Heavy snowfall has brought University Park to a standstill, with classes, activities, and work canceled from 5 a.m. Monday to 5 a.m. Tuesday. This decision was made with the safety of the Penn State community in mind, and it's a controversial one!
For in-person and hybrid classes, the cancellation means no live meetings, but instructors can still provide content asynchronously. This could be a recorded lecture or self-directed learning tasks. Web-based classes, however, will continue as planned.
As for on-campus activities, any scheduled events between the specified times are canceled, but those starting at or after 5 a.m. Tuesday will go ahead as planned.
Now, here's where it gets interesting for employees. Only those performing "essential" services should report to campus during this time. Essential employees are eligible for Campus Closure Compensatory Time, but they must clarify their status with their supervisor beforehand. All other employees are eligible for Campus Closure Pay and should not report to work until normal operations resume.
The university is encouraging everyone to prioritize their safety and use their judgment when traveling to or leaving campus during inclement weather.
Stay tuned for updates via Penn State News, PSUAlert, and WPSU-FM. And remember, while the university has made this decision, it's up to each individual to ensure their own safety and well-being during these weather events.
What do you think about the university's approach to weather-related closures? Do you think it's a fair system, or are there improvements that could be made? We'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments!
