Procedure for Canceling Classes at the Claremont Colleges

Background Assumptions:

1. The mission of each of The Claremont Colleges states that education is the primary service which each provides to students; therefore, it is the policy of The Claremont Colleges that classes will not be canceled. Only overriding considerations of the most serious kind (safety, health, etc.) may justify interrupting instruction.
2. Because the Constitution of The Claremont Colleges provides for free cross-enrollment, each member of The Claremont Colleges has an interest in each other member continuing to provide instruction without interruption. Therefore, a member institution that cancels classes must immediately contact the Chair of the Council of Presidents, the CEO of TCCS and Campus Safety to inform them of the cancellation.
3. The structure of various members of The Claremont Colleges is such that there are special considerations for different institutions. For example:
   • Most instruction at Claremont Graduate University is given in late afternoon or early evening, relatively few students live in Claremont, and many students travel considerable distances to attend classes;
   • Instruction at Keck Graduate Institute is done on a different daily schedule than for the other member colleges;
   • Cross-enrollment among the five undergraduate colleges is so extensive and complex that it is extremely difficult for all of them if even one of the undergraduate colleges cancels class.

Procedure for canceling classes:

1. Only a President or Acting President of a member college may cancel all classes on a single campus.
2. Any President or Acting President shall inform the member Colleges and may initiate a request to cancel classes on the other campuses by contacting the Chair of the Council of Presidents. 
3. Upon receiving notice of cancellation or a request to cancel classes, the Chair of the Council shall convene the Council at the earliest possible time – either by personal meeting or by telephone conference – to discuss the scope, duration and nature of the interruption, as well as the process for communicating the resumption of classes.
4. If possible, any announcement canceling classes should include a statement about how or when canceled classes will be made up.
5. The Chair of the Council of Presidents bears responsibility for communicating any such interruption at the earliest possible time (and in any case prior to the first canceled class hour) to the following at each of The Claremont Colleges:
   • The Office of the President:
   • The Office of the Dean of Faculty;
   • The Office of the Registrar; and
   • The CEO of TCCS shall also be notified.
6. Notice shall be given by telephone and by email.
7. The Council of Presidents should inform students and faculty both by email and by posting the cancellation notice in prominent places (for off-campus students).
8. The Registrars’ Committee of the The Claremont Colleges may be helpful in scheduling makeup times and places, particularly if more than one campus is involved.