University at Buffalo - The State University of New York

• Print

• Comments

• Sign up for UB Alert website

By SUE WUETCHER

Published: December 8, 2011

You wake up to a world of white. Last night’s snowstorm means no school for the kids.

But do you get a snow day, too?

UB will use a variety of communication channels, including UB Alert, UB websites and the media, to inform faculty, staff and students if the university is closed and classes and other activities are cancelled due to severe weather.

The crisis communication plan that is used in the event of an emergency on campus—such as a fire or gas leak—also will kick in to inform members of the university community if UB is closed due to a severe snow or ice storm.

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 will be posted on the UB Alert website, UB homepage, MyUB, UB Reporter and UB NewsCenter.

The system was used last February when the university was closed due to forecasts of a severe snowstorm.

UB also will notify 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 close the university is made after determining local 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 a closing 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 it reopens.

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

Non-essential employees who do not work must charge the time to personal leave credits, vacation or compensatory time. 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 or compensatory time.