Inclement Weather Policy

It is the intent of Muskegon Community College (MCC) to maintain normal College operations on all regularly scheduled days, however severe weather conditions may prevent this.

In instances when the College is open but individual travel may be dangerous, a student or employee will make their own determination concerning attendance based on the conditions of their unique situation. Students are required to communicate their absence to their instructors. Faculty are encouraged to be flexible in their classroom policies regarding make-up work for students who are unable to get to classes due to severe weather conditions.   Faculty/staff are required to contact their supervisor or department chairperson per their department call-in process.

When severe weather is present or imminent, the College may:

  1. remain open;
  2. delay the opening of College and require only personnel providing essential services to report to work prior to opening;
  3. close certain extension sites depending upon local weather conditions and the availability of the buildings;
  4. close the entire College and all extension sites and require only personnel providing essential services to report to work.

MCC Inclement Weather Procedures

In making the decision to close, the College considers several factors, including a thorough assessment of current travel and weather conditions throughout the College’s service areas because conditions can vary greatly from one location to another. Other factors considered in the decision include:

  1. overall road conditions, particularly main routes throughout the MCC region;
  2. the impact of severe wind gusts, fog, etc. on visibility and driving conditions;
  3. short-term forecasts/radar as an indicator of more immediate storm intensity and duration;
  4. the ability to plow and to maintain College parking lots;
  5. law enforcement official warnings that limit or restrict travel;
  6. closings by area businesses, colleges, and/or school systems. NOTE: There may be days when many or most K-12 school systems are closed, but MCC is open.

When weather conditions appear hazardous, the following actions will be taken:

  1. For daytime schedules, the College will make every effort to communicate a decision to delay opening or close entirely before 6 a.m.
  2. For evening schedules, the College will make every effort to communicate a decision to close the College by 3:00 p.m. There is a possibility that MCC would cancel all day classes and hold evening classes.

Emergency Closing Notifications

  1. MCC conducts classes at several regional sites – GVSU Holland, Grand Haven Community Center, Coopersville, and NCRESA/Fremont – which may close due to severe weather conditions while the main campus remains open. In those instances, the closures will be posted on the MCC website home page, the MyMCC home page, and on MCC’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts.
  2. When the entire college, including the main campus and all extension sites, is closed, a message will be sent through Rave Alert to the email addresses and cell phone numbers of MCC faculty, staff, and students who have registered for the service. Employees and students who want RAVE alerts through their cell phone numbers, MCC email, and personal email must register. Information and a link to register are located at: https://www.muskegoncc.edu/student-services-and-administration/rave-alerts/ The closing information will also be posted on the MCC website home page, the MyMCC home page, and on MCC’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts, and regional media.

Definition of Terms

Severe Weather – Regionally, this typically means excessive snow and/or ice which makes driving hazardous, but it could also refer to other hazardous conditions, such as tornado, severe thunderstorm forecasts, or dangerously low temperatures.

Delayed Opening – Only personnel providing essential services before the specified opening time will be asked to report to campus or may be called in to work. Staff should report to work one-half hour before the designated opening time. Students should report to class at the designated opening time. If a student’s class begins before the designated opening time, that class would be canceled.

College Closed – Only personnel providing essential services that day will be asked to report to campus or may be called in to work.

College Open – The decision to attend school is the responsibility of each individual student, faculty and staff member. Students are advised to inform their instructors of a decision to miss class by phoning or sending an email.