UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Due to an impending forecast of freezing rain, Penn State has announced the cancellation of all campus activities and work at its University Park location from 5 a.m. until 10 a.m. on Tuesday, March 3. Only personnel designated for essential services are required to report.
Instruction
Depending on the delivery method of a course, the following guidelines apply:
- In-person: All in-person classes scheduled between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m. on March 3 are called off. Instructors have the option to provide content asynchronously (for example, by recording a lecture for later viewing or assigning readings or other self-paced learning). Synchronous remote meetings are not permitted unless under truly extenuating circumstances (refer to University Faculty Senate policy 45-00).
- Hybrid: Hybrid courses with an in-person component scheduled between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m. on March 3 will not convene, though asynchronous content delivery is allowed. Instructors are expected to directly communicate their plans for these classes during the affected hours to their students.
- Web: These classes will proceed as originally planned without any alterations.
On-campus, in-person events
Any in-person activities slated to occur between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m. on March 3 are canceled. Activities scheduled to commence at or after 10 a.m. will take place as originally planned.
Staff
Employees performing “essential” services: Personnel identified as critical to maintaining campus operations and required to be on campus should report as instructed. During such weather events, these essential employees are eligible for Campus Closure Compensatory Time, in accordance with guideline provisions. Employees should confirm their essential or nonessential status with their supervisor prior to severe weather conditions.
All other employees should not report for work until regular campus operations resume and are eligible for Campus Closure Pay as per university policy. Employees are advised to consult the “official closedowns” section of the University’s Handling Weather Day Absences policy (Human Resources Guideline 10) for detailed information on how time missed due to weather is managed. The Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) will continue to adhere to its internal policies for all weather-related shutdowns.
Should employees have questions about a campus closure, they should reach out to their unit’s Human Resources consultant.
- Those whose shifts are scheduled to begin before 10 a.m. on March 3 and conclude after 10 a.m. should report at 10 a.m. to work a partial day. These individuals will qualify for Campus Closure Pay for the portion of their shift missed before 10 a.m. on March 3, subject to guideline requirements.
- Those with work hours entirely between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m. on March 3 should not report. These employees will be eligible for Campus Closure Pay, subject to guideline requirements.
- Those scheduled to begin work at or after 10 a.m. on March 3 should report at their regularly scheduled time.
Further weather information
The decision to halt classes, work, and other activities at University Park was made to prioritize the safety of the University community. University officials are continuously monitoring conditions and will issue updates as needed. The latest information will be distributed through Penn State News, Penn State’s PSUAlert system, and WPSU-FM (access listening options for your area here).
All faculty, staff, and students are urged to prioritize their personal safety. Individuals should exercise their own discretion when deciding whether to travel to campus or if an early departure is necessary during inclement weather. Faculty and staff should review Handling Weather Day Absences (Human Resources Guideline 10) for specifics on managing time off due to weather. Union-represented employees should consult their respective collective bargaining agreements. Information regarding class attendance policies is available at undergrad.psu.edu and within Faculty Senate Policy 42-27 (Class Attendance).