DATE ISSUED
11/01/89

DATE REVISED
12/01/2006

POLICY

The business of the University requires continuing operation during all except extreme conditions; however, the safety of faculty, staff, and students will remain a primary consideration. Saint Louis University will remain open for programs and operations as scheduled except in situations where emergency conditions, such as inclement weather, natural disasters, public disasters, or energy system failures, warrant closing or rescheduling. Closing or rescheduling decisions are made according to the procedures outlined below. Staff and faculty will continue the ongoing operations of the University until the Provost announces a decision. Individual department heads do not have the authority to make decisions concerning closure.

During an official closing, all employees, except those who are defined as "emergency essential", will be requested to leave work if they are already present or not to report for work. During inclement weather, individuals are urged to exercise discretion and sound judgment regarding travel since safe transportation to and from the campus depends on many factors, such as distance, and specific road conditions in home areas. Employees may be allowed to make up time missed from late arrival during inclement weather or have the option of taking vacation time in lieu of the time missed.

SCOPE

This policy applies to all employees of Saint Louis University.

DEFINITIONS

Emergency Essential Employees are defined as those whose duties and responsibilities are essential in carrying out critical operational or life safety services of the University. This includes the entire staff of the Facilities Management and Civic Affairs division. In addition, designated staff of Residence Life, the operations staff of Information Technology Services, and all SLUCare staff are considered emergency essential employees.

A. All emergency essential employees will be required to report to work during a University closing if they were previously scheduled to work that day. Emergency essential personnel may be called by their supervisor to report for work on a day off during a closing. If contacted, they must abide by rules that apply to on-duty emergency essential personnel.

Short-term Closing: A short-term closing refers to a closing of the University that lasts two days or less. A closing in which workers are sent home early constitutes one of the two days.

Snow Schedule: Refers to the situation in which all classes before 10:00 a.m. are suspended, but all other classes are held, all other University activities are continued, and operations and offices of the University continue on their normal schedule.

Cancellation of Classes: Refers to the situation in which scheduled classes are suspended but all other University activities are continued.

Closure of the University: Refers to the situation in which all University activities are suspended and all offices are closed; only emergency essential employees need report to work.

Responsible Authority: Refers to the individual designated for determining emergencies. The Provost has been designated as the responsible authority.

PROCEDURES

Emergency Closings

During an emergency closing which occurs mid-day, the responsible authority will notify the Vice Presidents. They in turn will notify the department heads who will notify all staff of the official closing schedule and procedures that need to be followed for safe travel conditions while leaving campus.

Winter Storms/Inclement Weather

When a storm with potential for affecting travel conditions and/or the ability to receive, park, and exit vehicles on campus occurs, the responsible authority will make a decision regarding whether conditions warrant a snow schedule, cancellation of classes, or closure of the University. The decision will be communicated to employees and students through the communication mediums listed below under Notification of Closure. Each day a separate decision concerning the University's operating status will be made and communicated through the notification channels listed below. Snow schedules and cancellation of classes affect students only. All employees and service contractors are expected to maintain a normal schedule during a snow schedule or period of class cancellation.

Individual departments and divisions do not have the authority, independent of the responsible authority, to make decisions concerning closure, early release, or delay in opening. Procedures for determining closure or cancellation before and during operating hours are outlined in the Winter Storm policy issued by the Facilities Management and Civic Affairs division. Please contact the Manager, Grounds department, for additional information regarding specific procedures for these determinations. 

Each division and department is responsible for developing an internal communication mechanism to aid in communicating cancellation of classes and closure of the University under this policy.

During a closure of the University, all non-emergency essential staff and faculty are strongly encouraged not to report. Non-emergency essential non-exempt (hourly paid) employees who report will be sent home. The University reserves the right, based on the nature of the emergency, to close certain facilities and not allow entry for any employees. Employees will be paid during a short-term closing.

Compensation during short-term closing

Employees who were previously scheduled for sick leave, or who had pre-approved vacation time, must report sick or vacation hours for that period of time on their time sheets.

Full-time employees, who are not emergency essential, will be compensated at their normal rate for the time they would have been scheduled to work during a short-term closing. For example, if the University officially closes at 2:00 p.m., employees will be compensated for the remainder of their normally scheduled workday. If the University closes for a full day, employees will be compensated for that day at their normal rate of pay (up to a maximum of eight hours).

Part-time employees, who are not emergency essential, will be compensated at their normal pay rate during short-term closings only if they were scheduled to work that day and only for the time they were scheduled to work. For example, an employee scheduled to work from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon when the University is closed for the entire day would receive four (4) hours of pay.

Decisions regarding pay and work schedules for a University closure of more than two days will be determined