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Inclement Weather Policies Recapped
By Daniel Walsch
Snow and ice are just around the corner, so now is a good time to review George
Mason University’s inclement weather procedures and policies.
Administrative Decisions
- Decisions on whether to close the university or alter its schedule will be
based on the condition of campus roads and parking lots and on the surrounding
arteries.
- Provost Peter Stearns will determine whether classes should be allowed to
continue or be held, and Senior Vice President Maurice Scherrens will determine
whether conditions are safe for employees to report to or remain at work. Their
decisions are based primarily on input from campus police and key members of the
physical plant.
- Every attempt will be made to make all decisions regarding closings or late
openings no later than 6 a.m.
- On those days when the university opens late, the opening time will coincide
with class and/or exam schedules. To reduce possible confusion, a precise opening
time, such as 10 a.m. or 11 a.m., will be announced rather than a vague statement
such as “George Mason University will open two hours late.”
- The changing of messages on George Mason’s main information line will
be kept to an absolute minimum to reduce possible confusion.
- Decisions regarding weekend classes will be made using the same procedures
for decisions regarding weekday classes.
- For the sake of clarity and consistency, each of George Mason’s three
campuses will follow suit as much as possible when it comes to closings and/or
delayed openings.
- However, the university recognizes that at times all the campuses will not
close or open at the same time because of varying weather patterns.
- When liberal leave is allowed, any employee may charge an absence to annual
leave or another available balance without advance supervisory approval if weather
conditions make the commute too hazardous.
- “Essential employees” are those employees who must work during
emergency closings because their positions are deemed essential to their specific
operation. Check with your supervisor to see whether you come under this category.
Internal/External Communication
- Human Resources is responsible for maintaining and implementing George Mason’s
internal snow tree. The snow tree is activated only when the senior vice president
or the provost or both decide that the university will close early.
- On days when George Mason remains open while other area institutions are closing
or opening late, no external announcements to the media will be made. Only an
internal announcement, such as on GMU-TV and on the university’s main information
line, will be made.
Faculty/Staff
- Faculty are asked to discuss the university’s inclement weather policy
with their classes and make known their own expectations and plans of actions,
including reviewing how students will be informed of weather-related decisions,
such as via e-mail or posting notices on classroom doors.
- On days when the weather is bad but the university remains open, some students
may be unable to get to campus because of travel conditions. Faculty should take
these circumstances into consideration.
- Academic departments should make every effort to inform students when an individual
faculty member is unable to make it to campus because of travel conditions.
- If the federal government does not close, federal contract courses will be
held.
Outside Groups/Renters
- On days of early closings, external groups sponsoring events complete those
events at their own risk.
- Coordinators of events for the Patriot Center, the Johnson Center, the College
of Visual and Performing Arts, and Student Union Buildings I and II on the Fairfax
Campus; the Professional Center on the Arlington Campus; and the Freedom Center,
the Verizon Auditorium, and American Type Culture Collection on the Prince William
Campus are responsible for decisions affecting their events and activities that
involve external groups and/or renters.
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