Snow day? UB has plan to notify community about severe weather

So it looks like we’re going to break a record today: the latest measurable snowfall ever, set on Dec. 3, 1899.

But don’t get too cocky. Despite predictions that Western New York is in for a milder-than-usual winter due to El Nino, we all know that just a little frigid air moving across an open Lake Erie can produce “Snovember,” or even a run-of-the mill lake-effect storm that closes the kids’ schools and makes travel difficult.

Do you get a snow day, too?

UB faculty, staff and students are informed about class cancellations and other important issues due to a severe snow or ice storm through a variety of communications channels, including UB Alert, UB websites and the media.

The crisis communication plan that is used in the event of an emergency on campus — such as a fire or gas leak — also kicks in to inform members of the university community of a change in scheduled operations resulting in class cancellations, an early departure or a request that only essential employees report for work.

The key element of the plan is UB Alert, the university’s official crisis communication vehicle. This system sends emergency messages to everyone who has a UB “.edu” email address. UB Alert also sends text messages to cellphones and email messages to alternate email addresses, such as a Gmail or Hotmail account, of those who have signed up to receive these additional messages. Members of the UB community may sign up via the UB Alert website In addition, the UB Alert message is posted on  the UB Alert website, UB homepage, MyUB, UB Reporter and UB NewsCenter.

UB also notifies the community of campus closures via traditional media outlets — local radio and television stations — and the 645-NEWS hotline, as well as on the university’s social media sites, among them UB’s Facebook page and the UB Alert Twitter feed.

UB officials point out that a decision to cancel classes and request non-essential employees to stay home is made after determining regional road conditions, the ability of bus service to provide transportation within and among the campuses, and the ability to keep the campus roadways and parking lots open.

Once such an announcement has been made, only essential employees who provide services related to the health and safety of students, faculty, staff and guests, as well as facility maintenance and security, are required to report to work. Supervisors determine and notify those employees who are considered essential to university operations.

All other employees are expected to stay away from the university until conditions return to normal.

However, UB officials stress that just because employees are asked not to report to work does not mean it is a free day off for those who are not required to work.

Non-essential employees who do not work must charge the time to personal leave credits, vacation, compensatory time or leave without pay. Anyone who does not have sufficient accruals may borrow from future accruals.

Only the governor can officially declare that UB is closed and only he can authorize employees to remain away from work without the use of leave credits. In all other cases, a UB employee must charge this time not worked to vacation, personal leave, compensatory time or leave without pay.