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Procedures Relating to Policy on University Closing Due to Severe Weather (7.6)
This online version is for convenience; the official version of this policy is housed in the University Secretariat. In case of discrepancy between the online version and the official version held by the Secretariat, the official version shall prevail.
Approving Authority: President
Original Approval Date: November 18, 2019
Date of Most Recent Review/Revision: February 10, 2025
Administrative Responsibility: University Secretariat
Parent Policy: 7.6 Policy on University Closing Due to Severe Weather
1.0 Purpose
The procedures that follow provide guidelines and expectations for University closures due to severe weather. They outline communication and contingency plans for classes, meetings or other events, and exam cancellations.
2.0 Decision to Close
The decision to close the University or individual campuses and locations involves several people with the main priority being the safety of Members of the University Community. These decisions are influenced by a number of factors including but not limited to: the current and forecasted local weather conditions, the condition of the campus roads and walkways, the state of the city roads and streets, local school closures, and the impact of weather on public transit scheduling. The decision to close will be made by the individuals specified in 7.6 Policy on University Closing Due to Severe Weather under section 4.02.
3.0 Communications
External Relations will communicate the University’s decision based on established communication protocol maintained by External Relations. Communications will include internally by email, the Alert Notification System (SafeHawk app, SMS alert), MyLS and University intranet, and externally by the Laurier website, social media and local news media. The closure announcement will communicate the reopening time, which may be revised in the event of ongoing severe weather. A campus closing notice will be posted on the University’s external website and there will be an automated message on the University’s main telephone numbers by 6:30 a.m. for a morning closing, by 10:00 a.m. for an afternoon closing, and by 4:00 p.m. for an evening closing.
3.1 The Director, Strategic Communications and Community Engagement at the Laurier Brantford campus will notify campus partners, Conestoga College, and the Laurier Brantford YMCA whenever the Brantford campus closes. Campus partners are responsible for following their own policies regarding the closure of buildings which they own or operate.
3.2 The Manager, Milton Campus will notify campus partners when the Milton campus closes.
3.3 The senior Laurier employee at the Yellowknife office will notify the VP Research regarding closure.
4.0 In the Event the University or Individual Campus or Location Closes
4.1 All in-person classes on the closed campus(es) or location(s) are cancelled.
4.1.1 Faculty members and academic departments do not have the authority to make exceptions.
4.1.2 Deadlines for in-person submission of physical copies of assignments or other-in person submissions in cancelled classes are postponed until the next regularly scheduled class. If there are no further regularly scheduled classes, the deadline for submitting physical copies of assignments or other in-person submissions in cancelled classes will be postponed to a new date and time set by the instructor. Instructors must notify students as soon as possible of the new deadline and submission instructions through MyLS and email.
4.1.3 Deadlines for assignments submitted virtually, including those submitted through MyLearningSpace or email, remain unchanged and are due at the originally scheduled time.
4.1.4 Instructors may choose to hold a regularly scheduled in-person class as a virtual synchronous session or provide asynchronous learning activities. If there is a virtual synchronous session, they must record the session and post it on their course MYLS site.
4.1.5. An instructor may choose to reschedule a cancelled class. The instructor should consult with the class and with Enrolment Services to identify available dates, rooms and times. An instructor can reschedule the cancelled class on the next available day without scheduled classes (normally Saturday) at the same time as the cancelled class. Instructors must notify students as soon as possible about the rescheduled class through MyLS and email.
4.1.6 As per Senate approved guidelines, should University campus(es) and/or location(s) close on any of the last five days of regularly scheduled classes, cancelled classes may be rescheduled by the instructor in the two study days occurring before the examination period. In such a case, the examination period would not be altered. Any day a University campus(es) or location(s) is closed during the last five days of regularly scheduled classes will be considered a study day. The instructor must consult with Enrolment Services to identify available rooms and times and must notify students as soon as possible about the rescheduled class through MyLS and email.
4.2 Meetings and other scheduled events at the closed campus(es) or location(s) are not held.
4.2.1 All in-person academic activity is cancelled.
4.2.2 Employer information sessions and co-op interviews to be held on campus are considered scheduled events and as such will not be held should the University close. Virtual employer information sessions and co-op interviews will continue as scheduled. The Co-op Office will make every attempt to reschedule all activity cancelled, including any virtual sessions and interviews requested by an employer, and will communicate directly to students via their Laurier email account.
4.2.3. In the case where students have an off-campus field practicum or community service learning commitment, students should consult with their respective site supervisor.
4.2.4. If operationally feasible and the desire to do so exists, the organizers of non-academic meetings or events may choose to hold their events virtually.
4.3 Final Examinations & Assessments
4.3.1 All in-person assessments scheduled at the closed campus(es) and/or location(s) are cancelled (including final examinations, mid-term examinations, graduate comprehensive exams, tests, and quizzes).
4.3.2 All in-person common assessments, including common final examinations, scheduled for the closed campus(es) and/or location(s) will be cancelled at all campus(es) and/or location(s) at which they are scheduled. This will be communicated directly to instructors and students through email, MyLS and the Laurier website.
4.3.3. All remote final examinations, remote midterm examinations, remote tests, remote quizzes and any remote assessment will run as scheduled.
4.3.4. Faculty members and academic departments do not have the authority to make exceptions.
4.3.5. Final examinations will be rescheduled by Enrolment Services and communicated directly to students and faculty through email, MyLS, and the Laurier website. Generally final examinations will be rescheduled to the next available date at the times and locations originally designated. Should such not be possible, alternative scheduling will be implemented.
4.3.6. The rescheduling of mid-term examinations, assessments, graduate comprehensive exams and thesis defences will be determined by the instructor and communicated to students as soon as possible through MyLS and email.
5.0 When the University or individual campus or location stays open in severe weather
5.1 When Laurier does not close in severe weather, the University will strive to ensure the safety and accessibility of the campus. Entranceways to all buildings and all accessibility paths will be cleared, on a priority basis, by 8 a.m. Individual circumstances vary widely and, when Laurier remains open in severe weather, those who judge that it may be unsafe to come to campus should discuss alternate arrangements with their instructor. Employees are advised to consult the appropriate employee handbook or collective agreement for additional information.
5.2 Faculty (instructors) who are not able to reach the campus to conduct their classes should inform their students and their Chair, Program, or Area Coordinator as soon as possible through MyLS, where appropriate, and/or email. The instructor may elect to conduct their class in an online Synchronous Learning mode. If a student is unable to write an exam or complete graded coursework due to severe weather, the student may request accommodation through the instructor or the petition process.
5.3 Teaching assistants who are not able to reach the campus for their scheduled work must notify their course instructor and endeavour, where possible, to find a suitable replacement and determine how to make up missed hours.
6.0 Cancellation of classes and/or examinations without closure of the University or individual campus or location
6.1 There may be occasions when weather conditions are such that Laurier stays open, but it is deemed appropriate to cancel classes as well as other scheduled meetings with students (laboratories, tutorials, tests, exams, etc.).
6.2 A decision to remain open but cancel classes and/or final examinations will be made by the Provost & VP Academic, in consultation with the President and AVP, Enrolment Services & Registrar. Such a decision will specify whether the class cancellation and/or final examination is "immediate" or at a stated hour and will be conveyed to the University community internally by email and the University website, and externally by the Laurier website, and social media. Unless otherwise specified, the decision to cancel classes continues from that hour until 7:00 a.m. the next day.
6.3 If classes and/or final examinations are cancelled, follow 4.0.