UAF remains open despite the cold weather

Submitted by Carla Browning
Phone: (907) 474-7778
01/26/06

UAF remains open for regular classes and business operations despite the cold weather.

As a residential campus it’s imperative that every effort be made to keep the university open and operating. Therefore, it’s unlikely the Fairbanks campus would ever be completely closed due to weather conditions. The decision to cancel classes, advise employees to stay at home, postpone or cancel university activities and major events is made only by the chancellor or designee. If individual faculty members are unable to hold classes, it’s the responsibility of the faculty member to notify the dean’s office or department chair as soon as possible so that the department’s emergency communication plan can be implemented and students notified.

Given our unique northern environment, natural events like earthquakes and extreme weather conditions can and do occur. Supervisors will grant administrative leave to employees who miss work because of inclement weather or if working conditions are such that employees are unable to stay at work or come to work. Administrative leave must be coordinated through the employee’s supervisor and is at the discretion of the supervisor.

Weather-related closures or other emergency information will be initially disseminated via one or more of the following methods:

Chancellor’s e-mail listserv, UAF-L
Nanook Emergency information telephone line at 474-7UAF(7823)
Online newsroom www.uaf.edu/news/
News subscription service e-mail listserv, UAFNEWS-L
Fax or e-mail to departments and rural campuses

In the event of a closure or a campus emergency, information will be available on UAF’s recorded hotline at (907) 474-7UAF/474-7823. Information will also be disseminated through fax, e-mail and local news broadcasts.

Parking on campus in cold weather
Parking Services would like to remind staff, faculty and students parking on campus that when the temperature drops below -25 the headbolt heaters do not cycle, but should remain on at all times. All motorists should have an indicator light and check to make sure they have power when plugging in.

If the headbolt is not working, choose another parking space. Please also make note of the number of the nonfunctional headbolt and alert parking services by calling 474-7000.

For more information please refer to the policy on UAF campus closure, available online at www.uaf.edu/univrel/crisisplan/CampusClosure.pdf.