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窪蹋勛圖厙

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Prepare for colder and wetter winter weather

With this winter, its a good time for Huskies to check out what the 窪蹋勛圖厙 does when theres snow and ice.

If theres snow in the forecast, how can I find out if theres any change to 窪蹋勛圖厙 classes or in-person work?

If 窪蹋勛圖厙, 窪蹋勛圖厙 Bothell or 窪蹋勛圖厙 Tacoma decide to change operations due to the weather, well share the news via email (a 窪蹋勛圖厙 Advisory message) to students and employees at the affected campus. Well send, also, a 窪蹋勛圖厙 Alert text message (pro tip: sign up now). Info will be posted on the website (check the website for your campus) and on social media.

For Seattle, students and employees can call the 窪蹋勛圖厙 Information Lines at 206-窪蹋勛圖厙S-INFO (206-897-4636) or toll-free 1-866-897-4636. For 窪蹋勛圖厙 Bothell, call 425-352-3333.

If theres no message posted, your campus is operating on a regular schedule.

A change in operations could include later start times, closing offices early, cancelling events or switching to virtual operations (which means no in-person classes or services; remote learning and work if possible). For students, check with your instructors about whether youll have class online.

During suspended or virtual operations, employees who arent essential staff (ask your supervisor if youre unsure), are encouraged to work remotely. Those who cant should follow the .

How does 窪蹋勛圖厙 make the decision to start late, dismiss early or suspend operations?

窪蹋勛圖厙 has a Weather Status Assessment group, which includes representatives from operational and academic units across the three campuses. 窪蹋勛圖厙 Emergency Management feeds weather updates to that group and convenes the group if it looks like the weather might impact mobility and operations. In addition, 窪蹋勛圖厙 Bothell and 窪蹋勛圖厙 Tacoma have teams to assess the conditions on each campus given differences in regional microclimates and campus geography.

窪蹋勛圖厙 in Seattle, 窪蹋勛圖厙 Bothell and 窪蹋勛圖厙 Tacoma consider current weather conditions and reliable forecasts, whether public transit is operating, current and predicted road conditions, K-12 school operations and whether 窪蹋勛圖厙 Facilities crews have the tools and people to keep pathways and roadways on campuses safe. The team from each campus makes recommendations for hybrid, virtual or suspended operations to the President and Chancellors.

In the event of snow, ice, high winds or other dangerous conditions, a decision will usually be made no later than 6 a.m. about any change in operations.

Getting to campus

If its snowy out, be prepared for changes to your commute. If you ride the bus, check , or for updates and snow routes.

, but some emergencies, such as mudslides, can cancel service. If you take one of the 窪蹋勛圖厙 shuttles, check Transportation Services or Shuttle alerts for changes to routes and schedule times.

If you drive to campus, be aware that certain levels of parking lots or garages may close for safety reasons. Refer to onsite signage for lot closure instructions and relocation directions. will list closures and re-routes for Seattle. Conditions can change quickly, however, so always use your best judgment as well.

Plan ahead

to prevent slips, trips and falls, including wearing layers, giving yourself extra time to get to your destination and avoiding distractions while walking (put your cell phone in your coat pocket).

If youre headed to the 窪蹋勛圖厙 campus in Seattle, check the for real-time information about roads and walkways during a snow event.

What if I cant make it to campus?

Conditions may be different at your home than they are on campus. If its not safe for you to get to campus, students should contact instructors as soon as possible.

Employees should contact their supervisor if theyre unable to come to work. .

If heavy and extended snow is in the forecast, units should check their departments business interruption and continuity plan and talk with supervisors. 窪蹋勛圖厙s Center for Teaching & Learning also has excellent recommendations for .

Stay warm, stay dry and have a safe winter!

Get a safe ride home at night with Husky SafeTrip

Husky SafeTrip

Hours
6:30 p.m.-2 a.m. daily except University holidays or when the campus operations are suspended.

Service
窪蹋勛圖厙 students and employees can get a safe ride home in the SafeTrip service area. This means to a residence, to a parking lot or to public transit stop on or near the Seattle campus. The service area includes campus and the greater University District. See the service area map.

