The College shall develop and implement procedures for cancellation of classes and events, and suspension of operations, due to inclement weather or other emergency. These procedures will address the timely communication of decisions to faculty, staff, students, and the community at large. The Board delegates to the president or designee responsibility for developing and implementing these procedures.

515.001 INTRODUCTION

This procedure delineates the process for dealing with severe inclement weather and emergency closures.

Generally, cancellations are caused by inclement weather and emergencies. Emergencies may include—but are not limited to—severe weather conditions, mechanical failures, riots, civil disturbances, or when the Governor declares a State of emergency.

515.005 CLASS/EVENT CANCELLATION OR SUSPENDED OPERATIONS

The Decision-Making Process

When inclement weather causes transportation problems or locally hazardous conditions, employees are expected to give first consideration to their personal safety when evaluating their ability to commute to work.

Day Classes:

• If it appears that inclement weather or other circumstances might cause delays or cancellations of day classes, a conference call is held so that College leaders and representatives from Facilities Services can assess the situation. The conference call is scheduled for 5:00 a.m.
• The goal is to make a decision by 5:15 a.m. so that information can be shared with employees and the general public no later than 5:30 a.m.

Evening Classes:                 

• Decisions about evening classes and events will generally be made no later than 2:00 p.m.
• Evening classes begin at 5:00 p.m. Any classes that begin before that time—even if they conclude after 5:00 p.m.—are considered daytime classes.

Delays and Closures—Main Campus, Columbia Tech Center (CTC), Washington State University Vancouver (WSUV),  Economic and Community Development (Columbia Bank Building), and Larch: 

• Clark College delays and closures affect the main campus, Clark College at CTC, and Economic and Community Development (Columbia Bank Building).
• ClarkCollege at WSU Vancouver (WSUV) follows WSUV’s decisions and schedules about delays and closures. WSUV generally makes determinations about daytime closings by 6:30 a.m.
• Employees at Larch Corrections Center will follow procedures at the Corrections Center.

Economic and Community Development (ECD) will follow decisions made for Clark College’s main campus, CTC and the Columbia Bank Building sites. However, decisions regarding classes and events at non-College facilities will be made by ECD. ECD will be solely responsible for communicating these decisions to its staff, instructors and students.

How Information Will Be Shared with Employees

If it appears that inclement weather or other circumstances might cause delays or cancellations, employees should look to the following information sources:

• The Clark College Website (www.clark.edu). If inclement weather is anticipated, the main page of the website will be used to convey the College’s decision to remain open, or to cancel, delay or suspend operations.
• The Clark College main telephone number (360-992-2000).
• ClarkNet (http://intranet.clark.edu) under College Information > Inclement Weather, and
• E-mail messages sent to the College Master List*.
• *Employees with computer access to the Internet at their homes can access their Outlook email files (enter: http://exchange.clark.edu in the URL address bar) for email messages about class/event cancellations.
• Employees without computer access to the Internet at their home should call the Clark College main telephone number (360-992-2000) as a reference or contact their supervisor.
• Social media (Facebook, Twitter) and RAVE (emergency notification text messaging service).
• In the event of a forecast of inclement weather the College will post updates on closure information on the College website.

How Information Will Be Shared with the Public

• The general public will be notified of the College’s inclement weather decision through the Clark College Website (www.clark.edu), the Clark College main telephone number (360-992-2000) and social media (Facebook, Twitter).
• Information about delays or cancellations will be sent to the news media through the FlashAlert system.
• However, the College cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information that is ultimately shared by news outlets or when it may appear.
• For that reason, neither College employees nor the general public should rely on media reports as their primary source for information regarding the cancellation of classes or events.

How Information Will Be Shared with Students

• Students will be notified of the College’s inclement weather decision through the Clark College Website (www.clark.edu), the Clark College main telephone number (360-992-2000), the student email system.
• Information about delays or cancellations will be sent to the news media through the FlashAlert system.
• However, the College cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information that is ultimately shared by news outlets or when it may appear.
• For that reason, students should not rely on media reports as their primary source for information regarding the cancellation of classes or events.
• Students should not assume that classes will be delayed or cancelled based on weather conditions in their immediate area or on decisions made by school districts. 

