Facilities
Emergency Closing and Snow-Related Policies
Jeffrey Hescock, Executive Director of Environmental Health and Safety and Emergency Management write to UMass Amherst faculty and staff about campus protocols related to severe weather. The email contains new protocols as well as links with important information, including parking rules and related time and attendance policies.
That email is as follows:
Dear Faculty and Staff:
As winter approaches, campus protocols related to severe weather have been modified to reflect on-going remote operations. This email contains these new protocols as well as links where you can find important information, including parking rules and related time and attendance policies.
Campus Closing or Delay Due to Inclement Weather
- Only those designated as essential personnel will be required to report to work on site at the physical campus. Compensation will be treated consistent with snow day compensation procedures. Your supervisor is responsible for informing you if your position has been designated as essential during a weather event.
- All non-essential personnel designated as on-site or hybrid will work remotely. If remote work is not available, compensation will be treated with snow day compensation procedures.
- All other employees will work remotely as scheduled.
- Scheduled face-to-face classes will not take place on the physical campus. At faculty discretion, face-to-face classes may be transitioned that day to a remote class or cancelled. Faculty should communicate directly with their students on what activity, if any, will take place.
- Remote classes will be held as usual, except in cases where faculty lead their remote classes from an on-campus location. In those instances, faculty should communicate directly with their students on what activity, if any, will take place.
Provided are websites with emergency closing information:
- For information on the weather closing status of the campus, visit: www.umass.edu/closing/
- For a summary of severe closing weather information, including radio and TV stations that broadcast closing announcements, visit: https://www.umass.edu/closing/sites/default/files/WeatherClosingInfo.pdf
- For park smart tips for snow days, check the Parking Snow Policy at: https://www.umass.edu/transportation/snow-policy
- For information on inclement weather and related time and attendance policies, visit: https://www.umass.edu/closing/sites/default/files/InclementWeatherMemoEmployees.pdf
- For Winter Weather Preparedness Tips please visit the following website: https://www.umass.edu/emergency/winter-weather-preparedness
When the governor issues an order to close state executive offices in response to a severe winter weather advisory or alert, university officials take into account the governor’s decision but make a determination for the campus based primarily on local conditions and community safety.
Sign Up for UMass Amherst Alerts Emergency Text Messaging System
UMass Amherst Alerts Emergency Text messaging system is one of the primary methods the university will use to notify the campus community of an ongoing or imminent campus emergency, including weather-related closures. It is important to receive these time-critical emergency notifications. You are encouraged to register for these emergency notifications at: http://www.umass.edu/emergency.
Sign Up for UMass Amherst Alerts Emergency Text Messaging System
UMass Amherst Alerts Emergency Text messaging system is one of the primary methods the university will use to notify the campus community of an ongoing or imminent campus emergency, including weather-related closures. It is important to receive these time-critical emergency notifications. You are encouraged to register for these emergency notifications at: http://www.umass.edu/emergency.