INFORMATIONAL MESSAGE FROM ALERT CAROLINA: New UNC system policy changes winter weather status decisions

Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:

With the possibility of snow, ice or other winter weather affecting class and work schedules in the coming weeks, the University is sharing information about new campus operating conditions and how these decisions will be made and communicated to you.

Your safety is our number one consideration, and we’re committed to telling you about any change in status as far in advance as possible. We rely on information from our grounds, public safety and transportation staffs, Chapel Hill Transit, law enforcement agencies, the National Weather Service, and other sources.

What’s new is a University of North Carolina system adverse weather policy for all UNC campuses including UNC-Chapel Hill that took effect Jan. 1, 2016. As warranted, the University may activate one of the following condition levels from the new policy:

Condition 1:  Reduced Operations. The University is open.

• Classes will operate on a regular schedule. Individual faculty may use discretion to adjust class schedules and arrange any make-up work.

• Non-mandatory employees can decide to leave early, arrive late, or not report, with timely notice to their supervisor. They must use personal leave if not working. Alternatively, and only with supervisor approval, these employees may work from home or an alternate site.

• Mandatory employees must report to or remain at work unless otherwise notified.

Condition 2:  Suspended Operations. The University is open only for mandatory operations.

• Classes are cancelled.

• All non-mandatory operations are suspended.

• Non-mandatory employees must not report, or must leave campus. They use personal leave if not working. Alternatively, and only with supervisor approval, these employees may work from home or an alternate site.

• Mandatory employees must report to or remain at work unless otherwise notified.

Condition 3:  Closure.  The University is closed.

• Classes are cancelled.

• Offices and facilities are closed.

• Non-mandatory employees must not report to work and must leave campus. These employees are not required to use personal leave when absent from work.

• Mandatory employees must report to or remain at work unless otherwise notified.

Under the new policy, a Condition 3:  Closure decision is expected to be a rare occurrence at UNC-Chapel Hill and require virtually impossible travel conditions.

We know many of you commute from several surrounding counties, and students and employees who live in Chapel Hill-Carrboro rely heavily on Chapel Hill Transit. As a general rule, you must use your own best judgment about whether you can travel safely to and from campus. General notices about state government agency delays and closings do not apply to the UNC System or UNC campuses. Please note the UNC System policy also says, “The Governor’s declaration of a ‘State of Emergency’ or an advisory by the State Highway Patrol to avoid travel does not automatically necessitate suspended operations.”

To view the new UNC system adverse weather policy, visit Human Resources at https://hr.unc.edu/files/2016/01/AdvWx-UNCSys.pdf. Also available at http://bit.ly/1OviRd8 is a summary about adverse weather that includes a chart, a description of the operating conditions, and key factors in the decision-making process.

Information Sources

If winter weather changes the University’s operating status, campus communications will include:

• An email, website post and, if conditions warrant, a text message from Alert Carolina, http://www.alertcarolina.unc.edu. You must be signed up to receive an Alert Carolina text message. Alert Carolina will send text messages about decisions to activate or deactivate Condition 2 or Condition 3.

• Posts on the homepage, www.unc.edu, amplified via official University social media accounts including @UNC and @UNC_HR on Twitter.

• Adverse Weather and Emergency Phone Line: (919) 843-1234. You may call this number to hear recorded announcements about campus operations.

• UNC Traveler’s Information System Radio, 1610 AM, near campus.

• UNC Transportation and Parking for information including parking lot conditions. (http://move.unc.edu)

• Area news media websites and news reports.

• Many University units and UNC Health Care post news about the status of their specific operations and events on their websites and official social media accounts.

• Chapel Hill Transit also posts adverse weather news and routes and schedules. Refer to http://www.townofchapelhill.org/government/news-events/emergency/adverse-weather-updates

About Informational Messages: The University sends an Informational Message to inform the campus community about a situation that is not an emergency, but is expected to be of significant interest to the campus. An Informational Message is one of three tiers of communication under the University’s revised emergency communications plan. Emergency Warning refers to a siren activation for a significant emergency. And a Timely Warning is issued if there is a continuing danger AND notification will not compromise law enforcement efforts.