Winter weather closings prove complicated

With the spring semester under way, UTC has already closed three days due to inclement weather. Vice Chancellor Richard Brown said the decision to close the university starts with his office.

"We start the process at about 4 a.m.," Brown said. "We check on the conditions of the campus, whether or not we have material readily available."

Brown said it is an elaborate process and food services must also be consulted.

Jim Pulliam, manager of the office of safety and risk management, said: "We [also] use all means available to us to assess existing weather and road condition as well as forecasted weather conditions," "For those who commute, we have to take into consideration that they are commuting from [places like] north Georgia, north Alabama and various locations throughout southeast Tennessee."

Chuck Cantrell, assistant vice chancellor for university relations, said a wide variety of methods are used to announce a change in campus schedule.

"As soon as the decision is made, we move into action, calling TV and radio stations, we change the announcements, and put out an e-mail and announcement on our homepage," Cantrell said. "We may consider a change in policy using the text messaging system for weather events in the future."

Brown said, "Generally if Hamilton County Schools are closed, we almost always follow suit."

Whereas students are dismissed at the first available notice of UTC closing, some faculty and staff remain on campus.

Debbie Parker, associate vice chancellor for business and finance, said food services continue on snow days.

"Many of our [on-campus housing] students are dependent on our food services facilities to eat," she said. "Since we have a mandatory meal plan for these students, it is reasonable to expect food services to remain open."

Contrary to Hamilton County Schools, Brown and Cantrell both said UTC does not have snow days.

"[Snow days] are left to faculty.to work with students [in order] to make up the work missed," Brown said.

Pulliam said UTC can not close simply because of a prediction of snow.

"It should be noted that due to our unique geographic location, most inclement weather arrives in the early hours of the morning," he said.

Brown said, "You sometimes can't predict when the weather system will hit. If I think that snow or freezing rain might come in the middle of the day, I'm more inclined to close the institution, and let people get home safe."Brown and Pulliam agree that the process implemented during inclement weather is effective.

"We tweak the process from time to time, to make sure that we are very sensitive to opening and closing of the institution," Brown said. "I always try to err on the side of public safety."

Cantrell said the guidelines to follow on snow days are simple.

"Use your best judgment about road conditions where you are," he said. "If you can't travel from where you are, contact your professors immediately.we don't want students or employees taking unnecessary risks."

Trenna Sharpe, a Fairview Tenn. junior, said playing in the snow will be one of her favorit memories of UTC.

"Our primary goal is safety when making the decision to close or delay opening," Pulliam said.

For more information about weather closing, go to www.utc.edu.