What the Messages Will Say – External Messages

• Because of a limit on the number of characters, media messages will generally be very short—such as “Clark College in Vancouver: Closed.” Or “Clark College in Vancouver:  Day classes cancelled.” Or “Clark College in Vancouver: Open at 10 a.m.”
• Clark Web messages will be short, but will provide some additional information:

Clark College in Vancouver:  Due to [cause for cancellation], classes and events scheduled to start prior to [time] at the main campus, the Columbia Tech Center and Economic and Community Development (Columbia Bank Building) will not be held today [day of the week and date].

What the Messages Will Say – Internal Messages

• If classes are cancelled or delayed – or if operations are suspended – the president or a designee will announce one of the following decisions.
• These statements provide the language that will generally be used and what that language means.

Clark College in Vancouver:  Due to [cause for cancellation], classes and events scheduled to start prior to [time] will not be held today [day of week and date]. 

• Offices will be open to the public.
• Classes scheduled to start prior to the late opening time will not meet on that day.
• Faculty members are excused until classes begin.
• Faculty members not reporting for work when classes are being held must submit a leave form and will be charged sick leave in half-day increments.
• All administrators and staff are expected to report to work as scheduled.
• Administrators and staff who are not able to come in must report that time on their leave forms.  They may choose from one of three options:  vacation, personal holiday, or leave without pay.

Clark College in Vancouver:  Due to [cause for cancellation], day classes and events are cancelled today, [day of week and date].

• Offices will be open to the public.
• Faculty members are excused from reporting to the College for duty when classes are cancelled.
• All administrators and staff are expected to report to work as scheduled.
• Administrators and staff who are not able to come in must report that time on their leave forms.  They may choose from one of three options:  vacation, personal holiday, or leave without pay.

Clark College in Vancouver:  Due to [cause for cancellation], evening classes and events are cancelled today, [day of week and date]. 

• Faculty members are excused from reporting to the College for duty when classes are cancelled.
• Those administrators and staff who are scheduled to work will report to work as scheduled.
• Administrators and staff who are not able to come in must report that time on their leave forms.  They may choose from one of three options: vacation, personal holiday, or leave without pay.

Clark College in Vancouver:  Due to [cause for cancellation], Saturday, Sunday, or Holiday classes and events are cancelled [day(s) or week and date(s)].

• Faculty members are excused from reporting to the College for duty when classes are cancelled.
• Administrators and staff who are scheduled to work will report to work as scheduled.
• Administrators and staff who are not able to come in must report that time on their leave forms. They may choose from one of three options: vacation, personal holiday, or leave without pay.

Clark College in Vancouver:  Due to [cause for cancellation], operations have been suspended [today/day(s) or week/ and date(s)] until further notice.

This status is invoked only under the most adverse situations such as extreme weather, a major utility failure or by orders from the Governor. 

• Suspended operations will remain in effect until notification otherwise.
• Facilities will not be open to the public nor used for any activity of the College unless approved by the president or a vice president.
• Faculty members are excused from reporting to the College for duty when operations have been suspended, and adjustments to instructional time will be in accordance with the approved bargaining agreement.
• Administrators and staff are not to report unless requested by supervisor for critical functions.
• Administrators and exempt staff scheduled but not required to work during the disruption will not need to take paid leave for the first day.

When operations are suspended, represented classified staff absences will be handled in accordance with the provisions of the approved bargaining agreement. Non-represented employees will follow WAC 357-31-265 and WAC 357-31-270.

a. Employees scheduled and not required to work during the disruption will have no loss in pay for the first day.

b. Non-emergency employees may be reassigned to similar positions at a location within a reasonable driving distance from the non-operational location during any disruption of services.

c. The following options will be made available to the affected employees who have been released and are not required to work for the balance of the closure. 

(1) Vacation leave;
(2) Personal holiday;
(3) Personal leave day;
(4) Accrued compensatory time (where applicable);
(5) Sick leave, up to a maximum of three (3) days in any calendar year, once all vacation leave, personal holiday, personal leave or compensatory time is exhausted or non is available;
(6) Leave without pay; or
(7) Make up lost time during the workweek.

d. Represented employees required to work should refer to the bargaining agreement for overtime eligibility and compensation.

Revised and Approved by Executive Cabinet
May 24, 2011
December 10, 2013
May 20, 2014
January 5, 2016