The University of New Mexico utilizes several methods of communication to alert the campus community with specific information about the Albuquerque and Rio Rancho campuses regarding weather-related closures and delays, including LoboAlert text messages, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), email announcements as well as television, radio, and social media.
Additionally, the campus community can use UNM's "Snow Hotline," (505) 277-SNOW, regarding weather-related closures and/or delays.
The announcements will specify if the University is open, delayed, or closed. Other University departments, such as the Athletics Department and Popejoy Hall will be responsible for advising their customers about the status of events on inclement weather days when closures or delays have been declared.
If the University is delayed or closed, certain critical areas must remain open due to the nature of their activities. Directors of critical activities will clearly communicate to their employees what their work attendance requirements are during severe weather, regardless of what media messages are being conveyed to the larger University population.
For example, patient care and other critical activities such as Facilities Management, Police, and Housing will remain open when the University is closed due to inclement weather or will open at the normal time when a delay is announced. Directors of critical activities will prepare contingency plans, keep plans updated, and communicate such plans to employees.
All employees required by their supervisors to work during a delay or closure will be paid for hours worked and shall be granted additional compensatory time off, at the straight time rate, for actual hours worked during the delay or closure. Only employees required to work by their supervisors will receive compensatory time. Compensatory time in such cases shall not be considered time worked for overtime compensation purposes.
For the purposes of UNM’s weather policy, a "delay" means that:
- Employees who do not work in critical areas will not be expected to report to work until the time specified in the delay announcement;
- classes and labs normally scheduled to begin and end before the time specified in the delay announcement will not be held;
- classes and labs normally scheduled to be in progress at the time specified in the delay announcement will begin at the delayed start time and end at their normally scheduled time, and
- classes and labs normally scheduled to begin at or after the time specified in the delay announcement will meet as usual.
A closure means that the University will not be open for the day or closed before the end of the regular workday. Employees will be expected to return to their normal shift or work schedule at or after 6 a.m. the following day unless otherwise specified on the SNOW hotline.
Employees on shift assignments should check the SNOW hotline two (2) hours before the start of their shift to see if the University has reopened before the automatic reopening of 6 a.m. the day following a closure.
In the event of delays or closures during final exam week, faculty whose final exams are affected by the delay or closure may elect one of three options. Faculty must choose one of the options before final exam week and clearly communicate to their students which option they have chosen.
The options are:
- Faculty may assign as final grades, the current grades that students have going into final exam week.
- Faculty may make provisions for students whose exams are canceled to contact them to schedule a make-up exam or alternative arrangements.
- Faculty may, as a last resort, choose to assign incomplete grades.
During periods of inclement weather, both employees and supervisors should keep two (2) major goals in mind:
- the safety and well-being of employees, and
- the need for the University to conduct business regularly.
During inclement weather, employees are expected to be at work as scheduled but should take reasonable and safe measures to meet their employment obligations.
Also, an employee may need to leave work early to avoid hazardous driving conditions, which may occur later in the day as temperatures drop. Supervisors are expected to be flexible in these situations in accordance with the business needs of the organizations and the reasonable health and safety needs of employees.
When a delay has been announced, employees in non-critical areas will be expected to report to work at the time indicated by the media, LoboAlert, and Snow Hotline (277-SNOW) messages. When an employee cannot be at work at the expected time, the employee must notify his or her supervisor, explain the reason for the absence, and provide an estimated time of arrival at work.
For more information, visit Policy 3435: Inclement Weather.