Safety is everybody's business

Fall 2011 Safety Message

With winter now in full swing, the University would like to remind the campus community how we will communicate with you when weather-related conditions impact classes and travel. Now that snow is on the ground to stay for the winter, please take a few minutes to review these important winter safety messages.

Campus Closures
The decision to close the University or cancel any or all UAA activities is made only by the chancellor or designee. On snow/freezing rain days, UAA will make every effort to announce any potential closures by 6 a.m. for day classes and by 4 p.m. for evening classes (classes starting at 5:30 p.m. or later).

There may be times when conditions in an individual neighborhood prevent faculty from meeting their classes. If this happens, faculty will notify the dean's office or department chair as soon as possible so that students can be notified appropriately. Staff members should notify their supervisor. It is the responsibility of the faculty and the department to notify students if individual classes are canceled when the University remains open.

Conditions can vary dramatically around the Anchorage bowl during major snowfalls. We make every effort to keep UAA open and operating, but we recognize that there may be times when local conditions make travel impractical or unsafe.

UAA uses several methods to notify the campus community of emergencies or closures:  

• Email: The UAA-wide distribution list will be used to send a notice. All UAA Anchorage campus students, staff and faculty are included in this distribution list.
• Website: The UAA website, www.uaa.alaska.edu .
• Phone: The UAA general number, (907) 786-1800, is updated with campus closure information. Do not call (907) 786-1120 (University Police) unless it is to request police assistance.
• Radio/Television/Online News Outlets: UAA notifies all major local broadcast outlets of closures as rapidly as possible. Faculty, staff and students should be aware that not all media outlets have 24-hour phone numbers, and that UAA cannot control the content of their broadcasts. We make every effort to notify broadcast outlets of closures.
• Social Media: Follow UAA on Facebook (UAA: University of Alaska Anchorage) and Twitter (uaanchorage) for the latest campus news.

Distracted Driving

There are many cars, bikes and pedestrians on campus, so please be aware of your surroundings and do not drive distracted.Use extra caution while driving and walking near the crosswalk between the engineering and science buildings, underneath the skybridge.

Winter Slip and Fall Prevention
Winter slips and falls are a major source of injuries at UAA. One of the best ways to avoid accidents is by using Spikies (foot traction devices), which are available free to all UAA employees and are available at the UC Wolf Card Office, the library, Parking Services and Human Resources. UAA students can purchase Spikies at the campus bookstore.

Wildlife on Campus
Remember that we share our campus with wildlife, so please be aware of your surroundings as you travel around campus. Moose can be very dangerous. Should a moose cross your path, do not approach it; wait for it to move along or choose an alternate route. Please call the University Police Department at (907) 786-1120 to report any harassment of wildlife.

For more safety tips, visit the Environment Health & Safety/Risk Managementwebsite at http://ehsrms.uaa.alaska.edu/.