How to use Husky SafeTrip
Call 206-685-9255. Tell the dispatcher where youre calling from (specify what part of the building youre near). Stand outside or near the entryway and watch for the 窪蹋勛圖厙PD security guard car. Have your Husky Card or other photo identification ready.

Its 7:45 p.m. on an October night and a sprinkle of stars can be seen in the sky above the 窪蹋勛圖厙s Seattle campus.

Natalie Flores, a first-year 窪蹋勛圖厙 student who just finished work at the Husky Union Building, is concerned about walking home across campus by herself. She calls 206-685-9255 for a ride home via a 窪蹋勛圖厙 Police Department security guard.

It means a lot that I can call and get a safe ride, Flores said.

Through Husky SafeTrip (formerly Husky NightWalk), 窪蹋勛圖厙PD security guards provide a ride at night (6:30 p.m.-2 a.m.) for students and employees from 窪蹋勛圖厙 buildings to homes on or near campus, to parking lots and to transit (see box for service info).

The program is getting the new name to more accurately describe the service (its not a walk anymore). This comes at the same time that the Husky NightRide shuttle is revamping as well, with easier to see stops on campus and fully branded vans making it easier to catch the shuttle and take it where you need to go on campus or in the U District.

James Bynum, one of several security guards who work Husky SafeTrip rides over the course of a year, gives up to 40 rides a night to students like Flores and 窪蹋勛圖厙 psychology student Emily Bu, who called SafeTrip after on-campus water polo practice because she didnt want to walk by herself.

I wanted to play it safe, Bu said from the backseat of the 窪蹋勛圖厙PD all-electric security sedan.

Like many students, shes called SafeTrip before. Bynum has regular riders who will join him in singing along to his SafeTrip playlist. One regular is a faculty member who calls for a safety escort from a late class.

SafeTrip exists so she doesnt have to get to her car on her own, said Bynum, who was recently promoted to a 窪蹋勛圖厙 Campus Safety Responder serving residence halls.

The secure ride program received a generous donation in 2016 to expand the service area into the University District. With ongoing contributions from students, families and alumni, the service can continue to meet the needs of students for secure rides after dark for years to come.

SafeTrip is not available for routine errands, but HuskyCards are good on transit anytime and going anywhere.

Learn more about .

What Zebrafish teach us about business continuity

When you think about business continuity, the first thing that comes to mind probably isnt zebrafish.

Every unit at 窪蹋勛圖厙 from Astrophysics to Zoology has a need for continuity planning in case of severe weather or a power outage or a different type of tragedy. Knowing what to do and who to call when something goes wrong that could affect the ability to hold classes, care for patients or conduct research is the heart of business continuity at the 窪蹋勛圖厙.

Which brings us back to zebrafish. Across the 窪蹋勛圖厙s Health Sciences schools, 15 principal investigators use the tiny striped tropical fish to study everything from vision and hearing loss to cancer and toxicology. because of unique qualities that make them excellent models for studying various aspects of biology and human health.

When a shut down the zebrafishs water system on Dec. 22, 2023, researchers and staff worked together to manually change the water and maintain the correct water quality.

Next, they reached out for help. Because the hack happened right before Christmas, most of the people they would have contacted were out of the office. Moreover, the vendor no longer provided service for the system. 窪蹋勛圖厙-IT wasnt able to help because it wasnt a 窪蹋勛圖厙 system. Staff acted quickly to make workarounds work, but the event was stressful for everyone and resulted in a decrease in colony size to ensure care of the fish.

Thats just one example of the many people and systems that the 窪蹋勛圖厙 relies on every day. Having a plan for what to do if something goes awry including at night and during holidays reduces the impact of the interruption.

窪蹋勛圖厙s Business, Academic & Research Continuity (BARC) program can assist with building that plan. BARC helps ensure seamless and sustained 窪蹋勛圖厙 operations during disruptive events by promoting a culture of resilience, mitigating risks and minimizing the impact of incidents. In the past year, 窪蹋勛圖厙s Division of Campus Community Safety has reestablished the BARC program, which is led by Jim Tritten. BARC serves all 窪蹋勛圖厙 units at all 窪蹋勛圖厙 locations.

