Dear Colleagues,

Over the course of the past several months, we have critically examined our approaches to managing University operations during inclement weather and reviewed our overall posture as it relates to emergency preparedness and response. Efforts included consulting key stakeholders, developing messaging, putting in place clear policies, and taking full advantage of communication tools we have invested in.

As you know, severe weather incidents have recently impacted people across the country. Inclement weather has been an issue for our Memphis and regional campuses in the past few years. These incidents have provided us with opportunities to learn and improve our incident management efforts. A known fact is that campus operations are likely to be impacted by inclement weather. Be it a tornado or anticipatable snow and ice, the university must have a clear plan in place for ensuring the continuity of operations.

As a result of the efforts described above, several updates have been made to campus policies and procedures for responding to incidents.

The Administrative Closing and Inclement Weather policy (HR0320-H) has been updated to improve efficiency and equity among UTHSC personnel. This includes employee provisions for remote work and professional development opportunities during the “suspension of on-campus operations” due to snow and ice.
The Inclement Weather website has been updated to provide guidance to students, faculty and staff. Frequently asked questions (FAQs) appear at the bottom on the website to respond to commonly asked questions.
We have updated the UTHSC Alert System Notification Plan. This emergency notification system provides UTHSC personnel with critical information related to campus closures and emergencies via email, text, and phone messaging. The updates include standard message templates for anticipatable incidents. These templates have been thoroughly reviewed to ensure we clearly and unambiguously communicate information about the status of campus operations.

Supervisors, instructors, and program directors have a critical role to play in managing their team’s response to inclement weather.

Employee supervisors should speak with their team members to define remote work responsibilities or establish professional development assignments for occasions when snow or ice may require the “suspension of on-campus operations.”
Supervisors of essential employees required to be on campus during the “suspension of on-campus operations” or “Administrative Closing” should confirm expectations with their staff members and work with them to establish contingency plans for travel or other accommodations during inclement weather.
Supervisors of off-campus employees should work define the requirements and expectations for individuals working at non-UTHSC facilities.
Instructors of students should review their course syllabus and information to address expectations for days when campus operations may be suspended (e.g., will class be provided remotely or cancelled).
Program Directors should address attendance requirements at affiliate locations on days when campus operations may be suspended.

Please take a moment now to review the updated Administrative Closing and Inclement Weather policy and Inclement Weather website to familiarize yourself with the changes before the arrival of this winter season.

As always, we welcome your input and feedback on how we can continue to improve our processes. Let us continue to work together to keep our campus safe.

Respectfully,

Raaj

Finance and Administration

EXECUTIVE VICE CHANCELLOR