Emergency Procedures

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.

• Always use good judgment before deciding to travel on or off campus.
• Dress appropriately for anticipated weather conditions.
• If directed, seek shelter inside a building until notified by officials that it is safe to leave.
• If flooding occurs, seek higher ground and avoid standing or moving water.
• Stay away from downed electrical lines or devices.

UB uses a variety of communication channels to notify you about severe weather and any changes to scheduled operations:

• UB Alert will send text messages and emails to all @buffalo.edu email addresses.
• UB Alert Twitter will inform its followers of regular updates. You must set your notifications to receive Twitter notifications from this account.
• UB will post notices on the main website.
• UB will post alerts on local television and radio stations.

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.

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 in order to make up a student’s absence.

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.

Resolution of Disagreement

In the event that a student absence situation cannot be resolved between the student and the class instructor, or either party is aggrieved by the process, appeal by the student shall process first to their department chair, then to their unit dean and finally to the Vice Provost for Educational Affairs.

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.

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.

• Adequate supervision may not be available or the building in which the individual works may not be open.
• Provision should be made for alternate campus work locations and alternate work for those who do get to campus but who cannot go to their regular work places or cannot perform their regular work assignments.
• If it is determined during the course of a workday that the university cannot operate effectively, employees are not required to leave at that moment, they may leave then or any time thereafter. Only the time that an employee is absent is charged to leave accruals.