Learn more about BARC in this years BARC annual report and watch for a new BARC website this autumn.

Supporting 窪蹋勛圖厙 scholars experiencing targeted harassment

窪蹋勛圖厙 scholars who are being targeted for harassment because of what they research, publish or say in the classroom may feel rightly anxious and overwhelmed. The online harassment can seem to come from nowhere and feel personal, even threatening. However, there are proven ways to outsmart harassers and help protect each other.

窪蹋勛圖厙 Professor Monica R. McLemore, PhD, MPH, RN, the director of the and a reproductive justice advocate whose scientific research has been widely cited, has faced everything from credible death threats to social media campaigns targeting her work. She shared her strategies with her 窪蹋勛圖厙 colleagues at a recent AAUP workshop, Digital Alchemy: Equipping Educators with Tools to Outsmart Online Harassment.

Her first tip: Surround yourself with other public scholars. Its especially important to support scholars early in their careers.

One of her other tips is to ask for help when you need it. The 窪蹋勛圖厙 has a new resource to help scholars who are experiencing harassment, developed with expertise from 窪蹋勛圖厙-IT, SafeCampus, Human Resources, the 窪蹋勛圖厙 Police Department, University Marketing & Communications and 窪蹋勛圖厙s Privacy Office. The new webpage, Support for 窪蹋勛圖厙 scholars experiencing targeted harassment includes information about ways to report abuse, documenting harassment whether online or via other avenues and protecting your personal information.

Most importantly, 窪蹋勛圖厙 scholars do not need to face harassment on their own. Theres a community of Huskies who are here to help. Check out the website to learn more.

Inside 窪蹋勛圖厙 Alert and 窪蹋勛圖厙 Advisory messages

In the past few months, the 窪蹋勛圖厙 has added more than 47,000 student phone numbers to the 窪蹋勛圖厙 Alert system, so that more people will receive a text message when an emergency happens on or near campus in Seattle, Bothell and Tacoma. If you are one of those students, welcome!

With so many students receiving their first 窪蹋勛圖厙 Alert texts, heres a primer on why, how and when the University sends out 窪蹋勛圖厙 Alert and 窪蹋勛圖厙 Advisory messages.

When does the 窪蹋勛圖厙 send a 窪蹋勛圖厙 Alert or 窪蹋勛圖厙 Advisory message?

A 窪蹋勛圖厙 Alert message is sent when we have reliable information about an emergency a situation that poses an immediate potential threat to the physical health and safety of the 窪蹋勛圖厙 community on or near campus.

Incidents that prompt an alert message could include an active shooter, other violent crimes or severe weather.

A 窪蹋勛圖厙 Advisory gets sent the same way, but is used to make the community aware of a significant situation that does not pose an immediate threat to health and safety, but could be disruptive. These could include power outages, phone outages that could affect 911 service and suspended campus operations.

It is important to note that 窪蹋勛圖厙 must have reliable information about such an incident before issuing a 窪蹋勛圖厙 Alert or 窪蹋勛圖厙 Advisory. Often, that means working with other law enforcement or fire department partners. For the 窪蹋勛圖厙 campus in Seattle, 窪蹋勛圖厙 spaces are patrolled by 窪蹋勛圖厙PD, while the neighborhoods around campus are patrolled by the Seattle Police Department. At 窪蹋勛圖厙 Tacoma and 窪蹋勛圖厙 Bothell, local police patrol both campuses and work in partnership with campus safety.

Who sends 窪蹋勛圖厙 Alert messages?

Each 窪蹋勛圖厙 campus has its own Crisis Communications Team with representatives from a variety of departments and divisions. When a potential emergency or other situation arises, that team meets by phone or video call.

For example, when Seattle Police received a report of shots fired in the 1600 block of NE 50th Street on April 16, 窪蹋勛圖厙 Police heard the call and immediately convened the team. Fourteen members of the 窪蹋勛圖厙 Crisis Communications Team joined a conference call within 60 seconds.

