WMU snow day procedure clarified

From left: Western Michigan University students Steve Trecatelli an Josh Lawrence face a snowstorm while walking across campus Wednesday. Chyn Wey Lee/Western Herald.

By Sebastian Fryer
Western Herald

With winter already leaving a snowy mark on Western Michigan University’s campus, rumors about university closings are spreading.  However, closing campus may be more complex than most students think.

According to University Relations Executive Director Cheryl Roland, closing the university is a process that takes many hours.  Vice President for Business and Financing and CFO Treasurer for the Board of Trustees Lowell Rinker monitors snow conditions and keeps in contact with state police and maintenance.

If the weather warrants a university closure, Rinker makes the decision with President John Dunn.

In the event of a closure, some parts of the university will stay open and operating, such as the Department of Public Safety, the Residence Halls, the Dining Halls, Sindecuse Health Center, and radio station WMUK.  According to Roland, each “unit” of the university has its own snow plan.

“A lot of units will play it by ear,” Roland said.

Students may learn of university closings by checking WMU’s homepage at www.wmich.edu, which is where a closing will first be announced.  A phone line may also be called at (269) 387-1001.  The phone line may receive more than 40 calls simultaneously, and there is a standing message that plays even if the university is closed.

“We also go to great pains to alert area media,” Roland said.

If main campus is closed, branch campuses automatically close.  If a regional site closes, the campus will announce the closure separately.

Despite the preparedness of WMU for possible closing, students shouldn’t necessarily expect a closing.

“We rarely, rarely close for weather,” Roland said.

Roland also noted that the university’s closing procedures differ greatly from the K-12 system, and that WMU doesn’t have the flexibility to add make-up days at the end of the semester.

“This is more analogous to the workplace world,” Roland said.

However, if students feel unsafe traveling in potentially unsafe weather conditions, Roland advises students to contact professors and let them know that they will not be able to attend class.

“I think the thing students need to know is that their safety is paramount,” Roland said.

For WMU’s official closure policy, visit www.wmich.edu/policies/closure.

Short URL: http://www.westernherald.com/?p=13200

Posted by HeraldAdmin on Dec 10 2009. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

Cody Kimball
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