Weather and your personal safety

Jan. 11, 2016

It’s that time of year when you may be concerned about difficult weather or driving conditions when making your way to campus. Your personal safety is one of our foremost priorities.

Given the weather inconsistencies and volatility in our region, it can be challenging to decide when a campus stays open and when it closes. Students and staff live across a broad geographic area at some distance from their campuses and encounter a wide range of travelling conditions that can vary dramatically.

There are often situations where one area is getting hit hard while other areas of the region remain unaffected. For example, it is not uncommon for the Barrie Campus to be closed and the Orillia Campus to be open (or vice versa) despite the fact that they are less than a 30-minute drive apart. There have even been occasions when a decision to close a campus has been made and within a few hours, weather conditions have improved significantly.

Please exercise your own discretion and caution this season, depending on the conditions in your area. If you feel the risk is too great to travel, then you must take responsibility for your personal safety and make a sound decision based on your particular circumstance.

Those who make reasonable decisions will not be disadvantaged. Contact faculty or the appropriate academic office to discuss alternative arrangements if you miss a class, exam, assignment or other deadline.

Safe travels!