist emergency operations and/or perform their core duties.

All university staff

When the university is open, even when classes are canceled or shifted to remote instruction, all employees are expected to work as scheduled. Managers/supervisors are encouraged to be flexible and to utilize remote work options as appropriate.

If weather prevents an employee from working as scheduled, the employee is expected to follow the normal call-in procedures. For all classified employees scheduled to work on campus, failure to call in is considered a no-call/no-show; the employee will not be paid for that day and could face disciplinary actions. Unclassified staff are also required to follow normal call-in procedures.

Department managers who need on-campus staff during a weather emergency should do two things:

1. Be sure staff know if they are designated essential weather emergency staff. Classified employees so designated will receive severe weather pay.
2. Be sure the staff members not designated as essential know that they are not to come in during a weather emergency unless told to do so. The number of staff required during weather and other emergency closing situations depends on factors such as whether students are in the residence halls, the extent of weather damage, and/or the availability of electricity. Supervisors must inform employees prior to any emergencies whether they are designated as essential weather emergency staff.

Classified employees who report to work on-campus during a closure period and who are not designated as weather emergency staff will not receive severe weather pay.

Early end to the work period due to inclement weather conditions

When actual or impending road conditions warrant, the president, or designated representative, may give approval for all non-weather-emergency staff to leave early.

Classified employees who choose to leave early may, with the approval of their supervisors, use available vacation, compensatory, or personal leave time; make up the lost time during the current payroll period; or take the time without pay.

Calling off due to severe weather

Employees are required to request vacation, comp time, or personal time in advance. Individuals scheduled to work on campus who call off due to weather conditions when the university is not closed must use the appropriate paid time off. The university will follow the applicable collective bargaining agreements and/or university policies for absences and/or no-call/no-shows; for AFSCME employees, a call off will count as an occurrence per the collective bargaining agreement, and all employees may be subject to discipline.

Weather emergency staff

Weather emergency staff who are not able to come to campus to work when the campus is closed are expected to follow the normal call-in procedure. For classified employees, failure to call in is considered a no-call/no-show; the employee will not be paid for that day, and they may be subject to discipline. The university will follow the applicable collective bargaining agreements and/or university policies for absences and/or no-call/no-shows; for AFSCME employees a call off will count as an occurrence per the collective bargaining agreement, and all employees may be subject to discipline.

Unclassified staff are also required to call in according to normal call-in procedures.

Transitional staff

Two hours after the university closes and two hours before the university opens are considered transition time.

Selected transitional staff may need to be on-site to lock/open the buildings and prepare for business. Transitional staff will be identified by their supervisors prior to any weather emergency.

When the Oxford campus is closed, all facilities are closed. This includes the libraries, Goggin, recreational sports center, etc. There are some special considerations:

• If an intercollegiate athletic event is scheduled, the athletic director will confer with the president to determine whether or not the event will be canceled.
• If a performing arts event is scheduled, the director of the Performing Arts Series will confer with the provost and president to determine whether or not the event will be canceled.
• If a weather emergency occurs during finals week, the provost and president will determine whether or not the libraries will remain open.
• If an event at the Regionals is scheduled, the Regionals dean or their designee will determine if the event will be canceled.