University News
WIU Pushes Semester Start Date to Jan. 17 Due to Weather
January 11, 2024
MACOMB/MOLINE, IL - - All Western Illinois University 2024 Spring semester classes for Macomb, Quad Cities and online will begin Wednesday, Jan. 17, one day later than planned, due to the forecasted sub-zero weather conditions for early next week and to allow safe travel times for students.
Residence halls will be open as scheduled, and both campuses will remain open, with weather predictions continuing to be monitored.
WIU's Macomb and Quad Cities campuses will be under a winter weather advisory beginning at 8 p.m. this evening (Jan. 11).
The Campus Recreation Center will delay opening until 8 a.m. Friday, Jan. 12.
During a weather advisory, the University will generally remain open, ensuring that campus buildings are accessible. However, it is the personal responsibility of faculty, staff and students to use their judgment regarding attendance and travel conditions. Supervisors are urged to plan for continued operations, recognizing that University offices may be short-staffed or closed during the advisory.
The University's policy on limiting operations due to emergency conditions can be found in the Administrative Procedures Handbook at wiu.edu/administrative_procedures_handbook.
Employees currently working remotely are encouraged to continue doing so, or they may take leave with the approval of their supervisors. Essential employees may be required to work their regular hours on campus during a weather advisory, as determined by their supervisors based on the nature of the situation.
The weather advisory grants employees the option to use accrued vacation time, compensatory time or approved leave without pay with supervisor approval. Employees with approved leave will not face discipline for being absent. Supervisors are expected to accommodate reasonable requests from employees to arrive late or leave early due to inclement weather.
The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory for portions of western Illinois, indicating that snow, sleet, freezing rain or wind may cause travel difficulties. Drivers are urged to exercise caution and check winter driving conditions at gettingaroundillinois.com or by calling 5 1 1.
Warming Centers
Due to the extreme cold temperatures forecasted for the region, two of Western Illinois University's residence halls are designated as warming centers for area residents.
Corbin and Olson commons and the University Union, on the Macomb campus, will be open from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. for anyone in need of a place to warm up. Drinking water refilling stations are located on the first floors of Corbin and Olson halls.
Winter driving conditions in Illinois can be found at gettingaroundillinois.com.
For more information on ways to protect yourself from the cold, see winter safety tips from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at cdc.gov/disasters/winter/index.html.
If necessary, further weather closure and advisory updates will be posted to wiu.edu/news.
Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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