Revised 2022-02-08
When the Missouri State University-West Plains (MSU-WP) campus is closed or classes are cancelled or delayed due to an emergency or inclement weather situations, an official announcement will be issued through Missouri State Alert, at the top of the MSU-WP homepage, on the university’s main social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and the Mountain Grove Facebook Page), and through the news media (television and radio). Responsibility for inclement weather procedures is shared by business services, university communications and the chancellor.
Students should use their own good judgment regarding travel when weather conditions are questionable. Students do not need to call the administrative offices but should contact their instructors if they cannot attend classes because of weather conditions. Faculty members are encouraged to allow make-up work for classes missed because of weather conditions.
In extreme weather conditions, classes may be canceled. Faculty, staff and students will be notified about cancellations through Missouri State-West Plains communications via email, campus closure notices on the homepage and text messages initiated by Director of Business and Support Services and/or the Chancellor through MSU Dispatch via Missouri State Alert. For information regarding the status of Missouri State-West Plains classes, Mountain Grove Extended Campus classes, and Missouri State-Springfield Outreach classes, call the Missouri State University Safety and Emergency Services Center at 417-836-5509.
An official announcement will be issued through local radio stations and Springfield television stations ONLY if Missouri State-West Plains and/or Mountain Grove Extended Campus classes are canceled. In addition, a message will be posted on the MSU-WP homepage and the university’s main social media channels and sent out through the Missouri State Alert system.
When the Mountain Grove Extended campus is cancelled and the West Plains campus is open, the cancellation will be posted to the Mountain Grove Facebook page.
Unless and until an official “classes canceled” announcement is issued, faculty members are expected to hold classes as usual, and non-faculty employees should assume that activities will continue as normal.
If faculty members choose to cancel their classes due to inclement weather, they should issue a statement to their students via Blackboard or university email as early as possible.
When University classes are canceled due to severe weather, a decision will be made as to whether offices will also be closed. If a decision is made to close the University or to cancel day classes, details will be posted on the Missouri State-West Plains website and sent out via Missouri State Alert by 7:00 a.m.
Since the decision to cancel day classes due to inclement weather does not pertain to evening classes or second or third shift employees, a separate decision will be made by 3 p.m. If classes are canceled and/or offices closed, an official announcement will be issued through public media (television and radio), the university’s main social media channels and through the Missouri State-West Plains homepage at https://wp.missouristate.edu/.
If classes are canceled, but offices remain open, non-faculty employees should report to work as scheduled. If offices are closed, non-faculty employees are not to report to work unless they are notified or have been given prior instructions to report as part of essential services. It is the responsibility of the Chancellor to designate which employees are to report to work. (Essential employees are listed below in the Emergency Operations Personnel list.) The major administrator of the operation will be responsible for ensuring that needed employees are notified. If no announcement is made, employees should assume that activities will continue as normal. Essential employees are required to report to work, and the failure of essential employees to report for work because of weather conditions is not an acceptable excuse and may result in employee discipline. Loss of work time because of weather conditions when the University continues operations will not be considered an excused absence. Such time lost may be taken as paid leave or the employee will not receive pay for the time missed due to the University closing.
Inclement Weather Procedures for Day Classes
The decision to close the University or to cancel day classes will be made by 5:30 a.m. Listed below is the sequence of events that should be followed:
- Should conditions appear to warrant possible cancellation/closure of day classes or delay of morning classes, the Superintendent of the Physical Plant will contact the Director of Business and Support Services by 5:00 a.m. The Director of Business and Support Services will contact the Chancellor by 5:30 a.m. (If the Chancellor is unavailable, the Dean of Academic Affairs will assume the responsibilities of the Chancellor outlined in the weather policy.) Once the decision to cancel classes has been made, the Director of Business and Support Services or the Chancellor will contact the Director of University Communications. Notifications will take place as outlined in the Weather Notification communication procedures.
