While Old Man Winter doesn't officially arrive until Dec.
21, smatterings of the season have already been felt on
campus with a snow shower Nov. 26 and more than enough
biting winds swirling about the past two weeks.
 |
WINTER WALK: Colin Blakely, an assistant
professor
of art, walks across a snowy campus Nov.
26. A quick
burst of snow hit the campus that afternoon,
sending
a reminder that winter is around the corner.
The
University's Emergency Team or E-Team has policies
and procedures in place to address whether or not
the University will open or will remain open due
to
inclement weather. |
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.
The E-Team is chaired by
the vice president for business and finance, and has
representatives from academic affairs, 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.
Closing information
Information regarding any closings will be carried
on the EMU News Line, (734) 487-2460; the switchboard
(734) 487-1849; WEMU (89.1 FM); WJR (76) AM); WWJ
(950 AM); WAAM (1600 AM), EMU's Web site and other
radio and television stations. |
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, University
Communications and Public Safety are immediately notified.
University Communications will notify the switchboard,
WEMU 89.1 FM and other media, and will post the information
on the EMU newsline 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.
