USF Tropical Storm Helene FAQs

Updated Tuesday, Sept. 24 at 5:30 p.m. -

GENERAL INFORMATION:

Is USF closed due to Tropical Storm Helene?

Based on the latest weather information, all classes are canceled beginning on Wednesday, Sept. 25, and will not resume until Monday, Sept. 30.

All USF campuses will be closed beginning on Wednesday, Sept. 25, and will remain closed through at least Friday, Sept. 27. As of now, we expect to reopen campuses and return to normal business operations (without classes) on Saturday, Sept. 28. A final decision on the operating status for Saturday, Sept. 28, will be announced on Friday, Sept. 27.

When campus reopens/classes resume, what happens if I can't get back to class or work?

Students who left the region, or who have difficulty traveling to campus due to storm-related issues, and won't be able to return in time for Monday's classes should notify their instructors as soon as possible. Employees who left the region, or who have difficulty traveling to campus due to storm-related issues, and won't be able to return by Monday should notify supervisors as soon as possible. Faculty members and supervisors are asked to be patient and understanding with their students and staff during these unique circumstances.  Students, faculty and staff are urged to use caution when traveling back to campus.

FOR STUDENTS AND PARENTS:

What about scheduled exams and assignments?

Instructors may not conduct class, require assignments or administer exams until at least Monday, Sept. 30. This policy applies to in-person and online classes. Please keep in mind there may be considerable displacement and stress after the storm passes; we expect that instructors will be flexible. Students will receive additional information from their instructors once campus has reopened. This is the same for online courses as well.

Are events on campus canceled?

All events are cancelled when USF's campuses are closed. However, a decision has not been made yet regarding USF's home volleyball match on Friday, Sept. 27. A final decision on the operating status of each campus for Saturday, Sept. 28, will be announced on Friday, Sept. 27. Please check with the event organizer regarding updates for specific events.

Are residence halls open?

Residence halls on the Tampa and Sarasota-Manatee campuses remain open. Residence halls in St. Petersburg will close beginning on Wednesday, Sept. 25. USF St. Petersburg residential students without a place to stay will be picked up at 10 a.m. on Wednesday at the University Student Center and transported to Juniper-Poplar Hall on the Tampa campus. Students must reserve a space by 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 24, if they need to relocate to Tampa. Spaces can be reserved by contacting Susan Kimbrough, director of Housing and Residential Education on the St. Petersburg campus at [email protected].

Is the Bull Runner in operation?

Service for the Bull Runner ends at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 25 and will resume when the university reopens.

Is Feed-a-Bull food pantry open?

Feed-a-Bull food pantry is closed whenever USF campuses are closed. A list of community food pantries can be found here.

For international students:

International students and parents may send questions to [email protected] or call 813-974-5102.

FOR FACULTY AND STAFF:

Can I teach my classes remotely before Monday, September 30? 

Instructors may not conduct class, require assignments or administer exams prior to Monday, Sept. 30. This policy applies to in-person and online classes. Please keep in mind there may be considerable displacement and stress after the storm passes; we expect that instructors will be flexible.

Only USF employees who are 1) classified as essential personnel or 2) identified by their supervisors as critical to campus operations should report to work, come to campus or work remotely while campuses are closed. Non-essential staff or those not deemed critical to campus operations by their supervisor are not expected to work, remotely or otherwise, while campuses are closed. Please contact your supervisor if you are unsure of your status. Please do not return to campus until notified that it is safe to do so.  Supervisors are asked to be patient and understanding with their employees under the circumstances.

Do I need to make up class time?

At this time, we do not know if additional instructional time will be required. However, you will need to adjust your semester plans to meet the primary Student Learning Outcomes for your course within the remaining semester. The Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning offers suggestions for supporting learning following such a disruption.

Only USF employees who are classified as essential personnel and/or those identified by their supervisors as critical to campus operations should report to campus while buildings are closed. Please contact your supervisor if you are unsure of your status.

When can faculty members and graduate students return to their labs?

Faculty members and graduate students are encouraged to return to their labs once campus has reopened.