The chair of the team, in collaboration with the team members, quickly reviews event details and decides if a message will be sent. The chair (or the backup) writes the message, which is shared via email, text message, on social media, 窪蹋勛圖厙s website and on the 窪蹋勛圖厙 Alert blog for each campus. Check out the 窪蹋勛圖厙 Alert blogs for Seattle, and .

Once the team has reliable information these messages can be issued in a matter of minutes. An important note: If there is credible information about an active shooter, a 窪蹋勛圖厙 Alert can be sent immediately by 窪蹋勛圖厙PD before the full team convenes for a call.

In Seattle, the team includes members from the 窪蹋勛圖厙 Police Department, Communications, Campus Community Safety, 窪蹋勛圖厙 Emergency Management, Environmental Health & Safety, Housing & Food Services, 窪蹋勛圖厙-IT and 窪蹋勛圖厙 Medicine, with liaisons from 窪蹋勛圖厙 Bothell and 窪蹋勛圖厙 Tacoma. For 窪蹋勛圖厙 Bothell and 窪蹋勛圖厙 Tacoma, the teams look similar and are captained by the Campus Safety leads.

What does the Crisis Communications Team consider when deciding whether to send an alert?

窪蹋勛圖厙 is to quickly share information about serious incidents that pose an immediate threat to the campus community when those crimes happen .

The Crisis Communications Team considers sending alerts or advisories for incidents that happen on campus or within several blocks surrounding each 窪蹋勛圖厙 property. At 窪蹋勛圖厙 in Seattle, the team typically looks at incidents within about a five block radius of campus.

The Crisis Communications Team considers several factors before issuing a 窪蹋勛圖厙 Alert or 窪蹋勛圖厙 Advisory, including verifiable information, the time passed since the incident occurred, and whether theres a significant, urgent safety risk to students, faculty and staff that may require quick action.

When students, faculty and staff need to know about a serious crime that happened on or near campus, but no immediate action is needed or too much time has passed to make a 窪蹋勛圖厙 Alert message useful, the 窪蹋勛圖厙 Police Department will inform campus via email in whats called a Notification of Criminal Incident. For example, a recent notification let students know about gunshots fired between University Way NE and 15th Ave. NE. No one was hurt.

Its a lot to consider, and the team must quickly reach a decision about whether or not to issue a 窪蹋勛圖厙 Alert or 窪蹋勛圖厙 Advisory, often with incomplete initial information. If an alert or advisory is sent, the team will often post updates to the , if they are available, and will generally send a final, closing update to let the campus community know that the immediate threat has ended.

What information is included in suspect descriptions?

When a reliable description of the person or people involved in a reported crime is available, it will be included in the 窪蹋勛圖厙 Alert message or 窪蹋勛圖厙 Alert blog. If a suspect photo is available and after consultation with Seattle police, that will be posted on the blog. Suspect descriptions usually do not include race because historically theyve proven inconsistent and unreliable. Also, research shows that the inclusion of race does not increase the likelihood a suspect will be identified and can do more harm than good.繒

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Is your 窪蹋勛圖厙 Alert contact information correct?

Students and employees should check their 窪蹋勛圖厙 Alert accounts regularly (the beginning and end of the academic year is a good time) to make sure your contact information is correct. You can add up to three cell phone numbers and five email addresses, including contact info for family members and friends who want to receive alerts. Remember to select the campuses you want notifications from.

Learn more

For more information about 窪蹋勛圖厙 Alerts and to update your account, visit the 窪蹋勛圖厙 Alert webpage.

Update on activities on May 7

The University is tracking multiple events scheduled to take place this evening that have the potential to cause additional noise and disruptions, particularly in the central part of the Seattle campus near the Husky Union Building, The Quad and the light rail station at Husky Stadium.

Our priority is the safety and security of our campus community. We recognize that tensions are especially high due to events around the world, and our hope is that people with opposing views refrain from seeking confrontations and avoid antagonizing one another. We do not detail or share security plans in advance of events, but are taking appropriate advance measures.

