Spring Break
For UConn emergency personnel, snow days are still work days
Joe Adinolfi
Issue date: 2/4/09 Section: News
While class cancellations mean a day off for students, for many UConn personnel, it's still business as usual. When a class cancellations are announced, students are informed via an e-mail sent by Jay Hickey, head of the Department of Labor Relations.
In the case of the Jan. 28 snow day, Hickey stated in his e-mail that "emergency" personnel were required to arrive at work at 7 a.m., while "non-emergency personnel" were delayed until 10 a.m. These two terms, unclear to most students, apply only to UConn faculty.
The official terminology was changed from "essential" and "non-essential" according to the advice of former Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Fred Maryanski.
"Each department defines its own emergency personnel," Hickey said.
These definitions can vary greatly from department to department and depend mainly on the services they provide to students.
"All Dining Services personnel are emergency, because students have to eat," Hickey said.
Other examples of emergency personnel include workers at the waste treatment plant and the landscaping workers responsible for maintaining the roads.
All employees are told when they begin working for the university whether or not they are considered emergency personnel. Some workers' statuses fluctuate, which requires university staff to keep their workers well-informed.
Payroll is one example of a fluctuating position; if it is payroll week, every worker responsible for payroll is considered emergency personnel.
The route of information that informs those at the university responsible for declaring snow days begins in the State Police barracks. State Police monitor roads and weather conditions, in addition to local weather forecasts, so that they can issue informed warnings across the state.
The UConn Police Department consults the State Police about potential closings and considers all the related weather information before the final decision is made. UCPD Major Ronald Blicher conveys the information to UConn Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer Barry Feldman, who delivers the final decision to Hickey.
UConn's vast array of communications technology is used by Hickey to warn the UConn community long before commuters and professors must leave to arrive on campus in time for classes.
"We try and get word out as fast as possible," said Hickey.
This cycle of shared information flows constantly before potential storms. Cancellations will be swiftly made for afternoon classes if there is an ominous forecast - or if snow has already begun to fall.
UConn's administration works while students sleep to determine whether or not to declare a snow day. The chain of communication provides those in charge of making the important decision the most current information from State Troopers in the field.
In the case of the Jan. 28 snow day, Hickey stated in his e-mail that "emergency" personnel were required to arrive at work at 7 a.m., while "non-emergency personnel" were delayed until 10 a.m. These two terms, unclear to most students, apply only to UConn faculty.
The official terminology was changed from "essential" and "non-essential" according to the advice of former Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Fred Maryanski.
"Each department defines its own emergency personnel," Hickey said.
These definitions can vary greatly from department to department and depend mainly on the services they provide to students.
"All Dining Services personnel are emergency, because students have to eat," Hickey said.
Other examples of emergency personnel include workers at the waste treatment plant and the landscaping workers responsible for maintaining the roads.
All employees are told when they begin working for the university whether or not they are considered emergency personnel. Some workers' statuses fluctuate, which requires university staff to keep their workers well-informed.
Payroll is one example of a fluctuating position; if it is payroll week, every worker responsible for payroll is considered emergency personnel.
The route of information that informs those at the university responsible for declaring snow days begins in the State Police barracks. State Police monitor roads and weather conditions, in addition to local weather forecasts, so that they can issue informed warnings across the state.
The UConn Police Department consults the State Police about potential closings and considers all the related weather information before the final decision is made. UCPD Major Ronald Blicher conveys the information to UConn Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer Barry Feldman, who delivers the final decision to Hickey.
UConn's vast array of communications technology is used by Hickey to warn the UConn community long before commuters and professors must leave to arrive on campus in time for classes.
"We try and get word out as fast as possible," said Hickey.
This cycle of shared information flows constantly before potential storms. Cancellations will be swiftly made for afternoon classes if there is an ominous forecast - or if snow has already begun to fall.
UConn's administration works while students sleep to determine whether or not to declare a snow day. The chain of communication provides those in charge of making the important decision the most current information from State Troopers in the field.
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