Only employees who have been identified as Essential Personnel or determined to be critical to campus operations should report to work when the campus and its business operations are officially closed. For safety and accountability, the university must know who is on campus and their locations during an emergency closing.

Per Policy 6-037, Essential Personnel may include the following: An employee who is essential to the operation of the university, whose absence would adversely affect the health and safety of the campus community or the viability of campus facilities and/or critical infrastructure, as determined by the employee's department.

How do I know if I'm considered essential personnel or serve in a critical role?

The vice president, deans and directors or their designees of the college, division or department will identify personnel who are deemed to be essential personnel. Your supervisor will notify you if you are part of one of these groups and are required to come to work during an emergency closing.  If you are unsure of your status as essential or in a critical role, please contact your supervisor.

The following guidelines will determine if you are paid for an emergency closure:

• Special compensatory leave is provided to Staff and non-exempt Administration employees required to perform essential duties for hours worked outside of their normal work schedule to prepare for or respond to a declared university emergency, as determined by the Chief Administrative Officer or designee. Special compensatory leave is also provided to Staff and non-exempt Administration employees required to perform essential duties during an emergency closing for the hours worked during the closing.
• Faculty, Administration and Executive Service employees, if required to work, do not receive special compensatory leave for any hours worked during the closing.
• Exempt Employees are not eligible to earn Special Compensatory leave during the closure.
• Employees who are not required to work during an emergency closure are granted administrative leave in an amount equal to the number of hours scheduled to work during the closure or in an amount necessary to bring them up to their normal hours for the work week.
• Salaried Temporary employees will receive their regular pay.
• Ordinarily, employees who are on a previously approved leave of absence that began prior to (and includes) the administrative closure day, shall not have the leave of absence changed for such administrative closure time. Administrative leave for closures shall not apply during a leave of absence (ie: Sick Leave, Annual Leave, Medical Leave of Absence, FMLA, Parental Leave, Leave without Pay, etc). University-wide exceptions to this may be approved by the SVP, Chief Administration Officer and Chief Human Resources Officer based upon business needs.
• Hourly Temporary employees will not receive paid leave time during an emergency closure, but if the workload permits it, a supervisor may adjust an employee's schedule during the affected pay period to allow the employee to work additional hours in the work week.

What happens if USF is open but I can't come to work because I live in an evacuation zone or have to stay home with my children whose school was closed? 

The university understands that circumstances like an evacuation or school closing may impact your ability to come to work during a storm situation. Although the university monitors school closings, we cannot guarantee that USF will close its business operations, even if other schools close. For extenuating circumstances such as these, you may request to use your annual leave to cover your absence.

When should I return to work, and what time should I arrive?

Please check www.usf.edu, USF's official social media channels, MyUSF or email for updates on how long the university will be closed. On the day the university reopens, you should report to work at the time you would normally start your shift. If the university opens later than the start of your scheduled start time, you should report to work as soon as the university reopens.

If I am an exempt employee and I work during the closure, am I eligible to earn special compensatory leave?

No. Administration, Faculty, and Staff Exempt employees are expected to work the number of hours necessary to accomplish their assigned responsibilities.

I work a four-day work week, 10 hours each day. How many hours of administrative leave do I get for an emergency closing, eight hours or 10 hours? 

You may be eligible to receive up to 10 hours of administrative leave, which is equal to the number of hours in your regular workday, not to exceed your normal hours in a workweek.

I am designated to be on-call. Will I continue to receive on-call pay during the closing?

Yes, unless your supervisor advised you in writing prior to the emergency closure that you were not on-call during the closure.

When I am on-call during an emergency closing, which rate do I receive?

If the closure is on a regular workday, then your on-call rate is the one for the workday. However, if the closure is on a holiday or the weekend, your on-call rate would be the one specified for holiday/weekend.

Additional information for employees can be found here.

FOR PATIENTS:

I have an appointment at the Morsani Health Center, can you help me?

USF Health clinical facilities will be open on Wednesday, Sept. 25, and will be closed on Thursday, Sept. 26.  A decision about Friday, Sept. 27, has not been made at this time. USF Health patients may call 813-821-8038 to reschedule their appointments.

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