While Old Man Winter doesn't officially arrive until Dec.
21, smatterings of the season have already been felt on
campus with a few flurries and a fair share of biting winds
swirling about the past two weeks.
Should severe weather threaten the University, the campus
Emergency Team (E-Team) will make the decision as to whether
or not the University will open or will remain open. Eastern
Michigan is committed to fulfilling its instructional obligations.
Nearly 2,870 students live on campus, and nearly 8,000
live within a one-mile radius of campus. It is the University's
intent to conduct classes as long as it can maintain reasonable
conditions on campus and the roads in the immediate areas
are reasonably passable.
 |
SNOW WALK: Eastern Michigan
University
students trudge
across campus after a heavy
snow
last winter. Should severe
weather threaten the
University, the campus
Emergency Team (E-Team)
will
make the decision as to
whether or not the
University
will open or remain open. |
The E-Team is chaired by the vice president for business
and finance, and has representatives from academic affairs,
University Communications, student affairs, physical plant
and public safety. During an alert, the E-Team monitors
campus and regional conditions through the Department of
Public Safety and the physical plant.
The E-Team is in contact with the
Washtenaw Emergency Council, and receives frequent updates
regarding weather conditions and road advisories from
the Law Enforcement Information Network (LEIN). In making
a decision, the E-Team considers: the conditions of campus
parking lots; the condition of campus roads; the availability
of uninterrupted electrical service; the condition of
local and state roads as indicated by road and storm advisories;
weather forecasts; and ice, wind and severe cold temperatures.
The decision to remain open or to cancel morning classes
(those starting before 11:30 a.m.) will be made before
6 a.m., in order to provide sufficient time to notify the
media.
The decision to remain open or to cancel afternoon classes
(11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.) will be made before 9:30 a.m.
The decision to remain open or to cancel evening classes
(those starting at 5 p.m. or later) will be made before
3 p.m.
If the decision is made to close the University, Marketing
and Communications and Public Safety are immediately notified.
Marketing and Communications will notify the switchboard,
WEMU 89.1 FM and other media, and will post the information
on the EMU news line and the EMU Web site. Public Safety
will disseminate the information through the LEIN.
The cancellation of programs at off-site locations, athletic
events and special events will be made on a case-specific
basis, and will be announced through University Communications
and on this Web site at http://www.emich.edu/univcomm/emuclosings.html.
