Essential Roles
Some departments depend on their students to maintain minimal function even during college-wide events or campus disruptions. These departments are designated Essential Roles, and fall into two tiers, as defined in the Glossary:
- Health and Safety Essential Roles, in departments directly responsible for the health, safety, and welfare of the campus community and property, such as Public Safety, Health Services, College Farms, Facilities Management, and Dining Services.
- Public-Facing Essential Roles, in departments that support a College business or service open to the public, such as Boone Tavern, the Bookstore, Log House Gifts, Seabury, and Child Development.
Departments with Essential Roles are encouraged to release students from their duties to participate in Mountain Day, the Work College Program's Professional Development Day, and All Peoples of the Earth Day, but are not required to dismiss students entirely. Most departments can manage this through careful planning and by distributing student coverage so that everyone has an opportunity to participate in some part of the event. On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, students work their regular schedule, though participation in campus events is encouraged.
Students should not be scheduled to provide "coverage" so that staff can attend such events in their place. In rare cases, academic requirements are scheduled outside of normal class hours; course study sessions and extra credit assignments are not considered requirements for the purpose of a work dismissal, though supervisors are encouraged to be responsive to such requests whenever practical.
Students assigned to Essential Roles will work out a schedule directly with their supervisor when weather-related closures or other disruptions arise, following the designated essential departments outlined in the Inclement Weather Communications Protocol. If work is dismissed campus-wide, an announcement will be made accordingly.