Category: Messages to Faculty, Messages to Staff, Messages to Students, Messages to the Community

Title: Preparing for Inclement Weather Season

Dear Members of the Georgetown University Community,

Please read the following information closely as we prepare for winter and the potential for inclement weather that could impact university operations. Your awareness and cooperation helps Georgetown University provide a safe campus and effective learning environment for all community members, including emergency employees who provide critical services during such events. As always, information on preparing for winter weather and other emergencies can be found on the Office of Emergency Management website.

Inclement Weather Notifications (HOYAlert)

Changes in the university’s operating status will be communicated via HOYAlert, so we recommend that you log into the system now to verify and update your contact information. Please ensure that the system contains your cell phone number as well so that you can receive text alerts from the system during emergencies. You can also follow HOYAlert on Twitter.

Operating Statuses

During inclement weather the university will declare one of the following operating statuses:

  1. Open
  2. Open with liberal leave and instructional continuity
  3. Open with delayed arrival, instructional continuity and liberal leave
  4. Campus closed with instructional continuity; essential services for campus residents
  5. Campus closed with instruction suspended; essential services for campus residents
  6. Early departure with instructional continuity; essential services for campus residents

If you need information on the current university operating status, you can visit the university operating status webpage or call the university operating status line at (202) 687-SNOW (7669).

Instructional Continuity

Instructional continuity is a policy that allows faculty and students to maintain learning activities and academic work during disruptions, such as inclement weather or university closures.

When circumstances prevent on-campus instruction, students should be prepared to participate in alternate online instructional activities planned by faculty members instead of attending in-person classes. If you have questions about instructional continuity in your classes, please contact your professors.

Faculty who have questions about their role in instructional continuity should contact their department head or visit the instructional continuity page for more information.

Staff and AAP employees who have responsibilities under an instructional continuity plan will be expected to work remotely during a disruption to the normal operating status.

Telework, Hybrid and Emergency Employees

All employees who are designated telework or hybrid should maintain their normal work schedule remotely regardless of operating status. Employees unable to maintain their normal work schedule remotely due to school closures or other related impacts should contact their managers.

Certain employees are designated as “emergency employees” to provide critical services during an emergency event. These employees must report to work in person as scheduled or directed during emergency situations, unless informed otherwise. Emergency employees can find more information about their responsibilities by reviewing Georgetown University’s Emergency Operating Principles.

Our priority is always the safety of our university community, and we encourage everyone to prepare accordingly when forecasts predict inclement weather.

Sincerely,

Office of Emergency Management