Business Interruption Policy

Date Issued: 11/27/2019
Date Revised: 11/27/19
Last Modified: Jun 21, 2023
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Business Interruption Policy

In the event of severe weather, natural disasters (tornados, earthquakes, floods, etc.,) act of terrorism, workplace violence, significant utility outages, and other events that may impact the safety and welfare of students, faculty, and staff or create major disruption of operations, the following policy shall govern the University’s response to such events.

The Associate Vice Chancellor Administration, Director of Environmental Health & Safety and the Chief of Police, as applicable, shall immediately consult with the Chancellor concerning any weather condition or disaster that severely impacts the normal day-to-day operation of the University.
The Chancellor, at his/her sole discretion, shall determine whether the condition is of such a nature as to require the cancellation of classes (e.g., unsafe for students walking on campus) and/or closure of the University (e.g., access to campus is perilous).
Should the Chancellor determine that classes are to be cancelled and/or the University closed due to inclement weather, the following steps shall be implemented not later than 5:30 a.m. (or not later than 3:00 p.m. for evening events and classes).
1. The Chancellor or authorized designee shall notify the Director, Media Relations or a designee, who shall immediately:
  1. Contact the media cooperative set up to disseminate official school closings information (using the appropriate UMKC code number set up by the cooperative) so that public media will broadcast the notice of cancellation of classes or closure of the University promptly, but not later than 6:00 a.m. Be advised that broadcast school updates are at the discretion of each media outlet, and may not appear immediately.
  2. Provide for immediate distribution of information through UMKC Alert!, the University’s mass notification system program, including:
    1. Text messaging, personal and UMKC voice mail, personal and UMKC email, and pagers.
    2. The University Help line (235-2222): includes information as to safety of being on campus; laboratories open or closed; building availability.
    3. Mass email/voicemail notice to UMKC Everyone (faculty, staff & students)
    4. UMKC home page (umkc.edu) and UMKCAlert! (umkc.edu/umkcalert).
  3. Contact Chief Information Officer or designee to provide appropriate information on the University main line (816-235-1000).
2. In the event of natural disasters, act of terrorism, workplace violence or other events that may impact safety and welfare, the Director, Media Relations, or a designee, will immediately:
  1. Provide for immediate distribution through the UMKC Alert! notification system as noted above.
  2. Contact the media – in a timely, immediate manner – to provide concise and factual information regarding the event. Public Relations will continue to provide media with updates of an ongoing event.
  3. Contact Chief Information Officer or designee to provide appropriate information on the University main line (816-235-1000).
3. The Chancellor, or designee, shall notify all the Chancellor’s direct reports, who will disseminate the information further.
4. The Provost shall notify academic deans. Deans will take appropriate steps to communicate with their unit on a timely basis. Directors of research labs and patient clinics shall provide special notice to their employees, some of whom may be deemed “situationally critical” as defined below.
5. The Vice Provost for Student Affairs or their designee shall provide special notice at all residence halls.
Students and employees shall bear ultimate responsibility, whether from news media, alerts from the UMKC Alert! notification system (including telephone call to the University’s 235-1000 number, UMKC web site), their professor, director or other supervisor, to determine for themselves whether or not they are to report to class or to work. Failure to obtain accurate information shall not constitute excuse from this policy.
Governing definitions
1. “Cancellation of Classes”. This statement broadcast by public media means only that classes are cancelled and the administrative offices remain open. In this event, all staff should report to work.
2. “UMKC campus closed”. This statement broadcast by public media means classes are cancelled and administrative offices are closed. However, in this event, “situationally critical” persons should report to work. All other employees should not report to work.
3. Late Start or Early Dismissal. Based on the situation, the university may choose to delay the start or early dismiss the administrative offices of campus, including scheduled classes.
4. Situationally critical persons. “Situationally critical persons” are only those persons employed by physical plant, police, research laboratories, patient clinics, and information services that the director of those departments, in his/her sole discretion, shall determine are critical to the operation of the University. Employees shall be responsible to call their director or immediate supervisor for instruction as to whether or not they are required to report for work under the particular conditions.
5. Divergent treatment. The application of this policy may differ among the various campuses and/or buildings of the University, depending in each instance upon the perceived safety for students, employees, and visitors.
Recommended strategies.
1. Deans, directors, and supervisors should keep a current list of faculty and/or staff phone numbers (home or cell).
2. Students should keep a current list of office phone numbers for their professors.
3. Staff should keep a current list of phone numbers for their immediate supervisors (home or cell).
Distribution.
1. Human Resources shall provide a copy of this policy to all new employees; Human Resources shall re-circulate this policy to all employees annually.
2. This policy shall be included and/or referenced in the handbook distributed annually to students, with a link to the policy’s website location.