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Bad Weather

The safety and well-being of our students, faculty and staff is our first priority. The University of Nebraska Omaha (UNO) has a number of methods to communicate emergency messages or update the university on campus closings or emergency status.

Explore the links below for helpful information


Covid-19 Impacts on Emergency Procedures

 During Emergency Evacuation whether it be a Fire, Severe Weather, or any other Emergency remember to:
  • Wear a Mask
  • Maintain Social Distancing during movement
  • If in a Shelter continue to wear a Mask and maintain Social Distancing as much as possible
  • Listen to the Directions of Public Safety and Student Housing personnel; there are plans in place to account for students in Quarantine and Isolation. 
Your compliance will assist University Personnel in successfully carrying out these plans.

 

Be Prepared

During severe weather season, be prepared to take precautionary measures in the instance of inclement conditions like tornadoes, straight-line winds or hail.


Monitor Local Weather

When there is a threat for severe weather, you can monitor local news channels or websites to stay informed about changing conditions:

News Media
KETV
KMTV
KPTM
WOWT
Omaha World-Herald  
The Weather Channel

  

What to Do In Case of a Tornado Watch or Warning

Tornado Watches and Warnings are issued by the National Weather Service when the probability exists that a significant threat could develop over a wide area.

A TORNADO WATCH means that tornadoes are likely to develop. 

A TORNADO WARNING means that a tornado actually has been sighted somewhere in the general area, you need to take immediate shelter.  Campus shelter locations are listed below.

If the warning sirens are sounded or a tornado is sighted approaching campus:

  • Proceed immediately to the interior hallway on the lowest floor or basement, unless there are boilers or electrical switch-gear areas housed in the basement.

  • If time does not permit, get into the safest area of your classroom or office (the inside wall away from the doors and windows.)

  • Avoid windows, auditoriums, gymnasiums or other structures with free-span roofs and boiler or electrical switch-gear areas.

  • Take shelter underneath your desk or any heavy furniture available.

  • Assume a curled position protecting your head and eyes.

  • All persons should remain in the shelter areas until advised the warning has ended.

  

Campus Tornado Shelter Areas

 
Residence Hall  Shelter Area 
Maverick Village Basement of Commons Building     
University Village Weber Fine Arts lower level
Scott Court First floor hallway
Scott Residence Hall                 First floor north hallway
Scott Village  Basement of the Commons Building 
 

Building  Shelter Area
Alumni Center  Lowel level, rooms 030-032, Bootstrapper Hall (107)
Allwine Hall First floor, west hallway between rooms 114-138
Annexes Lower level, not in furnace/boiler room
Arts & Sciences Hall  First floor hallway, interior rooms on south side if unlocked
Biomechanics Research Bldg.  Lower level hallway between room 113-137
CPACS Lower level northeast rooms 003, A, B, E, F, G, H. If lower level is secured, use the first floor north hallway between rooms 111-102, if open use rooms on south side of hallway
Center Building Garage
Central Utilities Under stairs lower level
Comm. Engagement Center  Garage
Durham Science Center Use northeast and southeast stairwells to reach the lower level hallway
East Garage North lower level (Lot T) stairwells
Eppley Administration Bldg. Lower level hallways
H&K Bldg. 2nd lower level hallway between rooms 002-017
Kayser Hall First floor except mechanical rooms; stairwell
Library First floor area by the restrooms and elevator
Mammel Hall Restrooms on all levels (reinforced concrete columns); first floor hallway between rooms 115 and 121
Maverick Landing/Scott Crossing In Scott Crossing: First level, north side. Specially constructed hallway starting just past the administration area going all the way around ending short of the lounge area. 
Milo Bail Student Center     

Basement of the Bookstore

First floor hallways by restrooms in southwest corner

Hallways and rooms in northwest corner
Pacific Street Parking Garage First floor, east wall on southern half of the garage
Parking Building Primary Room 108, Secondary Room 109
PKCC Lower level garage
Peter Kiewit Institute (PKI) First floor hallway between rooms 116-146 and 172-193
Roskens Hall  Lower level auditorium, rooms 002-009
Sapp Fieldhouse Men's and women's locker rooms
Sculpture/Ceramics Studio CEC Garage, southwest entrance to CEC; H&K second lower level hallway
Strauss Performing Arts Center First floor north hallway; Milo Bail has shelter areas via the northwest entrance to Milo Bail
Weber Fine Arts Bldg. Lower level, long hallway on eastside of building
West Garage Lower level stairwells

    

Closures or Delays

The decision to close the university because of adverse weather conditions will be made by the UNO Chancellor or their designee.

