Officials at West Virginia University are reminding students, faculty, and staff that as temperatures fall and the possibility of inclement weather increases, they are expected to exercise caution and use personal judgment before venturing out.
Maryanne Reed, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, promises that the safety of faculty and staff outweighs all other university concerns.
“As always, the safety of our faculty, staff, and students remains a top priority,” Reed said.
She also reminds faculty that they should promptly notify students if they need to cancel a class.
“We urge faculty to notify their students in advance if they intend to cancel classes and to be accommodating to students who live off-campus and have far to travel. We don’t want anyone taking unnecessary risks,” Reed said.
Corey Farris, Dean of Students, stresses that in the face of wintry weather, students are expected to
“Students should inform and work with their instructors and work supervisors regarding expected absences due to weather,” Farris said.
Any decision to cancel classes or close the university or a divisional campus or office will be made after officials have discussed the conditions of campus roads and grounds and the condition of the vicinity.
Morgantown and the Monongahela Valley lie just west of the Chestnut Ridge, the westernmost range of the Alleghenies, which can greatly influence its weather. The campuses at Beckley and Keyser, too, are also subject to heavy snows.
Officials are reminding students and staff that a declaration of a weather emergency by the governor does not automatically close WVU campuses or offices.
In the event of delayed or canceled classes, while the university is still open, many units will remain operational, including dining and residence hall services, roads and grounds crews, libraries and others.
Staff at these units are reminded to review their emergency internal operating procedures.
Jamie Kosik, associate vice president of Facilities and Services, asks that staff and students use caution, despite the readiness of maintenance crews.
“When winter weather hits, the Roads and Grounds team goes above and beyond to ensure the sidewalks and roadways are clear and safe for our campus community,” Kosik said.
“While we work tirelessly during this time, we do ask everyone to be especially careful during winter weather events and allow plenty of time to get where they are going."
If officials decide to cancel classes or close the university, students and employees will be informed through many outlets, including the following.
- WVU Alert
- wvu.edu
- safety.wvu.edu
- students.wvu.edu
- MIX e-mail and Unews (for students)
- enews.wvu.edu and MOUNTAINEER E-News (faculty and staff)
- wvutoday.wvu.edu
- Traditional and social media such as @WVUToday, @WVUDOT, @WestVirginiaU on Twitter or WVUMountaineers on Facebook.
- Read about WVU Tech’s Inclement Weather Delays/Closure Policy.
- Read about Potomac State College’s policy.
- WVU Extension Service will follow its internal inclement weather policy
