With the potential for inclement winter weather, please take a few moments to familiarize yourself with the information below so you know what to expect in the event the university must delay opening or close the campus for winter weather.
When will I know if the campus is closing?
The university makes every attempt to notify faculty, staff and students of a campus closing by 6 a.m. on the morning of a closure. We recognize the need to inform audiences as soon as possible of a change in schedule, especially for those who typically arrive for early-morning shifts or must travel a distance to come to campus. In rare cases, we are able to make a closing or delay decision the night before, based on the confidence level of weather forecasts and current travel conditions.
How will I know if campus is closing?
All faculty, staff and students will receive news of a campus closing or delayed opening via TCU Alert, the university’s mass notification system, which reaches out via text, phone and email. The news also will be available on the home and news/events pages of tcu.edu and via TCU’s Facebook and Twitter accounts. In addition, the news will be shared with local print and broadcast media.
How does TCU decide whether to close the campus for winter weather?
The university consults a variety of sources to make a final determination. Our emergency management team stays in close contact with the National Weather Service and the Fort Worth Office of Emergency Management to remain apprised of road conditions and other safety concerns associated with winter weather. We consider both current and predicted accumulation, temperatures and traffic challenges. The provost ultimately makes the decision to either close campus or opt for a delayed opening—usually 10 a.m.—if conditions merit. Our goal always is to make the best decision to ensure the safety and well-being of our students, faculty and staff.
What services/activities remain available when the campus closes for inclement weather?
When the University is officially closed, all students, faculty and staff members are excused from reporting, except for employees providing essential services related to the following:
1. Health and safety
2. The presence of a residential student community
3. Agreements with the public for the use of university facilities
Each department is responsible for identifying and communicating to its employees who are considered essential. Any employees with questions as to whether their roles are essential should contact their immediate supervisors for clarification.
Dining services will remain open for residential students. Any changes or updates regarding dining services will be communicated directly to residential students via email notification.
At times, depending on developing weather conditions, sporting or other major events may still take place when campus is closed; those decisions are handled on a case-by-case basis by the appropriate event-planning parties and communicated to participants accordingly.
How will I know when the campus will re-open?
In the event that campus closes for winter weather, university leadership will continue to monitor the situation via methods and sources listed above. When a final decision is made regarding when campus will re-open, that information will be communicated via the website and social media.
More information on emergency preparedness can be found at Horned Frog Hazards on the Public Safety web page.