This decision will be made in consultation with a Weather Emergency Committee to be established by the Chancellor. This committee shall have representatives from University Communications, UNO Public Safety, Facilities Management and Planning, Office of Academic Affairs, Division of Student Success, Human Resources, Faculty Senate, Staff Advisory Council, Student Government, and others as input is required.

Standard Operating Procedure

Unless otherwise indicated via public announcement, UNO will be open and all activities will be conducted as usual.

As a matter of policy, most of the Omaha news media will not air school openings.

 

Bad Weather-Related Announcements

Out of an abundance of caution and with the safety of our campus community in mind, any decision regarding campus operations will be shared the prior day and will apply for the entirety of the day that is impacted. For extended periods of winter weather, an update about campus operations will be made on the same timeline for each proceeding day.

Any announcements will be promptly shared with campus through UNO Alert texts, push notifications on the UNOmaha app, campus-wide emails, a banner on the UNO homepage, messaging on UNO's social media accounts, and reports to local news outlets.

   

Bad Weather-Related Campus Operations

Due to the de-densified nature of campus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, severe winter weather will not result in the cancelation of classes or suspension of campus operations. Instead, all campus operations, including classes, which are able to be moved to remote operations will be asked to do so.

During the move to remote operations previously designated personnel may still be asked to report to campus and certain on-campus events may continue as scheduled.

For guidance on how these changes could impact you, please refer to the categories below:

Students

Faculty

Staff

Guests

 

Students

Students who have on-campus classes as part of their rotation will need to connect with their instructor once an announcement is made about moving to a remote learning mode.

Those students who have entirely remote or entirely online courses during the 2020-2021 semester will not have their schedules impacted.

Students who require on-campus access of computers or other course-relevant technologies, they are encouraged to reach out to the UNO Helpdesk and apply for a laptop or pocket WiFi rental, which will be provided at no additional cost based on availability.

Additionally, students are responsible for reading ahead in their course syllabus or working with their instructor to know what content they are responsible for covering that day.

Students requiring the use of support services such as the UNO-Nebraska Medicine Health Center; Counseling and Psychological Services; Speech Center; Writing Center; or Academic Career and Development Center will still be able to do so virtually.

See more resources on UNO's KeepLearning resource page.

Faculty

In the event of a shift to remote learning due to severe winter weather, faculty will be asked to move their course into remote delivery until campus operations return to standard operating procedure.

Faculty who utilize on-campus lab spaces as part of their curriculum are asked to consider alternative solutions for that portion of their curriculum in the event the campus moves to remote teaching because of severe winter weather.

It is the expectation that faculty will promptly communicate and update their students on plans for the impacted day(s) as soon as possible after the announcement about moving to remote operations.

Find more resources on UNO's KeepTeaching resource page.

Staff

Staff who are able to perform their duties in a remote setting will be asked to do so during such time that severe winter weather impacts on-campus operations.

For staff who are able to perform their duties in a remote setting, but for some reason are not able to do so during a severe winter weather remote operations period will be required to utilize their available vacation, Floating Holiday, or compensatory time.

Staff who are paid bi-monthly and whose duties can only be completed on campus, but are not designated as being required to be on campus, will be able to apply for up to eight hours of bad weather time.

Certain employees, who have been previously designated as needing to be on campus even in the event of remote operations or severe weather, will be asked to work with their supervisor to determine their scheduled time on campus. Those who are required to come to campus will receive their normal pay as well as up to eight hours of bad weather time.

Find more resources on UNO's KeepWorking resource page.

Guests

In the event of a move to remote operations, the expectation should be that campus buildings will be closed and operating remotely.

However, certain events held in spaces used commonly by the public (Baxter Arena, Thompson Alumni Center, Scott Conference Center, etc....) may still be held, as scheduled. It will be up to the individual guest to check on the event status through the event organizer.

 

  

UNO Weather Notifications

Any announcement regarding a bad weather closure or delay will be conveyed via the following media:

  • The university homepage in the form of an emergency banner
  • All-campus email
  • Emergency alert text messages
  • The university's official social media accounts on Facebook and Twitter