Thursday, December 10, 2009

Grinnell College (Friday, December 11) Open for Normal College Business

The Grinnell College campus will return to normal business hours on Friday, December 11.

Stephen A. Briscoe
Campus Safety & Security
269-4600

Iowa Road Conditions
Updated every 5 minutes with data provided by Iowa State Patrol Officers:
http://www.iowaroadconditions.com/

KCCI School Closings and Delays
KCCI Television broadcasts (through an email list serve) school closings in the event of weather related or emergency situations. Visit http://www.kcci.com/closings/index.html to sign up for school-related announcements.

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

GC Alert: (Thursday,December 10) Classes Still in Session, Closed Administrative Offices, Essential Staff Only

 

Hello all,  due to the continued severe weather, the Grinnell College campus will remain on the following status for a second straight day (Thursday, December 10): classes still in session; administrative offices will be closed;  and only Essential Staff will be requested to come to the campus.  Below is how the college will operate during this period of time:

 

Classes Still in Session, Closed Administrative Offices, Essential Staff Only

Grinnell College is a residential campus and because of this, students will not be traveling to school to attend classes.  However, if a faculty member is not able to commute to campus due to the weather, he/she may cancel his/her respective class, arrange for a colleague to cover the class, or make an alternative assignment.

 

The College relies upon a workforce that lives both in Grinnell and surrounding areas.  Weather conditions may create difficult driving conditions for those who commute to work.  In extreme weather, the College may choose to close administrative offices.  Should this happen, employees will be paid in the following way.  Employees whose work schedule begins during the closing will not be required to work and will be paid for their scheduled hours.  Employees who are at work will be released and paid for their regularly scheduled hours.  Employees on approved vacation, personal or sick leave will be charged for vacation, personal or sick leave.

 

Essential services must be maintained in order to provide for the safety and welfare of the college's resident student population.  Essential staff typically includes employees who work in Dining Services, Facilities Management, and Campus Safety & Security.  Personnel who work in these areas should seek guidance from their supervisor and follow departmental procedures.

 

Under conditions of "Essential Staff only," essential non-exempt non-bargaining unit staff who are required to work will be paid one and one-half times their regular hourly wage.  The College does not expect essential staff to put themselves at undue risk.  Essential staff who are unable to be at work due to inclement weather will be required to use vacation or personal time to cover their absence.  Arrangements may be made between the supervisor and the employee to make up the time during the same work week, in lieu of taking vacation or personal time, if the supervisor foresees a need for such work.  If there is no need for work later in the week, the employee must take vacation or personal time to cover his/her absence due to inclement weather.

 

Note

For news information, please reference the following news media:

 

Iowa Road Conditions

Updated every 5 minutes with data provided by Iowa State Patrol Officers:

http://www.iowaroadconditions.com/

 

KCCI School Closings and Delays

KCCI Television broadcasts (through an email list serve) school closings in the event of weather related or emergency situations.  Visit http://www.kcci.com/closings/index.html  to sign up for school-related announcements.

 

 

 

Grinnell College Classes Still in Session, Closed Administrative Offices/Essential Staff Only

 

Classes Still in Session, Closed Administrative Offices, Essential Staff Only

 

Grinnell College is a residential campus and because of this, students will not be traveling to school to attend classes.  However, if a faculty member is not able to commute to campus due to the weather, he/she may cancel his/her respective class, arrange for a colleague to cover the class, or make an alternative assignment.

 

The College relies upon a workforce that lives both in Grinnell and surrounding areas.  Weather conditions may create difficult driving conditions for those who commute to work.  In extreme weather, the College may choose to close administrative offices.  Should this happen, employees will be paid in the following way.  Employees whose work schedule begins during the closing will not be required to work and will be paid for their scheduled hours.  Employees who are at work will be released and paid for their regularly scheduled hours.  Employees on approved vacation, personal or sick leave will be charged for vacation, personal or sick leave.

 

Essential services must be maintained in order to provide for the safety and welfare of the college's resident student population.  Essential staff typically includes employees who work in Dining Services, Facilities Management, and Campus Safety & Security.  Personnel who work in these areas should seek guidance from their supervisor and follow departmental procedures.

