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Students, faculty and staff should follow emergency procedures to keep themselves safe and free emergency responders to resolve an incident quickly.
The Buffalo Niagara region of Western New York can at times experience severe weather. Winter weather can be especially unpredictable and may affect each campus differently. It is important for the university community to be prepared to take action if severe weather notifications or warnings are issued.
During a severe weather emergency, make all decisions with your personal safety in mind.
On North, South and Downtown Campuses
Call 716-645-2222 or
Use a blue light phone
Off Campus — Call 911
UB Guardian — download the safety app
UB uses a variety of communication channels to notify you about severe weather and any changes to scheduled operations:
Follow @ub_alert on X for the latest information during a severe weather event.
Use your UBITName and password to subscribe, but select the email account or phone service you would like to receive messages. Subscribe to UB Alert now.
The decision to change scheduled operations is based on the input of an advisory group of officials from across the university responsible for student life and safety, academic scheduling, emergency management, athletics, human resources, facilities operations and campus infrastructure.
Operational decisions take into consideration factors such as current weather conditions, which can change hourly; forecasts throughout the region; the conditions of roads both on and off campus; travel warnings or bans issued by neighboring municipalities and scheduled academic and extracurricular activities.
Based on information considered during the decision-making process, including conditions that may affect a particular region or campus, university officials may recommend activation of one or more of the following options.
| All Classes and Events are Cancelled | Weather conditions are severe enough to threaten the safety of the campus community. As the situation improves, this restriction will be altered, as necessary, to resume scheduled operations.
All classes and events are canceled.
The cancellation of classes and events due to severe weather applies to remote as well as in-person classes.
Winter session online courses offered synchronously during winter session should move to asynchronous if classes are canceled.
Only those individuals designated as essential personnel should report to work.
Scheduled performing arts or athletic events may or may not be affected by this announcement. Ticketholders are advised to check with the sponsoring unit of a public event. |
| Classes and Events Delayed | All classes and events are delayed for a specific time period based on current conditions and forecasts. Essential personnel should report for work if conditions allow. |
| Early Departure for Employees | Weather conditions have deteriorated to the point where transportation and health and safety of employees may be jeopardized. Employees should not be required to leave, but instead permitted to leave then or any time after the early departure announcement is made. |
| Classes and Campus Operations Conducted as Usual | All classes and events will continue as scheduled, but officials will continuously monitor campus conditions and communicate any changes as necessary. Although the university is open during periods of adverse conditions, supervisors and department chairs may alter work schedules to make allowances for unique travel problems. |
Faculty can find helpful strategies to promote continuation of course work on a newly launched Maintaining Instructional Continuity website.
Students
The cancellation of classes and events due to severe weather applies to remote as well as in-person classes.
Winter session online courses offered synchronously during winter session should move to asynchronous if classes are canceled.
Notify your instructors, in writing, in as much advance as possible, if you cannot safely get to your scheduled class(es). You will not be penalized if you cannot make it to class or work due to severe weather conditions. Students are responsible for completing any assigned make-up work promptly.
Faculty
Faculty unable to travel to campus are responsible for making alternate arrangements with their students.
Offer any student who is unable to attend a regularly scheduled class or exam or complete assignments because of weather-related conditions reasonable accommodations for any missed academic work. Instructors may determine a reasonable amount of coursework that should be completed to make up a student’s absence.
Instructors are reminded that they are responsible for maintaining instructional continuity when classes are canceled due to severe weather.
Class Attendance policies at the undergraduate and graduate level allow for a change in meeting times, locations and modalities with the consent of the entire class.
If you are considering remote options to maintain academic continuity, please note that the cancelation of classes and events due to severe weather applies to remote as well as in-person classes. Course content may be provided remotely but should be delivered asynchronously, as inclement weather may impede students’ ability to access appropriate technologies for synchronous courses.
Faculty can find helpful strategies to promote continuation of course work on a newly launched Maintaining Instructional Continuity website.
Resolution of Disagreement
If a student absence situation cannot be resolved between the student and the class instructor, students should follow the academic grievance policy and procedures outlined for:
Managing My Time If I Stay Home During Severe Weather
Employees should review procedures for cancellations due to adverse weather
Only the New York State governor can officially declare that UB is closed and authorize employees to remain away from work without charge to leave accruals. Therefore, employees who do not report to work during a storm must take vacation time or otherwise charge their absence to appropriate leave accruals, even when the university cancels classes and activities.
If a closure is approved by the state after the event, you may be able to get vacation credit restored. Your department will notify you if this happens.
Anyone who does not have sufficient leave accruals may borrow from future accruals. Consult with the Human Resources staff in your area.
Essential Employees
Services related to the health and safety of students, faculty, staff and guests must continue in spite of severe conditions. The same is true of facility maintenance, security and other critical services.
In severe conditions, notification will be sent via the UB Alert system if employees providing essential services should report to work.Your supervisor determines, based on the nature of the event, which employees are essential.
Employees who provide essential services should be identified and notified to ensure that they understand who must remain at or report to work in the event of a change in operations.
Essential employees who cannot safely get to work must use accruals to account for their absences.
Use your best judgment in assessing the risk of coming to campus and returning home based on your individual circumstances.
When I'm At Work When Classes Are Canceled
No one who reports to work will be deprived of the opportunity to work.
There is no guarantee that employees who arrive at the campus or those who stay after a change in scheduled operations announcement will be able to continue work at their usual work places.