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Safety and Risk Management
400 Palmetto Street
Dept 3904
615 McCallie Avenue
Chattanooga, TN 37403

(423)425-5209
(423)425-2176 fax

Home / Safety & Risk Management / Inclimate Weather Plan...

 

THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE AT CHATTANOOGA
OFFICE OF THE CHANCELLOR

REVISED JULY, 2005
Administrative Policies and Procedures Statement No. 5
SUBJECT: INCLEMENT WEATHER OPERATIONS

POLICY

The University will maintain normal operating hours during inclement weather (snow days) unless a public notice is made to “close the University.” Notice will be given to the appropriate news media early on days of inclement weather. A skeleton force has been charged with coming to the University to perform required functions during inclement weather.

Should the University be “closed,” the operational status of the University will be given clearly regarding: total closure of the University – opening and closing of morning and evening classes, or classes cancelled, but staff report. All employees, except those designated in the skeleton force, shall be guided by the Personnel Policy and Procedure on Emergency Administrative Closings.

PROCEDURE

On days of inclement weather when the University is still open, employees may determine that travel may be too risky for them. If this be the case, they may take annual leave and notify their supervisor of their situation. Non-notification of the employee’s supervisor will result, except in extremely extenuating circumstances, in a day of leave without pay.

Supervisors will take into account the severity of the weather and allow appropriate leeway for these employees to report to their work stations during severe weather conditions.

The Chancellor’s staff will be responsible for identifying the skeleton work force who must work on days of administrative closing and days when classes are cancelled.

If the University opens later than normal business hours, the following starting times will be observed. The University Administration will attempt to re-open the University during the beginning of a regularly scheduled class period:

• Monday – Wednesday – Friday Classes – Will start at even hours (9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m., etc…)
• Tuesday and Thursday Classes – Classes will meet at the announced re-opening time of regularly scheduled classes (9:25 a.m. – 10:40 a.m.; 10:50 a.m. – 12:05 p.m.; 12:15 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.) – Students and staff will report to the class in progress at the stated re-opening time.
• Class Laboratories – For laboratory classes meeting for several hours, the class will meet at the announced re-opening time (eg., lab 8:50-10:40 and the announced re-opening is at 9:00, the lab will meet at 9:00).
  For laboratory classes schedule 9:00 – 12:00, and the announced re-opening time is 10:00, the laboratories will convene at 10:00.
• Safety – The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga understands that inclement weather poses safety hazards, the Office of Safety and Risk Management, along with Public Safety will be consulted as to risks and conditions of travel during the implementation of the “Inclement Weather Policy.”
  Faculty and Staff are asked to use discretion in canceling classes, University events, or work units, if these decisions must be made before the official University Closure Announcement is made.
• Evening Hours of Operation – The decision to have evening classes or keep the University open for evening operation shall be made by 2:00 p.m.

Certain key areas need to continue to operate when the University is closed. Arrangement should be made by the individual director to see that these services are maintained with minimum personnel. The areas affected are:

FOOD SERVICES	Xavier Flores and Cindee Pulliam
MINI MARKET-UTC Place	Xavier Flores and Cindee Pulliam
PHYSICAL PLANT – EMERGENCY CREW	Doug Silver and Steve Lewis
LUPTON LIBRARY	Theresa Liedtka
MACLELLAN GYM	Carol Oglesby, David Cundiff and Ron Nelson
RACQUET CENTER	Ron Nelson
TELEPHONE SWITCHBOARD	Luis Leon and Monty Wilson
PUBLIC SAFETY	Dale McNeely, Bob Ratchford, and Larry Lockmiller
STUDENT HOUSING	Steven Hood and Mary Lynn Williamson
UNIVERSITY CENTER	Mary Lynn Williamson and Shannon Smith
ARENA	Ken Kapelinski, Obie Webster, Kyle Askew and Linda Bowman
UNIVERSITY RELATIONS	Chuck Cantrell
CHALLENGER CENTER	Tom Patty

Each individual on the Chancellor’s staff will be responsible for making the decision of whether or not to hold special activities taking place in his or her area of responsibility.

During inclement weather the switchboard will be staffed by 7:00 A.M.

It will be the responsibility of the appropriate Vice Chancellor or Dean to ensure that these areas are staffed.

