Campus Closures

Campus Safety

Familiarize yourself with posted evacuation routes in each building. From any NIC office phone, dial 911 (fire/ambulance). If you need First Aid attention, head to Student Services. All campuses have a designated and certified First Aid attendant on staff daily.

If you notice suspicious activity or are worried for your personal safety, notify NIC reception or seek help at Student Services. After office hours, security personnel in uniform patrol most campuses. Most importantly, trust your instincts. If something doesn’t seem right, it probably isn’t.

Closures

North Island College has established the following procedures as a general guide to emergency campus and/or college-wide closures. There will be unforeseen situations when alternative plans will have to be developed to address circumstances that fall outside the general guidance in these procedures.

Closures & class cancellation guidelines

College-wide closure

The closure of all NIC campuses and centres. All classes are cancelled including in-person, blended and digital programming.

Individual campuses

If the Port Alberni or Mixalakwila campuses are closed, all in-person, digital and blended classes based at that campus will be cancelled.

If the Comox Valley and Campbell River campuses are closed, all Comox Valley-based in-person, digital and hybrid classes are cancelled (including at NIC @ St. Joe’s) college wide.

Closure Procedure

The following procedures are to be used in the event that the college or specific campuses must be closed or classes and activities cancelled, due to weather conditions or other emergency situations:

  • Before a decision is made to cancel classes and/or activities due to snow or severe weather conditions, the Director of Facilities, or designate, will contact the local weather station, the RCMP, BC Transit and other weather and road information sources for reports.
  • The decision to close the college, or a specific campus, is that of the VP Finance & College Services, VP Academic and VP Students & Community Engagement, in consultation with NIC facilities department and regional campus administrators, and will be communicated to the Associate Director of Community and Public Affairs.
  • The Associate Director of Community and Public Affairs, or designate, will then implement NIC’s communication protocols to the broader internal and external communities.

Once a decision has been made to close a campus or the College, the Associate Director of Community and Public Affairs, or designate, posts a specific closure message on the College's website, student and staff portal and places a closure message on all applicable college phone systems, and contacts all applicable primary media outlets in the region. Media outlets may include:

  • CBC Radio - Victoria
  • Radio EAGLE 97.3 FM - Comox Valley, Campbell River, Port Alberni
  • Radio THE PEAK 93.3 FM- Port Alberni
  • Radio 98.9 JET FM - Comox Valley
  • Radio 2DAY 99.7 - Campbell River
  • Radio Coast 1240 AM - Port Hardy
  • Radio Longbeach Radio – CHMZ 90.1 Tofino, CIMM 99.5 Ucluelet

If the weather event occurs overnight, decisions regarding campus or college-wide closures are made by 6:30 am and will be posted to the NIC homepage shortly after.

In the event of deteriorating weather conditions during the workday, the same decision-making and notification processes are followed. In addition, an email will be sent from the Associate Director of Community and Public Affairs, or designate, to all members of the college community impacted by a closure decision. Decisions regarding evening classes and activities will be made prior to 2 pm.

Information about college procedures in the event of adverse weather will be posted on the college website in order that students and members of the public are also made aware.

Weather varies significantly within the college region. While a campus or the college may be open, employees and students are expected to make their own decisions with respect to commuting given the weather and travel conditions in the areas in which they reside.

Should employees decide not to come to work, they are requested to contact their supervisor, Dean or Director to make alternate arrangements. Students who choose not to attend their classes should contact their instructors.

For Further Information

If you have any questions or require additional information, please do not hesitate to contact:

Bryan Yells
Director, Facilities, Safety and Security
North Island College
tel. 250-923-9795
bryan.yells@nic.bc.ca