If classes are officially canceled because of weather, every effort will be made to maintain services in the following operations:
- Residence Life
- Food Services
If classes are delayed in the morning, every effort will be made to maintain services in the following operations:
- Residence Life
- Food Services
- Lybyer Technology Center– Physical Plant staff will open the building at 7 a.m. regular time so students who did not get the message about classes being delayed will have a place to go until all classroom buildings are open. Physical Plant staff will put signs on all other classroom building doors indicating that classes are postponed and the Lybyer Technology Center is open for student use until classes resume. The Information Technology Services department will provide supervision for the open computer lab.
- When the decision has been made to delay classes, opening times will be coordinated with the class schedule.
Inclement Weather Procedures for Evening Classes
Since the decision to cancel day classes due to inclement weather does not pertain to evening classes, a separate decision will be made later in the day.
The following procedures will be followed:
- Between 1 p.m. and 1:30 p.m., the Superintendent of Physical Plant will contact the Director of Business and Support Services concerning the condition of the parking lots and their possible availability during the late afternoon and evening hours. Information from the National Weather Bureau and the Missouri Department of Transportation concerning road conditions and impending weather changes also will be reviewed.
- At 1:30 p.m., the Director of Business and Support Services will consult with the Chancellor (if the Chancellor is unavailable, the Dean of Academic Affairs); a decision will be made. Once the decision to cancel EVENING classes has been made, the Director of Business and Support Services will contact the Director of University Communications. Notifications will take place as outlined in the Weather Notification communication procedures SPECIFICALLY DENOTING “EVENING CLASSES ONLY.”
- The University reserves the right to alter its decision if weather conditions change during the afternoon.
Inclement Weather Procedures for Mountain Grove Extended Campus
Whenever classes are canceled or delayed at the West Plains campus, they will also be canceled or delayed at the Mountain Grove campus.
There may be times when the West Plains campus is open, but the Mountain Grove campus is closed. When weather conditions are questionable at the Mountain Grove campus, the Coordinator of the Mountain Grove campus will confer with the Dean of Academic Affairs as to the condition of the Mountain Grove campus parking lots, sidewalks, and area roads and highways; then the Dean of Academic Affairs will contact the Chancellor. (If the Chancellor is unavailable, the Dean of Academic Affairs will assume the responsibilities of the Chancellor outlined in the weather policy.) Once the decision to cancel classes has been made, the Dean of Academic Affairs will contact the Director of University Communications and the Coordinator of the Mountain Grove Campus will post the cancellation on the Mountain Grove campus’ Facebook page.
Day Classes: A decision on day classes will be announced by 6 a.m.
Evening Classes: A decision on evening classes will be announced by 3 p.m.
Weekend Closings/Cancelations
In the case of inclement weather on Saturday or Sunday and the Lybyer Computer Lab and/or Garnett Library closes or an event is canceled, the responsible department will contact the Director of University Communications concerning the closing. The information will be sent to Ozark Radio Network (5 stations) and E-Communications (3 stations) and posted to the main website.
“Emergency Operations Personnel” List
The following University personnel are required to attend work when the University is closed during a time when it would otherwise be open:
Business and Support Services
- Superintendent of Physical Plant
- Physical plant personnel (expected to report for normal shift)
Student Services
- Residence Life Manager
- Resident Assistants (RAs)
- Food Services Personnel
Weather Notification Communication Procedure
Once the status of Missouri State-West Plains has been determined, the following steps will be taken*:
- The Director of University Communications will post the status of Missouri State-West Plains, Mountain Grove Extended Campus and Missouri State Outreach classes on the Missouri State-West Plains homepage.
- If Missouri State-West Plains classes are canceled or campuses are closed due to inclement weather
- the Director of University Communications will contact the Web and Media Services Specialist and contact the local radio stations and Springfield television stations.
- The Web and Media Services Specialist will post a message on the Missouri State-West Plains Web site.
- The Director of Business and Support Services will send a message using the Missouri State Alert system. In the event the campus is closed,
- the Student Services Admin. Assistant will activate the “campus is closed due to severe weather” message on the main phone (417) 255-7255 voicemail.
* When the decision is made to cancel or delay Missouri State-West Plains classes, the Mountain Grove and Outreach program will follow the same procedure.