• Public Safety shall make a reasonable effort to notify building occupants of the decision to close the University, or impending unsafe/risk situations, should the Inclement Weather occur during normal hours of operation. Personnel from Public Safety and Facilities Planning and Management will be utilized to make the notification.
• Recorded Messages that announce the University status shall be available via Public Safety, and the Office of University Relations.

THE FOLLOWING PERSONS SHOULD BE NOTIFIED IMMEDIATELY AT THE FIRST SIGN OF SERIOUS WEATHER CONDITIONS:

NAME	TITLE	WORK PHONE
Richard Brown	V.C. Finance and Operations	4393
Tom Ellis	Asst. V. C. Operations	4687
Doug Silver	Director of Facilities Operations	4522
Steve Lewis	Campus Grounds	425-2368 425-4357
Jim Pulliam	Safety/Risk Management	5209
D. L. Mac McNeely	Director of Public Safety	4004

The Officer in charge of the Public Safety shift will be responsible for calling the following individuals at 4:30 a.m. regarding the decision to open/close the University:

Director of Public Safety, D. L. Mac McNeely	842-8246
Assistant Vice Chancellor for Operations, Tom Ellis	870-5130
Office of Safety and Risk Management, Jim Pulliam	886-2162

Each of the individuals listed above will contact appropriate internal staff and external constituents and will call Richard Brown, Vice Chancellor for Finance and Operations, and convey information on campus conditions, general conditions of the regional area, and will advise on his or her recommendation to close the University or keep the institution open for business. Richard Brown, Vice Chancellor for Finance and Operations, will notify Chancellor Roger Brown (822-0074), of the general condition of the University and of the recommendation to open or close the University. If the Vice Chancellor is not available, the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Operations will make the decision. If the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Operations is not available, the Director of Public Safety will make the decision. If the Director of Public Safety is not available, the Safety Officer/Risk Manager will make the decision.

Should Chancellor Roger Brown not be available, the Provost will make the decision. If the Provost is not available, the Vice Chancellor for Student Development will make the decision. If the Vice Chancellor for Student Development is not available, the Vice Chancellor for University Advancement will make the decision. When the decision is made to open or close the University, the Vice Chancellor for Finance and Operations will notify Public Safety to contact the below listed staff of that decision:

Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Mary Lynn Williamson	876-0518
Vice Chancellor for University Advancement Bob Lyon	886-4447
Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs John Friedl	517-9056
Athletics Director Steve Sloan	899-3782
*Also notify CARTA Dispatcher	629-0255

The University Public Safety Department reserves the option of implementing this procedure prior to 4:30 a.m. should the inclement weather occur during daytime or weekend hours.

After the final decision is made, the individuals listed above and the following individuals will be called with that decision in order to notify their areas of responsibility:

NAME/TITLE	OFFICE NUMBER
Deborah Parker Assoc. V.C. Business & Finance	(423) 425-4467
Mary Lynn Williamson V. C. Student Development	(423) 425-4244
Lisa Gladden Safety and Risk Management	(423) 425-2145
Chuck Cantrell Director University Relations	(423) 425-4363/4382
Bob Ratchford Public Safety Lt.	(423) 425-4074
Larry Lockmiller Security Operations Lt.	(423) 425-4653
Dan Webb Director Personnel Services	(423) 425-4729
Beth Dodd Director Continuing Education	(423) 425-4702
Steve Sloan Athletics Director	(423) 425-2270
Matt Pope Assoc Director Athletics	(423) 425-2158
Monty Wilson Asst Vice Chancellor IT Division	(423) 425-4039
Janice Whitehead (Testing Ctr)	(423) 425-4288

Questions or verification should be made to Campus Public Safety at 425-4357.

CONTACT PERSONNEL

University Relations Chuck Cantrell will notify the following Public Information Offices:

Chattanooga State:
Dr. Fannie Hewlett, Vice President Academic Affairs:	Office 697-4792
Security Office Napoleon Williams, Security Director:	Office 697-4476
Cleveland State:
Dr. Carl Hite, President	Office 478-6200
Freddie Jones, Security Director	Office 478-6236
Tony Bartolo, Public Relations Officer	Office 478-6208