Adjunct Starter Kit: Closings and Cancellations

Emergency Closures and Facilities Closed/Remote Instruction

Overview:
Generally, we will have two options to deal with pending weather or emergencies:

• Emergency Closures: The College is closed; no instruction will take place.
• Facilities Closed/Instruction Remote: Campus facilities are closed; instruction may be happening remotely at the discretion of the instructor.

We reserve the ability to do a full closure if the weather appears to be rather severe. If we anticipate that the weather or emergency will cause significant concerns for people (snow removal, child-care, power outage, etc), then we will initiate emergency closures for the day.

If the anticipated weather or emergency situation is less severe but still causes concern, then we are more comfortable closing facilities but allowing remote instruction at the discretion of the instructor. We could enact this for a full day, for a delayed opening, or for an early closure.

Whenever possible the college will announce changes in operations with at least two hours notice; the only exception would be if conditions were hazardous enough to warrant an immediate closure for the safety of the campus. The college will make the announcement the night prior whenever possible.

The Following Applies Only to Facilities Closed/Instruction Remote Operations

When we close facilities but allow remote instruction, essential personnel (e.g., those in the residence halls, the Office of Campus Police, Buildings and Grounds, and the cafeteria) need to be on campus to provide basic services. All other faculty and staff are asked to remain/go home and are not required to work remotely.

Here are the specifics on Academic Classes when facilities are closed but instruction is allowed:

• Live Remote Synchronous Sessions may take place at the discretion of the Instructor. However, please be aware that the conditions that created closure of facilities may make attendance and participation difficult for students. If you hold a session then make the class material available to students in some format and be flexible in shifting deadlines to days when the College is fully open.
• Face to Face Sessions may not take place when facilities are closed. Faculty may, at their discretion, utilize the back-up plan for their classes as identified in their course outline. Note: be clear in your course outline if classes will or will not be held when facilities are closed and instruction is allowed and how the class will be held. However, please be aware that the conditions that created the closure may make attendance and participation difficult for students. If you hold a remote session, make the class material available to students in some format and be flexible in shifting deadlines to days when the College is fully open.
• Delayed openings or Early Closures and Face to Face classes: Unless otherwise directed by the instructor, classes that are mid-session when the College has a delayed opening and have 75 minutes or more remaining will meet for the remainder of the class time. Otherwise, classes that are mid-session when the College opens will not meet. If facilities close mid-session, then face to face class sessions will cease.
• Asynchronous Course Work may take place when facilities are closed but instruction is allowed. However, please be aware that the conditions that created the closure may make attendance and participation difficult for students. Be flexible in shifting deadlines to hours when the College is open.

Messaging:

The College will send the following e-mail/text messages to campus to communicate our status; the blanks indicate where we will list the duration of remote operations or closure.

• Due to inclement weather (or emergency situation), Tompkins Cortland Community College will close all facilities, __________. Check with your instructors for the status of classes. Scheduled remote classes may still be happening, and scheduled face-to-face classes may be happening remotely. For more information visit tompkinscortland.edu.
• Due to inclement weather (or emergency situation), all Tompkins Cortland Community College locations will be closed entirely,_________. All remote and in-person classes are cancelled. For more information visit tompkinscortland.edu.

Weekend Closing Procedures
The College will remain open on Saturdays and Sundays unless either Tompkins County or Cortland County declares a state of emergency and closes the roads in their county. It is expected that classes and services provided at the College will be available unless the College officially closes.

Credit Courses – Faculty members have the authority to cancel class due to inclement weather/road conditions. The faculty member must contact the students in their class and the Campus Police. An announcement will not be placed on the radio/television stations.

Class Cancellation by Instructor/Instructor Absence

Cancellation of Classes by Instructor:
State University regulations require a specified number of class contact hours for all credit courses. If it is necessary for you to be absent (e.g., not being available for a scheduled class session or an established office hour) during the semester, please follow these procedures:

E-mail ClassCancel/ Contact Provost’s Office

If you need to cancel a class at any time during the semester, please email the following email address, ClassCancel@tompkinscortland.edu rather than a particular staff member. To prevent students from unnecessary travel, if your class meets at 8:00 am or after 4 PM, please contact your students via Self Service as well. If you’re unable to send an email, please contact one of the individuals listed below. Please do not leave a voice message. In the case of an emergency, contact the Campus Police (ext. 6511).

• Faculty Suites
  • Chrissie Askew, room 220, ext 4250, AskewBC@tompkinscortland.edu 
  • Debra Meeker, room 241, ext 4241, DAM020@tompkinscortland.edu
• Provost's Office
  • Sierra Brock

Will you have to miss a class day this semester?  Don’t cancel that class!

If you will have a planned absence, please consider inviting speakers to join your students during your regularly scheduled class time(s).  For any Don’t Cancel that Class session, please 1) Schedule ideally at least one week in advance; 2) Require attendance; and 3) Incorporate the content into your curriculum. For example, assign a written summary, facilitate a class discussion, etc

Option 1: Health and Success

Presented by Angeline McComb and/or other staff member

The goal of this session is to educate students around success in the classroom and how it correlates with their health and wellness. This session will incorporate open discussions in skill building. We will discuss on- and off-campus resources for students, from issues related to general health and well-being, substance use/recovery, and academic success.

To schedule this session or for more information, contact Angeline McComb at aem036@tompkinscortland.edu . Or call ext. 4487.

Option 2: Identity, Respect, and Acceptance

Presented by Ashley Dickson and/or other staff/student leaders 

The goal of this session is to empower students to be allies to all of their peers. Discussion revolves around gender and sexuality identity, not just for LGBTQIA+ individuals but for all of us. Students will learn how to navigate complicated conversations around identity, and will be invited to explore and “define” their own way of viewing themselves. Students will leave with a better understanding of self, others, and also just what the heck pronouns are and how to use them. 

To schedule this session or for more information, contact Ashley Dickson at AFD004@tompkinscortland.edu. Or call x4539

Option 3: Substance Use, Harm Reduction, and Recovery

Presented by Ashley Dickson and/or other staff/student leaders 

The goal of this session is to educate students on substance use in general, as well as remind them of policies on campus. Discussion will revolve around how they interact with substances, what harm reduction is and how they already apply it in their lives, and what recovery is and can mean to individuals. The focus will always be on encouraging students to not engage in use, with an emphasis on safety in general.

To schedule this session or for more information, contact Ashley Dickson at AFD004@tompkinscortland.edu. Or call x4539.