ULSD Severe Weather Plan
ULSD Faculty, Staff and Students:
The University makes the overall decision regarding classes operating on a delayed schedule or
class cancellations due to severe weather. The decision regarding clinic closures is made
internally and may not be announced on radio or television. This document outlines the School
of Dentistry policies regarding class and clinic closures and delayed scheduling.
When the weather makes certain roads impassable or extremely dangerous, employees must
use their judgment regarding their ability to report for work. Employees may determine
whether it is feasible to come to work because of hazardous conditions in their areas. All
employees should contact their supervisor if they expect a delay or deem it not feasible to
report to work.
The ULSD policy on severe weather plan is as follows:
A message instructing patients of the general status of the clinics at the School of Dentistry will
be placed on the central patient registration number (852-5096). The individual DMD group
scheduler (Groups A-F) and the Dental Residency/Graduate Program scheduler telephones will
have a message instructing patients about the status of their appointments in the specific
programs.
University Closes for the Entire Day
If the University closes for the entire day, all School of Dentistry offices, classes, and clinics will
be closed.
University Closes Early
Offices and Clinics School of Dentistry offices and clinics will operate until the announced
closing time. Patient treatment should be terminated at an appropriate point, as determined by
the supervising faculty. Staff will be released by their supervisor as appropriate.
Classes/Preclinical Laboratory Courses - Didactic classes (including pre-clinical laboratory
courses) will meet until the announced closing time.
University has Delayed Opening
Offices and DMD Clinics School of Dentistry offices and DMD clinics will operate on the
announced delayed schedule. However, all identified essential faculty and staff will report to
work at 8:30 a.m. All other faculty, staff and students will report to the School of Dentistry on
the announced delayed schedule. (Example: If the University of Louisville is on a 2 hour delay,
essential faculty and staff will report at 8:30 a.m. The remaining faculty, staff, and students
will report at 10:00 a.m. All clinical care will be cancelled for the morning session, and regularly
scheduled patient care will resume at 1:00 p.m.)
Dental Residency/Graduate Programs Offices and Clinics All Dental Residency/Graduate
Programs will operate on their individual severe weather plans. All faculty, staff, and
residents/graduate students should familiarize themselves with the policies and procedures of
their respective programs. Faculty and residents/graduate students should contact their
program director, and staff should contact their supervisor with any questions about their
responsibilities in case of an announced delayed schedule. Decisions regarding clinical care and
scheduling will be the responsibility of each program director.
Classes/Preclinical Laboratory Courses - Didactic classes (including pre-clinical laboratory
courses) will operate on the announced delayed schedule. (Example: If the University delays
opening until 10 a.m., classes and lab courses [including pre-clinical courses] that end before
10 a.m. would be canceled. Students who normally would be in a class at or after 10 a.m.
should go to wherever they would be at that time unless other instructions from course
directors have been published in advance. If classes are delayed until 10 a.m. and the class is
scheduled from 9:00 a.m.- 12:00 p.m., students should report to that class at 10:00 a.m.)
NOTE:
University Dental Associates operates according to the schedule set forth by the practice.
The Oral Surgery Residency and the General Practice Residency Programs operate according to
the schedule set forth by the Ambulatory Care Building for clinic patients, and according to the
schedule set forth by University Hospital for hospital cases.
Staff members who are unable to be at work during the announced operating hours should
contact their supervisor and plan to use vacation time for the absence.