UNC crews arrive early to clear snow from campus sidewalks and parking lots.
Monitoring winter weather for campus closures or delays is a new experience for me. With snow in the weekend forecast, I thought it would be helpful for you (and me) to review how and when decisions are made about closures and late openings.
When storms hit, we primarily consider conditions in the immediate vicinity of campus, including road conditions in Greeley, and our obligation to students who live on campus. Our facilities staff arrives early in the morning to clear snow and de-ice with the intention of being open whenever possible. Thanks to their efforts along with the city’s snow removal from roadways, we have had to close only once and open late only once since January 2017.
If we do need to close the university or open late, that decision will be communicated
by 6:30 a.m. Notifications of closures are sent to campus phones and computers through
voice, e-mail and text messages and to subscribed cell phones through text messages
(SMS) from UNC's Emergency Alert system. Make sure you are subscribed. We also post
the status on UNC’s official social media channels and let Greeley and Denver media
know. You can read more about the process here.
Most campus community members reside on campus or within 10 miles of campus. However,
we also recognize that some off-campus students, faculty and staff have longer commutes
from home locations where weather conditions may vary. We encourage individuals to
use discretion in making decisions about traveling to campus. If the university is
open and students are delayed or unable to travel to campus due to weather conditions,
they should notify their faculty. Employees should discuss appropriate arrangements
with their supervisors; this may include working from home, taking vacation leave,
or making up the time missed.
Some departments may continue normal operations during a late start or when the campus
is closed. Clearing snow, maintaining campus security, continuing housing and dining
operations, and providing services and activities when classes are canceled or the
university is closed requires a certain level of staffing. Employees should check
with their supervisors.
Keep in mind there may be slick spots on campus after a storm despite the best efforts
of our dedicated facilities staff. Exercise caution and report trouble spots for us
to address at 970-351-2446 or grounds@unco.edu. It is also good to know that when severe winter weather is forecast for Greeley,
we will post advisories on the UNC home page and on our social media channels.
Rowing, Not Drifting,
Andy Feinstein
President
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