DATE: November 30, 2004 SUBJECT: Boulder Campus Closing Policies During Emergencies PLEASE POST OR CIRCULATE Under extreme weather conditions or general emergency, the Chancellor may decide to close the campus early or not to open campus offices and departments, provided that "essential services" will be maintained. This memorandum is intended to clarify that policy and to provide general notification instructions. Decisions to Close Campus WHO MAKES THE DECISION? The decision not to open the campus will be made by the Chancellor or his designee. The Chancellor may consult with various individuals on campus and ask for recommendations, but the final decision will be the Chancellor's. Conditions that may require a decision not to open or close early should be communicated through the appropriate Provost, Senior Vice Chancellor, or Vice Chancellor to the Chancellor at the earliest possible time. Public safety is the primary consideration in closure decisions. In this regard, the University Police Chief or his designee will be responsible for advising the Chancellor on safety-related conditions. This advisory and/or recommendation will be made after consultation with other appropriate agencies, such as Facilities Management, Environmental Health & Safety, the State Patrol, and/or applicable agencies. WHEN IS THE DECISION MADE NOT TO OPEN THE CAMPUS? Such a decision will normally be made before 6:00 a.m. of the emergency day. WHAT IS THE NOTIFICATION PROCEDURE? The University Police Chief or his designee will initiate an advisory call to the Chancellor if conditions are such that opening is in question. Once the Chancellor has made the decision, the University Police Department will communicate that decision to the following, since these units receive many inquiries regarding decisions on closing and/or have follow-up responsibilities: 1) University Communications, Jeannine Malmsbury 2) Facilities Management Service Desk, Lisa Bechard 3) Facilities Management Executive Director, Jeff Lipton The University "hotline" service within our telecommunications system will provide a recorded message for callers who are unsure about whether the campus is closed. The hotline number is 492-5500. You may also tune in to radio stations KWAB (1490 AM), KBCO (97.3 FM), KBCU (1190 AM) or KOA (850 AM), and TV stations KCNC-TV 4, KMGH-TV 7, or KUSA-TV 9. Please note that the news media are notified only in the event of a closure. Any special notifications concerning "essential services" will be handled by the respective Provost, Senior Vice Chancellor, Vice Chancellor or their designees. Information shall also be posted to the Campus Safety web site at http://www.colorado.edu/safety. WHEN IS THE DECISION MADE TO CLOSE EARLY? In the case of early closing, the decision may be made whenever the Chancellor (or designee) deems conditions warrant closing the campus. Some units may require immediate notification of the potential to close early because they become obligated to perform certain services in such situations. The Police Chief will be provided a list of such units. Departments will be notified through their respective Provost, Senior Vice Chancellor, or Vice Chancellor's office. When the Chancellor authorizes an early release or sequential release, employees are given administrative leave with pay and released early under the guidance of the department head/supervisor. In the case of a sequential release, distance and difficulty from work to home and other public safety issues will be used as criteria in the sequential release of employees. Early release time not authorized by the Chancellor or his designee must be charged to annual leave or leave without pay. WHAT ARE ESSENTIAL SERVICES? Definition: For the purpose of the emergency closing policy, "essential services" are those required to maintain or protect the health or physical well-being of campus personnel (students, staff, and faculty) and facilities (including research projects), given the conditions of the emergency at hand. Determining Essential Services: The Provost, Senior Vice Chancellor, or Vice Chancellor will determine which operations under their respective supervision should be designated as essential services (as defined above) and under what conditions specific individuals will be required to work during a general closing. The determination of essential services and personnel may vary depending on conditions of the emergency at hand. Examples of emergency conditions include (but are not limited to): snow, ice, flood, power failure, explosion, or extreme heat or cold. Lists of designated essential services and personnel should be disseminated to the appropriate unit supervisor; individuals included on such lists should be notified by the supervisors. Employees should contact their supervisor if they have questions about whether or not they are included under "essential services." HOW IS CU-BOULDER AFFECTED BY CLOSURE OF OTHER STATE AGENCIES? Under the Inclement Weather Policy for the State of Colorado, each college and university establishes its own individual inclement weather policy. Therefore, there may be occasions when the Boulder campus closure decision differs from the decision for state offices. Boulder campus employees and students are expected to comply with instructions provided by the CU-Boulder administration.