Notification Procedures for Unexpected and Expected Class Cancellations

Unexpected:

If you find you are unable to attend a class session due to illness or emergency, you must contact a CPCS staff member so that your students will be informed. The sooner notice can be given, the better.

Since it is not guaranteed that a particular staff person will be available to take your call- there is a call tree.

The first person you should try to contact is Jessica Heath at 617-287-7350, or by email at jessica.heath@umb.edu. If you are able to contact her - you are done. BUT, if you get her voicemail, leave a message about your situation and make a second call to ....

TBA at TBA. If you are able to contact her - you are done. BUT, if you get her voicemail, leave a message about your situation and make one more call to ...

the Office of Student Services 617-287-7120. A staff person will be able to relay the message to Jessica in order to inform the students.

Expected:

There are several reasons why there may be one or two expected class cancellations during the semester. These expected cancellations should be published in your syllabus so that students are aware of these days off right from the start of the semester. Inevitably, one or two students may not have reviewed the syllabus carefully, and show up looking for the class. That is why we ask that you either write down these absences on the desk calendar hanging off the Faculty Support Office door.

Another possibility is that your class may be taking a field trip or may be meeting in the Library or a Computer Lab. It is also helpful to publish these situations in the syllabus, and let Andrea know about these arrangements.

Provost's Guidelines in "Minimum Faculty Responsibilities:

Missed Classes: All planned absences for legitimate professional or personal reasons must be approved in advance by the Department Chair / Centerhead. In such cases, the instructor is responsible for arranging makeup classes or providing alternative instructional activities. When an illness or unforeseen emergency results in the cancellation of a class, the instructor should notify the Chair / Centerhead as soon as possible and arrange for notices to be posted informing students of the cancellation. In the event of an extended absence of the instructor, the Chair / Centerhead is responsible for arranging continuing instruction in the course.