Penn State Intercom......November
29, 2001
Check WPSU Radio for official
emergency weather information 
If severe weather creates an emergency, University Park students and employees can dial to WPSU-FM, the University's public radio station, for the official update on activities on the campus.
"Severe winter weather plus hazardous conditions may or may not lead to delays or changes in the schedule," said Thomas Harmon, director of University Police Services. "Once that official decision is made, the first call goes to WPSU as the University's emergency information source. Nearly all employees and students as well as the public can rely on the radio station."
When notified, WPSU, which is on the air 24 hours a day, will begin live broadcasting earlier than its usual start time of 5 a.m. and will interrupt regularly scheduled programming to give periodic updates throughout the day or night.
WPSU-FM -- 91.5 in State College, Bellefonte, Lock Haven and surrounding areas; 90.1 in the northern counties -- also is on the Web at http://www.wpsu.psu.edu. For a list of WPSU station frequencies, go to http://www.wpsu.psu.edu/about.html. The same official information also will be available at (814) 865-4000.
Even when class and office delays or cancellations are announced, the University Park campus never really closes -- students and hotel guests still need to be fed; research projects and essential services need to continue; and agricultural research animals need care. In addition, University Police and both The Nittany Lion Inn and The Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel always are open.
"Some of the factors in the University's decision to delay or cancel activities differ from those considered by area public schools," Harmon said. "While we both are concerned about road conditions for buses and commuting employees, the school districts also need to be concerned about the health and safety of children getting to and waiting for school buses. Most students at University Park live on or close to campus, but in addition to road conditions, we need to be concerned about the availability and condition of our parking lots and maintaining services that affect safety and health."
Employees in essential services and operations are expected to report for work in most circumstances, and should contact their supervisor soon -- before winter weather strikes -- with any questions they may have about their status.
Employees also should review "Handling Weather Day Absences," Human Resources Guideline 10 on the Web at http://guru.psu.edu/policies/OHR/hrg10.html -- for specific information on how time missed is handled.