This policy establishes guidelines for the Yale School of Nursing regarding weather conditions impacting the operation and closure of the institution. It ensures the safety of students, faculty, and staff while aligning with the West Haven District’s school closure weather advisory or when the university cancels shuttle service to West Campus.

The Yale School of Nursing (West Campus) will follow the West Haven School District’s school closure weather advisory in determining whether to shift to online learning modalities and close the building due to inclement weather or other severe weather conditions. If the university cancels shuttle service to West Campus, we will also shift to virtual learning. If Yale University announces a closure, classes, labs and clinicals will be cancelled.

In case of inclement weather, the deputy dean of the Yale School of Nursing will closely monitor weather forecasts and updates provided by local authorities, including the West Haven School District, Yale University West Campus shuttle service, and relevant state and local agencies. When the West Haven School District is closed or delayed or the Yale University West Campus Shuttle service is cancelled, the Yale School of Nursing classes, meetings, and events will be transitioned to virtual delivery and students will receive Zoom links from the instructors. Simulation and skills labs may shift to a virtual approach, an alternate assignment, or may be rescheduled.

The decision to shift to virtual delivery will be communicated by the Office of the Deputy Dean of Yale School of Nursing and noted as a banner in Canvas.

It is the responsibility of each student, faculty member, and staff member to remain informed of weather conditions and exercise good judgment when traveling to and from campus during inclement weather. Individuals should prioritize their safety and follow local authorities’ recommendations or advisories.

The Yale School of Nursing also recognizes that weather conditions may vary within the region. Students, faculty, and staff should use discretion and consider their local situation when deciding whether to travel to the campus if the West Haven School District or the Yale University West Campus shuttle has not made an announcement. Program chairs will review and approve transition of classes to virtual delivery due to varying weather conditions that may prohibit faculty to travel to campus when the West Campus YSN is open on a case-by-case basis. Instructors will review and approve reasonable student accommodations due to varying weather conditions on a case-by-case basis.

Yale University Closure for Inclement Weather

It is extremely rare for Yale University to close because of inclement weather. If it does, then classes, meetings, labs, and clinicals will be cancelled and not online. The announcement to close the whole university comes from the secretary’s office and is broadcast on the local radio station, WELI (960 AM), and several local television stations, such as WTNH, and can be found on their websites. Information on shuttle services during weather emergencies can be found on http://to.yale.edu/shuttle.

YSN Specific Snow/Inclement Weather Information

For Faculty

• If some professors need to shift to online learning during a storm because their own travel to and from campus is affected, they must obtain permission from the program chair. The faculty of record will need to post that information on the Canvas site and send emails to students. If the YSN building is open, students on campus to attend other classes not shifted to online will meet in their regularly scheduled classrooms. 
• The Faculty of Record will notify ysn.otl@yale.edu and ysn.av@yale.edu of the situation as soon as possible and will go to the classroom at the start of class to ensure that the faculty member can be connected to the classroom via Zoom.
• Assessments can be given online via Zoom. Faculty can reference the faculty resources page regarding Zoom assessments (https://yale.instructure.com/courses/38843/pages/zoom-proctoring?titleize=0).
• The Faculty of Record will notify the associate dean of student life, the associate director of student success, and OTL (ysn.otl@yale.edu) that an assessment is going to be given online or rescheduled so they can provide the support needed for the assessment. If an assessment is rescheduled, every attempt will be made to find proctors, but that is not always possible with rescheduled exams and some students may need to take the assessment with Zoom proctoring, or the department may need to assist with the identification of proctors.
• Students may experience living situations that do not allow them to be fully present or be able to take an assessment from home (no power, no Wi-Fi, children home on a weather closure from school or daycare, loud roommates, not having access to a second device to run the Zoom, etc.). If a student reaches out the faculty of record with a concern about taking the exam remotely, it can be rescheduled and proctored at YSN on another day. The Office of Student Life may be able to help with proctoring another day. 
• Specialty directors should reach out to part-time lecturers who may be less familiar with the policies to give guidance during such weather conditions.

For Staff

• Staff who are concerned about getting to and from campus during the storm, and who are not otherwise required to be at work to perform essential services, may wish to consult the university’s Hazardous Weather Policy. Staff should also speak with their supervisor. Supervisors should review with their colleagues the plans for operations in their units during a major storm.

For Students

• If students do not receive an email directly from the faculty, they should access Canvas for specific course announcements.
• In the event the student is unable to travel because of weather conditions, even though school remains in session, it is their responsibility to notify the course instructor.

• Assessments may be given online via Zoom. Students must follow the Zoom proctoring guidelines (https://nursing.yale.edu/sites/default/files/files/Zoom-proctored%20Exam%20Expectations%20-%20Students.pdf).

• GEPN clinicals will be cancelled at the discretion of the GEPN program chair.

• M.S.N. specialty clinicals will be cancelled at the discretion of the preceptor.

This policy may be revisited and updated periodically to ensure the safety of the Yale School of Nursing community.