If there is a change in University operations or an emergency that poses an immediate potential threat to health and safety on or near campus, a message will be shared via the 窪蹋勛圖厙 Alert system via SMS text message, , on the 窪蹋勛圖厙 website, and . Please make sure your 窪蹋勛圖厙 Alert account information is up to date.

Update on tent encampments in the Quad

窪蹋勛圖厙s Division of Campus Community Safety, 窪蹋勛圖厙 Police Department, Student Life and University leadership are closely monitoring the encampment established in part of the Seattle campus Quad.

In addressing the encampment, we will maintain our approach of a flexible, measured and appropriate response that addresses the circumstances of each situation. We will continue to prioritize protecting the physical safety of University community members and minimizing disruption to classes and other activities. Individuals and groups found to be violating laws and/or University policies are subject to discipline, following due process and in an appropriate time and manner. Situations requiring emergency action by members of the 窪蹋勛圖厙 community will be addressed through the 窪蹋勛圖厙 Alert system as needed.

For those unfamiliar with the 窪蹋勛圖厙s Seattle campus, the historic Liberal Arts Quad is the heart of the historic campus map. The Seattle campus now stretches across more than 700 acres of classroom buildings, labs, residence halls and athletic facilities.

窪蹋勛圖厙 will continue to focus on our mission educating students, conducting world-changing research, serving patients and the public and on protecting the physical safety of our community members.

Dedicated outreach at 窪蹋勛圖厙 for people experiencing homelessness

Meet Samya Murthy, REACH 窪蹋勛圖厙 Outreach Coordinator

Seattle has for several years now been facing a deep crisis of unsheltered homelessness. The 窪蹋勛圖厙 campus in Seattle has not been immune. This past October, 窪蹋勛圖厙 started a contract with REACH to provide a dedicated outreach worker at the 窪蹋勛圖厙 Seattle campus with a goal to build relationships with people experiencing homelessness and connect them with the help they need.

That outreach worker is Samya Murthy, who links people in need people he encounters in 窪蹋勛圖厙 campus spaces with food, shelter, hygiene supplies and connections to mental health care, substance abuse treatment, case management and other care.

If you work on the 窪蹋勛圖厙 campus in Seattle and want to request Samyas help, contact the 窪蹋勛圖厙 Police Departments non-emergency line at 206-685-窪蹋勛圖厙PD (8973). Samya works Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

We recently asked Samya about his work with 窪蹋勛圖厙 so far.

How did you get into outreach work?

I got into outreach through kind of an unusual path. I experienced homelessness during my senior year of high school. After that, I was working at an upscale restaurant and realized that if I was going to spend a majority of my life working, it might as well be something that matters to me.

For people unfamiliar with REACH, what does the organization do?

REACH has two main groups, one being outreach, the other one being LEAD (Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion) case management. For outreach, our main focus is to meet people where theyre at. Its oftentimes hard when youre unhoused to be able to make it to appointments or come to the office to grab supplies. So we go out and meet people and connect them with help, like shelter referrals or replacing an ID.

A good day is getting someone off of the street and into a shelter. 窪蹋勛圖厙 three weeks ago, I got a call that there was a family of three who needed help. They had an 8-year-old with them, and I was able to get them into a family shelter. I was pretty hyped about that. You can see a huge difference in someone whos been off the street and in a shelter, even for a week or two. It can be a really quick change once you have significantly less stress.

Tell us about your work at the 窪蹋勛圖厙 campus in Seattle. Is there such a thing as a typical day so far?

A typical day is checking in with buildings that have been flagged for me, where I know there might be some people staying or hanging out. I usually start with the HUB (Husky Union Building). I check in regularly with any buildings requesting help.

Whats your biggest challenge?

A lot of times, its been hard to find people. If I do get a call, a lot of times theyve left or been asked to leave the building before I get there. If you encounter someone needing services, if possible, if theyre not disruptive, please ask the client to stay until I arrive.

What are some misconceptions youve encountered about people experiencing homelessness?

