Remote Operations Policy
The President of Macomb Community College or designee may initiate Remote Operations when circumstances jeopardize safety or disrupt normal college operations. Examples of conditions that may warrant a Remote Operations declaration include campus closures due to severe weather, utility interruptions, or network outages that impact campus functionality.
When it is deemed necessary to initiate Remote Operations, it is the goal of the College to make the decision as quickly as possible so that there is a minimum amount of confusion.
For snow emergencies, the College will attempt to make the decision no later than 6:00 a.m. When possible, decisions regarding evening classes will be made at the same time as for day classes. If a separate decision is required for evening classes or activities, every effort will be made to announce it by 3:00 p.m. During finals week, or in other times of necessity, if conditions allow in-person classes for the afternoon, the College will open at 12:00 p.m.
Events will be handled on an individual basis depending upon the needs of their activities and the existing conditions. It is the responsibility of the unit Vice President, in conjunction with the Executive Vice President for Administration, to make that decision.
Should a situation arise, that would require closing an individual building or buildings, but not an entire campus, it will be the responsibility of the unit Vice President(s) to determine whether the activities in that building shall be canceled or reassigned. This decision will be made in conjunction with the Executive Vice President for Administration depending on the nature of the emergency.
When power outages occur while staff are working and faculty are teaching classes, every effort should be made to remain on campus / on site for one hour to allow time for power to be restored. If power has not been restored within an hour, the Administrator of the area should contact their unit Vice President who will consult with the Executive Vice President for Administration to determine next steps and further notifications including remote operations.
Campus closures and Remote Operations announcements will be communicated through multiple channels, including Emergency Notification System (text alert and email only); Macomb Community College public website (https://www.macomb.edu); My Macomb Intranet; Social media (official college accounts); and/or local radio and television stations (campus closures only).
When Remote Operations are declared, the following procedure shall be followed:
Faculty Expectations:
- Faculty leading affected on-campus classes or labs must cancel on-campus sessions during Remote Operations and either:
- Conduct synchronous online instruction at the regularly scheduled time, when feasible, or
- Provide alternate instructional activities to ensure continuity of instruction.
- Virtual classes (e.g., online, hybrid, remote) will continue as scheduled.
- For prolonged closures, faculty should refer to the Continuity of Education Plan
in the Policies, Guidelines, and Directives Catalog on My Macomb.
On-Campus Classes:
- If a class is already in session when an announcement for remote operations is made, the class should continue until the time to transition to remote becomes effective.
- If a class has not yet started and overlaps with the remote operations time, faculty should follow the guidance above under “Faculty Expectations.”
Employee Expectations:
- During Remote Operations, employees are expected to maintain their regular work responsibilities whenever possible:
- Employees who can work remotely must do so. Employees who cannot work remotely should contact their supervisor for guidance.
- Essential personnel (e.g., College Police, Facilities, and other employees required for on-campus functions) must report to campus as directed.
- Employees working on campus when Remote Operations are announced should remain until the time to transition to remote becomes effective and then transition to remote work if possible.
- Employees already working remotely when Remote Operations are announced should continue their regular schedules.
- If normal operations resume midday, employees should plan to report in the afternoon unless directed otherwise by their supervisor.
- Employees are expected to take their laptop and other supplies home in the event that remote operations are declared.
- Additional information can be found in the Remote Work Policy in the Policies, Guidelines and Directives Catalog on My Macomb.
Approved by President’s Council
January 6, 2026