When Bad Weather Threatens...

'Tis the season for winter weather! Our students, faculty and staff should familiarize themselves with UD Associate in Arts Program inclement-weather policies and know where to find information about campus closings should bad weather strike.

For students enrolled in the University of Delaware Associate in Arts Program (AAP) in Wilmington, the program will close if either the UD Newark campus closes or the Delaware Technical Community College (DTCC) campus in Wilmington closes. AAP students in Dover and Georgetown should follow the DTCC notices for their campuses regarding closing and late openings.

Everyone in the AAP community is encouraged to sign up for Delaware Tech Alerts to receive up-to-date information regarding campus emergencies or weather-related closings. The Delaware Tech Alert mass notification system can notify you with email, text and voice messages.

University Inclement-Weather Policies, Procedures and Resources

When severe weather strikes the area, University of Delaware employees and students have several options to find out if there are late openings, early closings or cancellations.

As soon as a decision has been made, information on closings or late openings will be provided in a variety of ways, including the web and social media.

“Winter weather is something we can all prepare for in advance. We have more technology available today in order to stay informed about emerging weather patterns and how we can plan for the associated hazards," said Mark Seifert, director of emergency management at the University. “Take a few minutes to download the Live Safe App and bookmark the University website and social media channels that will provide you with important real-time information.”

News of campuswide weather-related closings, late openings or early closings, information will be available in a variety of ways:

• On the UD home page (www.udel.edu) and on UDaily;
• Via the University's LiveSafe smartphone application, which provides the option to receive email or text updates (To use this option, you must download the free app. For information on how to subscribe to LiveSafe, click here.);  
• On the University's primary social media accounts: www.facebook.com/UDelaware and www.twitter.com/UDelaware, as well as www.facebook.com/UDelPolice and www.Twitter.com/udelpolice.
• In an email to all members of the campus community;
• On UD's telephone directory information line at 302-831-2000; 
• On the state Department of Education's School Closings and Delays website, which includes an option for automatic notification (To use the notification option, you must subscribe to this service which is not maintained by UD); and 
• On local radio broadcasts.  

For students enrolled in the University of Delaware Associate in Arts Program (AAP) in Wilmington, the program will close if either the UD Newark campus closes or the Delaware Technical Community College (DTCC) campus in Wilmington closes. AAP students on the Dover and Georgetown campuses should follow the DTCC notices for their campuses regarding closings and late openings.  

Members of the campus community should not call UD Police so that telephone lines there can remain open for emergency calls.

Please note that the UD Alert system will not typically be used for weather-related closings unless immediate action is required. UD Alert is an emergency notification tool activated only during major emergencies or situations where there is an imminent danger to the safety and welfare of the University community.  

UD Policy

Members of the University community are reminded that safety is UD's highest priority. Students and employees should not put themselves at risk. Students who are unable to get to campus because of the weather should contact their professors. Employees who expect difficulty traveling should contact their supervisors.   

University Policies include a section dealing with personal safety considerations for faculty and students. Please note the policy, which is reprinted here:

Faculty and students are not expected to take unnecessary risks to meet their teaching and learning obligations due to inclement weather. When classes have not been canceled, it is a matter of personal judgment whether traveling to campus is hazardous. Faculty should notify their departmental offices when weather precludes them from meeting their teaching obligations; similarly, students should notify their professors when inclement weather precludes them from class attendance. In such cases, students should be allowed to make up missed class time and, whenever possible, canceled classes should be rescheduled.

Article by UDaily staff
Photo by Evan Krape
Nov. 14, 2018