| Policy Number: ADMIN 105 | Procedure Title: Inclement Weather and Suspension of Operations |
| Supersedes Existing Procedure? Yes | Policy Sponsor: Senior Vice-President, Corporate Services & CFO |
| Associated Policy: Yes | Policy Owner: Senior Director, Facilities Management |
| Next Review Date: Nov. 2027 | Date Last Approved by the CET: Nov. 13, 2024 |
| Related Documents and Links |
1. Introduction and Purpose
The purpose of this procedure is to provide guidelines and identify roles and responsibilities within the Loyalist College community in the event of a suspension of academic and business operations due to inclement weather conditions.
2. Application
This procedure applies to the entire college community at all Loyalist College locations, except for Loyalist College in Toronto (LCIT). This includes all staff, faculty, students, third-party providers, consultants, contractors, and visitors at an affected campus location during an inclement weather event.
3. Roles and Responsibilities
Senior Vice-President, Corporate Services & CFO
- Monitor weather situations to determine if changes are required to normal operations, considering factors such as the safety of the Loyalist College community, current and forecasted weather conditions, the ability to clear site roadways and parking lots, road conditions, and the availability of public transportation.
- Consult with others including those with senior-level responsibility for facilities and security, academic programs, and student services when evaluating whether to suspend operations.
- Advise the President and CEO, the College Executive Team, and the Director of Marketing and Communications of any decisions to suspend college operations and specify which campuses/locations the decision applies to.
Senior Director, Facilities Management
- Monitor the various weather service advisories to determine the forecast.
- Consult with the Senior Vice-President, Corporate Services & CFO on the best course of action based on the weather conditions.
- Provide guidance to campus security, facility services and grounds operations to support operational continuity to maintain essential on-campus services and safety. This includes, but is not limited to, coordinating snow and ice removal, securing buildings, identifying potential hazards, and monitoring and updating campus access as needed (restricting traffic, closing site entrances, laneways, or parking lots, etc.).
- Communicate the suspension of operations with contractors, contract owners and third-party service providers.
Marketing and Communications
- Initiate an inclement weather communications plan to ensure that the public and the college community are informed of any changes to college operations in a timely manner.
College Executive Team
- Inform their management teams of any decisions to suspend college operations.
4. Deciding to Suspend College Operations
| Location | Decision Maker | In Consultation With |
|---|---|---|
| Belleville (includes Tyendinaga) | Senior Vice-President, Corporate Services & CFO or designate | Senior Director, Facilities Management or designate |
| Bancroft | Senior Vice-President, Corporate Services & CFO or designate | Director, Bancroft Campus or designate |
| Port Hope | Senior Vice-President, Corporate Services & CFO or designate | Senior Director, Facilities Services or designate |
When possible, the decision to suspend college operations will be made by 6:30 a.m. Once a decision is made, it remains in effect until 6:30 a.m. the following day, unless otherwise specified.
If inclement weather conditions occur during business hours, a decision to suspend college operations will be made before 3:00 p.m. in order to provide adequate notice to those involved in continuing education or evening college activities. Unless otherwise specified, the suspension will continue for the remainder of that day until 6:30 a.m. the following day.
5. Communicating the Decision to Suspend College Operations
Once the decision is made to suspend college operations, the Senior Vice-President, Corporate Services & CFO or designate will inform the College Executive Team and the Director, Marketing and Communications.
- a. The Senior Director, Facilities Management will communicate the decision to on-site contractors, contract owners, and third-party service providers at all campus locations.
- b. The Director, Marketing and Communications will oversee the inclement weather communication plan and will:
- Ensure that information about the closure is posted on the home page of the college’s website.
- Prepare and send college-wide emails to all students, faculty, and staff.
- Update the myLoyalist portal.Update the college’s social media accounts.
- Contact local radio stations and online news sources to advise them that the college has suspended its operations.
- c. The College Executive Team will communicate the decision to their departments.
6. Class Cancellation
Faculty or others in the academic department are expected to:
- Communicate electronically with their students in the event of a class cancellation.
- Work with students to make up time lost as the result of the cancellation.
- Reschedule evaluations that were cancelled as a result of the suspension of operations.
7. Athletic or Special Events
The organizer/host is responsible for communicating to attendees that college operations are suspended and that the event is cancelled. Events will only be authorized to continue in extenuating circumstances that will not negatively impact the health and safety of individuals. The decision for exceptions will be made in consultation with the Senior Vice-President, Corporate Services & CFO.