Ive noticed that people have a difficult time discerning the difference between being uncomfortable and being unsafe. A lot of the time, the people theyre calling about arent committing a crime, theyre just sitting there.

I know substance use is a big issue and people have complaints about paraphernalia laying around. Addiction is a real challenge. Its not that people are going out of their way to use, but theyll get sick if they dont. People dont have to be clean or sober to receive our services.

When should campus people contact you (using the 窪蹋勛圖厙PD non-emergency phone number)?

If you see anyone on campus that seems more vulnerable. Thats our key focus people with high mental needs or substance abuse. If they look like they need some help or just someone to talk to, I don’t mind coming to check it out.

I should add that my role isnt crisis intervention. Im more pre-crisis or post-crisis. My main goal is to create an environment where people who are unhoused feel safer in their day-to-day life to have someone consistent to rely on. Consistency is not something you get on the streets. It takes a lot of time to gain peoples trust, identify their goals and navigate different systems.

What are you hoping to accomplish in the next year?

My goal is to become more integrated with 窪蹋勛圖厙 so more people are aware that I am around and willing to help if they see people that they think need it. I also want to minimize the stress between the unhoused community and the 窪蹋勛圖厙.

What are you happiest doing when youre not working?

Eating. I could eat five meals a day if I had enough time. I play video games and hang out with my friends. My favorite food is ramen and Ethiopian food, but I like everything.

Enhancing campus safety: 窪蹋勛圖厙 Alert text messages soon to reach more students

When youre walking across campus, youre probably not pausing to check your email. But right now, email is the only way most 窪蹋勛圖厙 students receive time-sensitive information about emergencies happening on and near 窪蹋勛圖厙s campuses.

To make it easier for students to receive 窪蹋勛圖厙 Alerts via text, at the end of January 窪蹋勛圖厙 will start adding the phone number from your 窪蹋勛圖厙 student profile to the 窪蹋勛圖厙 Alert system. If the number is for a cell phone, 窪蹋勛圖厙 will send you 窪蹋勛圖厙 Alerts via text. The messages are only for emergencies or major issues affecting the campus, such as snow, ice or power outages.

窪蹋勛圖厙 is the latest university to move from opt-in alerts to an opt-out emergency text message system for students. Universities that have experienced major incidents often switch to automatic enrollment for alert messages. 窪蹋勛圖厙 is moving proactively to get 窪蹋勛圖厙 Alerts to more students more quickly.

Division of Campus Community Safety staff have been prepping for several months with colleagues in 窪蹋勛圖厙IT to make this shift. When we reviewed the goals of the shift this past fall with Seattle campus student leaders and the more than 200 students and parents we met at the Division of Campus Community Safety info table during Parent & Family Weekend in Seattle, many were surprised that students werent already automatically enrolled in 窪蹋勛圖厙 Alert text messages.

Many faculty and staff members were also surprised to learn that only 17 percent of 窪蹋勛圖厙 employees have signed up for 窪蹋勛圖厙 Alert text messages. This first phase of the shift from opt-in to opt-out does not include employee information, but that will come later this year.

Even after 窪蹋勛圖厙 uploads student phone numbers to 窪蹋勛圖厙 Alert, it will be important for students to check their 窪蹋勛圖厙 Alert account to ensure that the cell phone number listed is correct and that youre receiving messages for the right campus. Students, faculty and staff can also add or change their cell phone in their 窪蹋勛圖厙 Alert accounts themselves at any time. In an emergency, seconds matter. You need to know whats happening quickly and how you can protect yourself.

If you dont want to receive 窪蹋勛圖厙 Alerts via text, you can reply STOP to any 窪蹋勛圖厙 Alert text message (except for students living on campus in Seattle, who must contact Housing & Food Services for account changes).

Learn more about the 窪蹋勛圖厙 Alert update, get answers to your 窪蹋勛圖厙 Alert questions and add up to three cell phone numbers and five email addresses to your 窪蹋勛圖厙 Alert account at the 窪蹋勛圖厙 Alert webpage.