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Severe Weather

Severe weather resources

If inclement or severe weather causes the cancellation of classes or programs at Missouri Southern State University, students, faculty, staff, vendors and visitors should check the following sources for announcements:

  • RAVE: Rave is an emergency text-messaging system. To register to receive emergency text messages on your cell phone, go to www.getrave.com. Using your Lionet username and password you can access your account. Once there, add your cell phone number to your personal information. For additional details contact the University Police at (417) 626-2222 or UPD@mssu.edu. The Rave system will be used when there is an emergency affecting the entire campus.
  • The University’s main Web home page; or LioNet (students, faculty and staff will need their ID and password for LioNet)
  • Visit the University's Facebook landing page.
  • Local and regional radio stations: 88.7KXMS/Fine Arts Radio International, and radio stations in Joplin, Aurora, Carthage, Miami, Monett, Neosho, Nevada, Pittsburg, Springfield, and stations in Northwest Arkansas
  • Joplin TV stations: KSN, KODE, KOAM and FOX14 and their respective Web sites;
  • Web news services: Joplin Globe and Joplin Independent
  • Administrators and departments are encouraged to use the University’s phone answering system to post announcements for students, vendors and others who may miss media announcements.

If inclement weather occurs during Finals Week resulting in a closing, the printed and online versions of the Schedule of Classes contain information about a contingency plan for finals. If theatre, music, or athletic events are scheduled on days that classes are canceled or the campus is closed, individuals should check the Web site or contact the departments to determine the status of those activities.

As soon as decisions are made, University Relations & Marketing personnel post the Web notification and contact the media outlets. Please also be aware that during times of school and business closings, many other organizations are contacting the media at the same time and it can take an extended period to get through to the appropriate contact person and then the stations need additional time to input the information for broadcast crawls. Check the sources frequently.

If you are on campus in the event of severe weather, stay calm and quickly follow the steps outlined below:

  1. If indoors, seek shelter in the lowest level of the building away from windows. Interior hallways or rooms are preferable.
  2. If outdoors, take cover in the nearest ditch or depression. Stay away from power lines and trees. Do not stay in your car or try to outrun a tornado.
  3. Assist people with disabilities with accessing shelter.
  4. Stay in shelter until the 'all clear' is given.
  5. If you have access to the Internet, monitor the storm at Weather Underground or visit The Weather Channel.

 

Severe Weather shelters

The following buildings have basements or designated severe weather shelter areas on the ground level:

If a campus building does not have a basement or ground-level shelter area, then students, faculty and employees should proceed to the lowest level of the building and seek shelter in an interior hallway or bathroom.