CON Cancellation of Classes or Clinical Experiences

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Faculty Policies

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA MEDICAL CENTER COLLEGE OF NURSING
Cancellation of Classes or Clinical Experiences	Subsection: 4.2.6
Section 4.0 - Faculty Policies	Originating Date: September 1971
Responsible Reviewing Agency: Executive Council Related Documents: UNMC Inclement Weather Policy	Revised: January 1993 Revised: March 1999 Revised: March 2001 Revised: February 2008 Reviewed: March 2015 (changes) Revised: March 2018 (changes) Revised: August 2023 (changes)

Purpose

Provides guidelines for all campuses for class cancellation, arranging make-up of classes or clinical experiences during inclement weather.

Scope

Applies to all five divisions and for courses delivered across campuses.

Policy

1. UNMC, as a health sciences center, has a number of activities that must be kept operational regardless of the weather conditions. These include activities that directly and indirectly support patient care at the hospital and clinics, as well as many research and educational functions. Many employees must report, regardless of the weather, so the determination has been made for the entire campus to be considered open and operational, even when other University of Nebraska campuses and area businesses may be closed. (UNMC Inclement Weather Policy).
2. Divisions on other University of Nebraska campuses (i.e., Lincoln, Kearney) will comply with the directions of the chancellors of those campuses regarding weather related closing. Divisions located on community college campuses (i.e., Norfolk, Scottsbluff), will follow the directions of the community college leaders for weather related closings.
   
   There may be times when a decision must be made by individual faculty about classes or clinical experiences when there is no official cancellation. In this event, College of Nursing (CON) faculty members must consult with their respective assistant deans, or designee, to make a judgment regarding having class or clinical experience. In making decisions about class and clinical, faculty should consider that maintaining safety of all is a priority.
   
   
   1. In the event that faculty make the decision to cancel class or clinical, they are responsible for notifying their students, the clinical area involved, if appropriate, and the appropriate program director, assistant or associate dean, CON Student Services, and the dean’s office.
   2. The faculty members are responsible for arranging make-up of classes or clinical experience.
3. If students arrive at the clinical area for a traditional clinical experience and faculty are not present, and the clinical experience has been cancelled, the students should leave and the clinical experience will be made up. If students arrive and are scheduled to work with a preceptor or CSI, students should work with faculty and the assigned nurse to determine the course of action.
4. If faculty and students arrive in a clinical area before an official cancellation, faculty use their judgment in determining whether the clinical experience will continue.
5. If a class is delivered across campuses:
   
   
   1. class will be suspended for all campuses if the campus of origin is closed or has suspended classes.
   2. Class will be recorded and available for later viewing if the campus of origin is not closed.