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College of Human Medicine

ADM-1 Severe Weather - Class Cancellation: Grand Rapids Campus

Effective Date: 1/1/2009
Last Revised: 12/9/2024
Responsible Party: A. Wendling, MD
Persons Affected: College of Human Medicine faculty, staff, students at the Grand Rapids Facility

I. POLICY/PURPOSE

Severe weather or other emergencies such as total power failure may create conditions that could affect safety, health or access to MSU-CHM facilities. The MSU Vice President for Finance and Operations or his/her designee has sole authority to delay the beginning of University classes or close the University. Given the geographic distance between East Lansing and Grand Rapids, the weather conditions could be significantly different in each location. Therefore, the Vice President has delegated authority to cancel CHM classes in Grand Rapids to the Dean who has delegated the decision-making authority to the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Medical Education. The decision will be made in consultation with the Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and/or the Dean. A decision to cancel or delay the start of classes will be communicated to the student listserves via email. Students, faculty and staff should assume that the facilities are open and that classes will meet as scheduled unless they hear otherwise. Note that the decision to close the building is distinct from the decision to cancel classes. A decision to close the building due to an emergency would be a highly unusual situation and will ultimately be made by the MSU Vice President for Finance and Operations or his/her designee in consultation with the Dean.

II. PROCEDURES

  1. When severe weather occurs or is anticipated, the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Medical Education consults with the Sr. Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and/or the Dean to determine if classes will continue as scheduled. The decision is informed by several things including weather reports regarding the track of a storm or other severe weather conditions, consultation with CHM faculty members in Grand Rapids, and the decisions of other area colleges. If classes will continue, no further action is necessary.
  2. If the decision is made to cancel classes, the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Medical Education (or their designee) contacts the Community Assistant Dean for the GRand Rapids campus and sends a message to the student listserves for each class that is affected.
  3. Cancellations are made for one day at a time only, except in the event of a major catastrophic event.

Note to Employees:

MSU expects that employees assume responsibility for their own safety and health, and this extends to travelling to and from work when the weather is inclement. Employees who are concerned about their safety in severe weather conditions may choose to arrive late to work, leave early from work, or not report to work. However, in order to be paid for the time missed from work, support staff employees (i.e. non-faculty) must use accrued vacation, personal or comp time; with approval of their supervisory, they may also use administrative leave without pay.

The City of Grand Rapids has informed us that the DASH parking lot does not close in severe weather and that the clearing of the DASH route is a main priority for the city in any weather emergency. Thus, it is expected that the DASH lot and bus will also be an option for MSU employees in the downtown Grand Rapids area.

REVISION HISTORY

1.0 - Effective date: 1/1/11 - Revised by T. Pruitt/B. Forney - Original
2.0 - Effective date: 1/31/11 - Revised by B. Forney - Changes CHM authority to CAD
3.0 - Effective date: 12/9/2024 - Revised by A. Wendling MD

The College