Iowa State University


Inside Iowa State
December 10, 1999

Sooner or later, it's going to snow

What to do when it does

It doesn't seem possible that Iowa has made it to December with no significant bad weather yet. But sooner or later, that cold white stuff is going to come down. When severe weather does hit, here's what you need to know.

News on cancellations, closings
If classes are canceled or university offices are closed due to severe winter weather, the news immediately will be posted on the Iowa State Web site (www.iastate.edu) and relayed to central Iowa media. Radio and TV stations in Cedar Rapids and Waterloo and the Associated Press, which feeds news to media throughout Iowa, also will be alerted.

Reporting to work
Even if classes are canceled, the university generally remains open and faculty and staff are expected to work. If the university is closed, staff in critical areas (like food service, public safety, power plant, animal care and snow and ice removal) may be expected to report to work. Supervisors will work out individual arrangements when appropriate. Commuting faculty and staff always should put safety first when making travel decisions, and supervisors are asked to accommodate those who need to adjust work schedules. All faculty and staff will need to make up time lost during closings, according to their employment terms or, for those covered by it, the collective bargaining agreement.

Who makes the call
University administrators, consulting with officials from the weather services, State Department of Transportation, City of Ames, CyRide, road maintenance staff and various law enforcement agencies, make the call on closings and cancellations. The university often remains open when public elementary and secondary schools are closed because many students live within walking distance of campus and CyRide routes. In addition, the university calendar does not have built-in makeup days, and students are expected to be able to make their own decisions about whether it is safe to travel. (During severe weather, faculty are asked to accommodate those unable to attend class.)

Winter storm parking plan
If media announce that ISU's winter storm parking plan is in effect, faculty and staff are asked to park in these perimeter lots until their usual lots are cleared: Iowa State Center (A3, A4, B5, B6), north of Molecular Biology (29 and 30), south of Food Sciences (50B) or north of General Services (41).

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URL: http://www.inside.iastate.edu/1999/1210/snow.html

Revised 12/8/99