91快播

Procedure 4.4.1: Weather / Short
Procedure 4.4.1

Procedure 4.4.1: Weather / Short-Term Emergency Closings

Part 1. Purpose

Consistent with Board Policy 4.4 Weather / Short-Term Emergency Closings, this procedure guides campus leadership at 91快播 (91快播) and Inver Hills Community College (Inver Hills) in assessing weather and travel conditions and determining whether to close or delay the start of classes or other campus events.

This procedure aligns with the 91快播 and Inver Hills Emergency Management Plan (EMP). The EMP outlines responses to emergency situations in addition to those due to weather conditions. The decision-making and communication process for weather and short-term emergency closings is the same.

Part 2. Process

  1. When severe weather conditions are anticipated, the Vice President of Finance and Operations consults with the President on whether to call a weather response meeting. The President schedules a virtual and/or in-person weather response meeting (e.g., Microsoft Teams or Zoom) of Cabinet, the Director of Marketing, the Director of Facilities, the Director of Safety and Security, and the Director of Information Technology Services (ITS).

    When the above persons are on leave, they should identify who will represent their division at a weather response meeting. This information should be communicated to the president and president’s executive assistant. Additionally, the administrator in charge should alert the next person in the line of delegation and the President’s executive assistant if they intend to be off campus when bad weather is anticipated.
    1. In anticipation of this meeting, the Cabinet members connect with their counterparts at other MinnState colleges to gather information.
    2. The Vice President of Finance and Operations consults with the Director of Facilities and other facilities staff. This consultation must include at least one of the following agencies:
      1. State Highway Patrol District Office
      2.  Minnesota Department of Transportation - district offices
      3. County and city law enforcement offices
      4. County and city highway maintenance offices
    3. The President consults with the ISD 917 Superintendent at 91快播 and with the Director of Continuing Education and Customized Training (CECT) to identify CECT courses that may be impacted.
    4. The Vice President of Academic Affairs will review the course schedules to identify the impact a decision may have on faculty and programs.
    5. The Vice President of Enrollment management and Outreach will identify how closure will impact scheduled Admissions events.
    6. The Vice President of Student Success and Retention will identify how closure will impact student events.
    7. The Vice President of Human Resources anticipates how closure or delay will impact employees and prepares appropriate messages.
    8. The Director of Marketing monitors secondary closures/delays and other event cancellations and provides regular updates to the group (e.g., Communications through Microsoft Teams). Marketing also prepares draft communications.
    9. The President’s executive assistant sets up a phone call or virtual team meeting for consultation.
  2. Information is shared at the severe weather meeting and a decision is made whether to close or delay the colleges. In making the decision, several factors will be considered. The primary concern is with the safety of students and employees. This includes traveling conditions, safety of students and employees taking public transportation, and the colleges’ capacity to ensure parking lots and sidewalks are safe to navigate. Secondary concerns include anticipated disruptions to student learning and to planned campus events, the impact on co-located partners, the impact on parent students, and the impact on PSEO students whose secondary school may have been closed.

    Consistent with secondary concerns, administration will first consider shifting to online delivery options for remote learning, student services or other campus activities and functions if they can continue unaffected by weather conditions. Faculty should consult with their dean in situations where a shift to online delivery is not possible or needs additional support.

    In general, administration will seek to make the same decision for both colleges, recognizing, however, that in some circumstances, they may decide on different actions for each college.
  3. If a decision is made to close or delay, Marketing will send appropriate messages through these methods:
    1. Texts
    2. Blackboard StarAlert
    3. AlertAware
    4. Email
    5. Social media
    6. Phone messages
    7. College websites www.dctc.edu and
    8. Local media
  4. The President’s executive assistant sends notification of the closure or delay to the Chancellor’s Office.
  5. Cabinet members continue to monitor the situation. The Vice President of Finance and Operations consults with the President if additional action is needed (e.g., move from a delay to a college closure). Cabinet members are responsible for monitoring the weather response distribution list to provide input on any additional actions taken.

Document History

Related Documents

  • Minnesota State Board Policy 4.4 Weather/Short Term Emergency Closings
  • Minnesota State Statute 12.21
  • Minnesota State Statute 43A.05

Responsible Administrator

  • College President

Policy/Procedure History

  • Date of Adoption: May 2021
  • Last Revision Date: December 2025
  • Date most recent policy revisions go into effect: May 2021

Date and subject of revisions

  • December 11, 2025: Logistical changes that did not need to go through the policy oversight committee.
  • May 2021: Document was updated to include the most recent guidelines from the system office.
  • May 2017: Updated title and history and changed MNSCU references to Minnesota State