OP 110 - Campus Closure
Number: OP 110
Effective: February 16, 2016
Last Reviewed: February 9, 2024
Department: Facilities Planning and Management
Last Revision: November 10, 2025

Purpose

To establish authority and process in determining and communicating a campus closure or delay in opening due to natural or human caused emergencies including but not limited to, inclement weather, utility failure, fire, floods, threat, or other forced evacuations. CWI's primary goal is to maintain a safe environment for our students, faculty, and staff, while preserving access to the College's services. Our predisposition is to remain open and operate normally whenever possible.

Scope

Applies to all CWI campuses.

Definition

Campus: All CWI locations, including classes and office operations.

Closure: Shut down of all operations of the College at a specific location or the entire CWI campus. A closure may include a delay in opening operations. Closures or delays will apply to all students, faculty, and staff at the College.

Emergency: An event significantly impacting the safety of the College, its personnel, and students.

Incident Command Team: Vice President of Strategy and Operations, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs, Executive Director of Facilities Planning and Management

Crisis Communication Team: Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs, Executive Director of Facilities Planning and Management, Assistant Vice President of Marketing and Communications, Assistant Vice President of Campus Operations, Director of Safety and Security, and Security Administrator.

Policy

The Incident Command Team has the authority to close or delay opening college campuses, operations and/or support offices in cases of emergency, to determine the duration of the closure, and to declare when the closure has terminated. The emergency notification, timely warning, CWI alert procedure, and all appropriate communication channels will be used to inform the campus community of a closure or delay. The Crisis Communication Team will be responsible for informing the campus community, media, and any external audiences as deemed appropriate. This team will also provide updates as directed by the Incident Command Team. Announcements will be made as early as possible once a determination has been made.

Guidelines

  • Campus closures and opening delays will be decided by the Incident Command Team.
  • Supervisors and faculty should always be mindful of individual employee and student circumstances and are allowed to make decisions on an individual basis in support of the health and safety of employees and students and the business needs of the department.

Referenced