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Updated Thursday, Aug. 31 at 12:45 p.m. –

GENERAL INFORMATION:

Is USF closed due to Hurricane Idalia?

USF continues to monitor Hurricane Idalia. The safety of our students, faculty and staff is our highest priority as we track the storm and any impacts to the Tampa Bay region. Based on our latest assessment of the campus and improved conditions in Pinellas County, the USF St. Petersburg campus will reopen on Friday, Sept. 1, and classes will resume on Friday, Sept. 1. The USF Tampa and USF Sarasota-Mantee campuses reopened and resumed classes on Thursday, Aug. 31.

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 Friday’s classes in St. Petersburg 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 Friday 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 on the USF St. Petersburg campuses may not conduct class, require assignments or administer exams until at least Friday, Sept. 1. 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? 

Events were cancelled on Tuesday, Aug. 29 and Wednesday, Aug. 30. Further information about events will be shared as decisions as are made.

Are residence halls open?  

Residence Halls in Tampa are open at this time. Residence halls on the St. Petersburg campus will reopen at 2 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 31.

Is dining service available on the USF St. Petersburg campus?

The Nest will reopen at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 31.

Is the Bull Runner in operation?

Regular service has resumed on the Tampa campus. Information about bus service on the St. Petersburg campus will be shared as soon as available.

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 internationalservices@usf.edu or call 813-974-5102.

FOR FACULTY AND STAFF:

Can I teach my classes remotely before Friday, Sept. 1 on the St. Petersburg campus?  

Instructors on the St. Petersburg campus may not conduct class, require assignments or administer exams until at least Friday, Sept. 1. 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.

For USF St. Petersburg employees, only those 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 campus is closed on Thursday. Non-essential staff or those not deemed critical to campus operations by their supervisor are not expected to work, remotely or otherwise, while campus is closed. Please contact your supervisor if you are unsure of your status.  

What classes are meeting on Thursday, August 31?

All classes offered through the Tampa, Sarasota-Manatee, and USF Health campuses, including in-person and online, will meet on their regular schedule starting Thursday, Aug. 31.

All classes offered through the St. Petersburg campus, including in-person and online, are canceled for Thursday August 31. Faculty teaching online courses offered through St. Petersburg campus should notify students via their Canvas course page that the Thursday activities are canceled.

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.

Can I get into my office or lab? 

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 on the St. Petersburg campus are encouraged to return to their labs once campus has reopened. 

Who should be on campus during an emergency closure? 

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 , 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.

If the university has closed for an emergency, will I get paid?  

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 ×îÐÂÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ 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.

FOR PATIENTS:

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

USF Health clinical facilities have resumed normal clinical operations. USF Health patients may call the USF Health appointments hotline at 813-821-8038 to reschedule appointments.