WNMU Inclement Weather Procedures

 

 

 

The decision on whether to close the University will be based on the condition of the campus streets and parking lots and the surrounding main arteries. It will also take into consideration when Law Enforcement close down roads in and out of Silver City, Deming, Lordsburg, and Truth or Consequences. The University’s inclement weather procedures will be communicated to the entire University, as deemed necessary.

 

Weather closing/delay information will be made available in the following ways:

  1. WNMU webpage
  2. WNMU Mustang Express
  3. Radio Stations
    1. KNFT-FM     102.9FM (Silver City)
    2. KPSA-FM        37.7FM (Lordsburg)
    3. KSCQ-FM       92.9FM (Silver City)
    4. KDEM FM        94.3FM (Deming)  
    5. KCHS             1400 AM (Truth or Consequences)
  4. TV Stations
    1. KOAT – TV (Albuquerque)
    2. KOB – TV    (Albuquerque)
    3. KRQE – TV (Albuquerque)
  5. WNMU Facebook Page
  6. WNMU Twitter Page

 

Closing Procedures

  1. The President or the President’s designee will make any decisions regarding university closing. The Director of Communications or the Director’s designee will communicate this decision to TV stations, radio stations, and the Director of Information Technology or the DIT designee.
  2. During the weekends, the decision to close the Library, Museum, or the Computer Labs due to inclement weather will be made by the appropriate director and communicated to the Director of Communications/designee. The Director of Communications/designee will communicate the closure(s) to the TV and radio stations and the DIT/designee as appropriate.
  3. Every attempt will be made to have the closure announcement made by 6 am.

 

Late Opening or Early Closing Procedures

  1. The President or the President’s designee will make any decisions regarding university opening late or closing early. The Director of Communications or the Director’s designee will communicate this decision to TV stations, radio stations, and the Director of Information Technology or the DIT designee.
  2. When WNMU’s opening is delayed, the opening will coincide with that day’s class and/or exam schedules. A precise opening time, such as 10am or 11am will be announced.
  3. Every attempt will be made to have the delayed opening announcement made by 6am.
  4. During the day, the announcement to shorten the workday with an early closing or cancellations of evening classes will normally be made by 3pm.

 

Staff Considerations

  1. Announced closures should be reported as administrative leave on non-exempt Payroll Time Reports (Time Sheets) and shall not be considered as time worked for overtime compensation purposes.
  2. At the beginning of each fiscal year (July – June) each employee will be allotted 8 hours to be used for inclement weather. Inclement Weather Leave may not be carried over from one fiscal year to another. Employees must notify his/her immediate supervisor or designee when he/she is unable to report to work and utilizing Inclement Weather Leave (Designated as WEA on his/her time sheet or leave slip). If any employee uses all of his/her Inclement Weather Leave then compensatory time off must used then annual leave if available.
  3. “Essential employees” are those employees required to work during emergency closings because their positions have been designated as essential to specific operations. “Essential employees” include physical plant workers, University Police, food services, and health services employees. “Essential non-exempt employees” required to work during University closing will receive compensatory time off (comp. time as per page 37 of the WNMU Staff Handbook).

 

 

Faculty Considerations

  1. Academic deans and department chairs will ask faculty to discuss the University’s inclement weather procedures with their classes and make known their expectations and plans of actions, including review of how students will be informed of weather-related classroom decisions such as via e-mail, a phone tree, or posting on Mustang Express. Faculty should notify their department office if classes are cancelled.
  2. When the weather is bad but the University remains open, some students may be unable to get to class because of treacherous conditions. Faculty should take this into consideration.
  3. Academic departments should make every effort to inform students when an individual faculty member is unable to make it to campus because of inclement weather.
  4. Departments should establish procedures for letting students know when classes are cancelled. 
  5. In the event of delays or closures during final exam week, faculty whose final exams are affected by the delay or closure may elect one of three options.  Faculty must choose one of the options prior to final exam week and clearly communicate to their students in their syllabus which option they have chosen.  The options are as follows:
    1. Faculty may assign as final grades, the current grades that student have going into final exam week.
    2. Faculty may make provisions for students whose exams are canceled to contact them for scheduling a make-up exam or alternative arrangements.
    3. Faculty may, as a last resort, choose to assign incomplete grades.

 

Outside Groups/Renters

  1. On days of early closings, external groups sponsoring events complete those events at their own risk.
  2. On occasion, the University staff may not be able to open and close a facility. If this situation occurs, the external groups will be notified by the Special Events Office or the Fine Arts Center Theatre Director as appropriate and the event must be cancelled or re-scheduled.