 

Under conditions of "Essential Staff only," essential non-exempt non-bargaining unit staff who are required to work will be paid one and one-half times their regular hourly wage.  The College does not expect essential staff to put themselves at undue risk.  Essential staff who are unable to be at work due to inclement weather will be required to use vacation or personal time to cover their absence.  Arrangements may be made between the supervisor and the employee to make up the time during the same work week, in lieu of taking vacation or personal time, if the supervisor foresees a need for such work.  If there is no need for work later in the week, the employee must take vacation or personal time to cover his/her absence due to inclement weather.

 

Note

For news information, please reference the following news media:

 

Iowa Road Conditions

Updated every 5 minutes with data provided by Iowa State Patrol Officers:

http://www.iowaroadconditions.com/

 

KCCI School Closings and Delays

KCCI Television broadcasts (through an email list serve) school closings in the event of weather related or emergency situations.  Visit http://www.kcci.com/closings/index.html  to sign up for school-related announcements.

 

 

 

 

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Grinnell City Snow Emergency Parking Declaration

 

 

Date: December 8, 2009

 

To:  Grinnell College Faculty, Staff, Students

 

From: Stephen A. Briscoe, Director of Campus Safety & Security

 

Re:  Grinnell City Snow Emergency Parking Declaration

        Vehicles left out on the streets/alleys can be towed.

 

EMERGENCY SNOW REMOVAL PARKING RESTRICTIONS will  be enforced beginning at 10:00pm, tonight, December 8, 2009.

 

SNOW REMOVAL OPERATIONS will remain in effect until the snow has been removed or plowed from said streets or alleys. .   Therefore, vehicles shall not park on streets or alleys until the "Snow Emergency Declaration" period has expired, or until the snow has been cleared from said streets or alleys.   You may call 641-236-9427 at any time to check the status of the snow emergency.

 

SNOW REMOVAL OPERATIONS in the Central Business District will be in effect until street cleaning operations have been completed.  Vehicles must be off the streets beginning at 1:00am and continuing until snow removal operations have been completed in the central business district.

 

Grinnell College faculty/staff/ students who have Grinnell College parking permits can park in campus parking lots located around the campus.

 

 

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Sunday Winter Weather Advisory (Grinnell, Iowa)

 

The following is the most recent weather forecast for Poweshiek County (Grinnell, Iowa).  We are currently under a hazardous weather outlook and a winter weather advisory.    Please watch for changes.

 

Per conversation with the National Weather Service for Poweshiek County:

  • For Sunday, predicting snow could begin tonight after 6:00 pm, with possible accumulation of 1"-3" between 9:00 pm tonight and 6:00 am Monday morning.
  • For Tuesday, possible long duration of snow, beginning early hours Tuesday morning, lasting all day Tuesday,  through Tuesday night, and ending mid-morning Wednesday, possibility of 8-12" with increasing winds.  This forecast is in the future and could be uncertain however we should be aware of the possibility. 

========================================================================================

 


Issued by: National Weather Service Des Moines, IA
Last Update: 10:07 am CST Dec 6, 2009

 


 

This
Afternoon

Slight Chance Snow. Chance for Measurable Precipitation 20%
Slight Chc
Snow
Hi 32 °F

Tonight

Snow. Chance for Measurable Precipitation 90%
Snow

Lo 20 °F

Monday

Slight Chance Snow. Chance for Measurable Precipitation 20%
Slight Chc
Snow
Hi 25 °F

Monday
Night

Slight Chance Snow. Chance for Measurable Precipitation 20%
Slight Chc
Snow
Lo 16 °F

Tuesday

Snow. Chance for Measurable Precipitation 90%
Snow

Hi 28 °F

Tuesday
Night

Snow. Chance for Measurable Precipitation 90%
Snow

Lo 16 °F

Wednesday

Blowing Snow. Chance for Measurable Precipitation 50%
Blowing
Snow
Hi 18 °F

Wednesday
Night

Partly Cloudy
Partly
Cloudy
Lo 1 °F

Thursday

Mostly Sunny
Mostly
Sunny
Hi 18 °F

 


Hazardous Weather Outlook
Winter Weather Advisory

This Afternoon: A 20 percent chance of snow after 3pm. Cloudy, with a high near 32. Northeast wind between 9 and 11 mph.

Tonight: Snow. Low around 20. North northwest wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible.

Monday: A 20 percent chance of snow before noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 25. Wind chill values as low as 10. North northwest wind between 8 and 13 mph.

Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of snow after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 16. Wind chill values as low as 10. North northwest wind between 4 and 7 mph becoming calm.

Tuesday: Snow. High near 28. Breezy, with a east southeast wind between 8 and 16 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

Tuesday Night: Snow and areas of blowing snow. Low around 16. Windy. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

Wednesday: Areas of blowing snow and a chance of snow before noon, then areas of blowing snow after noon. Cloudy, with a high near 18. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 1.

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 18.

Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 9.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 22.

Friday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 10.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 26.

 

 

 

Winter Weather/Closings

 

Emergency Closings

 

At times, but very rarely, emergencies such as severe winter weather, fires, power failures, or tornadoes, can disrupt college operations.  When this happens, the College will respond in a way appropriate to the situation and may require closing parts of the College or distributing staff and services in an alternative way. 

 

Staff should be alert to regular communication methods through the campus home page, email, voice mail and cell phones.  Where these methods are not effective, phone trees or other departmental methods of reaching personnel should be used.  In extreme emergency situations, an announcement will be broadcast through local radio stations (Grinnell KGRN, Des Moines WHO and Iowa City WMT) and television stations (KCCI, WHO and KWWL).  When in doubt, employees should seek guidance from their supervisor.

 

Grinnell College is a residential campus and it is not possible to cease all services.  There may be times, however, where limited services are most appropriate.  For purposes of this policy, four possible scenarios have been identified.

 

Classes Still in Session, Open Administrative Offices

 

Unless directed otherwise, staff should report to work.  Supervisors and employees are encouraged to be as flexible as possible in adhering to the normal office schedule while considering the safety of employees.  Those who leave will be required to use accumulated vacation or personal time to cover their absence or make arrangements with their supervisor to make up the time during the same work week.

 

Classes Still in Session, Closed Administrative Offices, Essential Staff Only

 

Grinnell College is a residential campus and because of this, students will not be traveling to school to attend classes.  However, if a faculty member is not able to commute to campus due to the weather, he/she may cancel his/her respective class, arrange for a colleague to cover the class, or make an alternative assignment.

 

The College relies upon a workforce that lives both in Grinnell and surrounding areas.  Weather conditions may create difficult driving conditions for those who commute to work.  In extreme weather, the College may choose to close administrative offices.  Should this happen, employees will be paid in the following way.  Employees whose work schedule begins during the closing will not be required to work and will be paid for their scheduled hours.  Employees who are at work will be released and paid for their regularly scheduled hours.  Employees on approved vacation, personal or sick leave will be charged for vacation, personal or sick leave.

 

Essential services must be maintained in order to provide for the safety and welfare of the college's resident student population.  Essential staff typically includes employees who work in Dining Services, Facilities Management, and Campus Safety & Security.  Personnel who work in these areas should seek guidance from their supervisor and follow departmental procedures.

 

Under conditions of "Essential Staff only," essential non-exempt non-bargaining unit staff who are required to work will be paid one and one-half times their regular hourly wage.  The College does not expect essential staff to put themselves at undue risk.  Essential staff who are unable to be at work due to inclement weather will be required to use vacation or personal time to cover their absence.  Arrangements may be made between the supervisor and the employee to make up the time during the same work week, in lieu of taking vacation or personal time, if the supervisor foresees a need for such work.  If there is no need for work later in the week, the employee must take vacation or personal time to cover his/her absence due to inclement weather.

 

Campus Closed

 

Only under extreme circumstances would the College campus close.  A campus closing would require activation of the Campus Emergency Response Plan.  All communication to the campus would occur through that mechanism.

 

Partial or Complete Evacuation of Campus

 

There may be occasions where an evacuation of the campus is necessary.  Each situation will be assessed as to the extent of the evacuation and whether a partial or complete evacuation is necessary.  During partial evacuations, accommodations should be attempted for staff to perform their work elsewhere on the campus.  If this is not possible, the supervisor should seek guidance from the Office of Human Resources.

 

Note

For news information, please reference the following news media:

 

Iowa Road Conditions

Updated every 5 minutes with data provided by Iowa State Patrol Officers:

http://www.iowaroadconditions.com/

 

KCCI School Closings and Delays

KCCI Television broadcasts (through an email list serve) school closings in the event of weather related or emergency situations.  Visit http://www.kcci.com/closings/index.html  to sign up for school-related announcements.