As winter weather grows more severe, it is important to ensure safety and be on the lookout for campus closure alerts.
Students and staff are notified of campus closures through Eagle Alerts, a messaging system offered by the Eastern Michigan University Department of Public Safety to inform students and staff members of campus closure at any time. The purpose of the Eagle Alerts system is to reach students and staff members quickly and effectively so they can prepare for the day ahead.
“[Eagle Alerts] informs the student whether or not they need to make arrangements for child care, whether or not it's an entire full-day closure or a partial-day closure, and it can help with travel plans too,” said Matthew Lige, executive director of public safety and chief of police at EMU.
Students and faculty members not yet signed up to receive Eagle Alerts can do so on the EMU website.
Closure announcements are also communicated through university emails, social media accounts and on the university website, emich.edu.
In the event of a campus closure, all activities including classes, exams, assignment submissions and athletics will be canceled. However, 100% online or asynchronous courses will still continue as regularly scheduled.
In addition to not holding classes, non-essential staff members will not attend any scheduled meetings or do any compensable work.
Ideally, notifications of a university closure will go out before 6 a.m. for morning classes, before 9:30 a.m. for afternoon classes and before 3 p.m. for evening classes. However, due to the potential inaccuracy of weather-predicting science, notifications may not be able to go out in a timely manner, Lige said.
University closures can affect coursework and planning, so it is necessary to watch out for communication from professors to stay informed. Nichole Cullin, a communications professor at EMU, said the impact of a snow day on the class schedule depends on the course.
“If it's a class where I have speeches, we have to adjust in the coming days to fit them in. If it's a class like my Interpersonal Communication and there's a snow day, some things do get taken out. Some things you planned on teaching do end up getting missed because there’s no time to fit it in,” Cullin said.
In the event of a school closure, essential services will still be available. Services such as dining, police and the janitorial service that plows the sidewalks and puts down salt will all remain open.
All academic services, such as the Halle Library, academic advising and the University Writing Center, will be closed. The Rec/IM center may offer limited hours, but that will vary depending on staff availability.
When campus is open during winter weather days, it is necessary to take certain precautions to ensure safety. For instance, snowy weather conditions can make driving more dangerous. EMU’s student body is primarily made up of commuter students, so DPS encouraged them to be careful.
Lige implored students to thoroughly scrape any ice and snow off their entire car — not only the windshields, but also every window as well as the headlights and brake lights. Poor road conditions will increase the time of one’s commute, so students should allow themselves extra time to drive to ensure they can get to class on time.
“If you know the roads are going to be treacherous, or they begin to become treacherous as you get closer to campus, allow yourself plenty of braking time. Drive defensively and allow for a longer commute because that is going to happen every time,” Lige said.
In regards to driving safety, first-year computer science student Kit DeLano said, “My commute is definitely longer due to the weather and the roads. I have 8 a.m. courses that I have to get up even earlier for due to the snow, making me even more tired throughout the day. My life is way more important than my classes though, so I make sure that I drive safely on my commute to class.”
Cold weather isn’t only risky for commuter students; it impacts everyone who needs to walk around campus. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, limiting skin exposure to wind and cold temperatures can prevent hypothermia and frostbite. It is important to dress appropriately by wearing layers, hats, scarves and gloves. Students and faculty who need to move between buildings may be in a hurry and thus either forget or not have the time to get bundled up, so it is recommended that they block out a little extra time before heading out when possible.
