College of Medicine Snow Emergency Policy

The following is an overview of the University of Cincinnati’s snow emergency policy as it pertains to the College of Medicine, which includes all college administrative offices, the Reading Campus (formerly Genome Research Institute), Hoxworth Blood Center and University Health Services:

• The University of Cincinnati is always officially open. During periods of severe inclement weather, public emergency or other crisis, the president or a designated cabinet officer may announce through the university electronic mail system and through the local news media that some or all of the university's offices and facilities are closed for part or all of a workday. Information also can be obtained from:
• UC’s voice-activated building alarm system, if announced during the day; 
• UC’s homepage: www.uc.edu; 
• voicemail message on UC’s main telephone number, 513-556-6000, and on UC’s campus-status telephone number, 513-556-3333; and 
• text message (faculty and staff can sign up for emergency text messaging at www.uc.edu/ucit/phone/emergencytextmsg.html).
• All employees in the College of Medicine are considered "essential employees” and are expected to report to work or remain at work as scheduled during emergency closings. 
• Any employee who is required to work but unable to do so as scheduled, for whatever reason, must contact their administrative manager at least one hour in advance of the employee's starting time to report their absence. 
• Essential hourly employees who do not report to work must use vacation, compensatory time or time off without pay. 
• Essential employees who live in counties where the sheriff has declared a "Level 3" snow emergency and cannot travel to work will be excused and receive pay at their regular straight time rate. 
• Anyone with further questions should speak with their departmental or unit manager.
• On days when the University delays opening, classes and exams for graduate students and first- and second-year medical students will resume at the hour that the University reopens if this is at or before 3 pm. On days that the University is closed, all classes, clinical activities and exams for first- and second-year medical students and graduate students will be cancelled.
• Students should consult their student handbook for additional information concerning examinations and activities on such days.
• Third- and fourth-year medical students are required to fulfill all clinical and didactic activities when the university is closed or there is a delayed opening. 

The full policy can be found online at www.uc.edu/content/dam/uc/trustees/docs/rules_30/30-16-01.pdf.