Dear TCU Students, Faculty and Staff,
According to the National Weather Service, our area is under a Winter Storm Warning and an Extreme Cold Warning; an arctic front is expected to bring freezing rain, sleet and snow to Fort Worth in coming days. Freezing temperatures and road conditions are expected to become hazardous starting late Friday night. The safety of our campus community is our top priority, and below is information available to date.
QUICK SUMMARY:
• Friday, Jan. 23: Normal operations; campus is OPEN.
• Saturday, Jan. 24 – Sunday, Jan. 25: Campus is CLOSED; all classes/activities canceled.
• Monday, Jan. 26: A decision regarding Monday operations will be shared Sunday by 5 p.m. Notification of any closure will be communicated via TCU Alert.
Friday, Jan. 23 Operations
The TCU campus will remain open for all classes and activities on Friday. Classes and activities will conclude at their normally scheduled times. Additionally, the Mary Couts Burnett Library will close as usual at 5 p.m. on Friday and will remain closed until the university reopens.
Weekend Campus Closure (Jan. 24-25)
Due to the forecast of significant icing and sub-zero wind chills, the TCU campus will be closed Saturday, Jan. 24, and Sunday, Jan. 25. TCU Police are available for on-campus emergency (817-257-7777) and non-emergency (817-257-7930) support.
Be Safe and Use Good Judgment
Above all, the safety of Horned Frogs comes first. With sub-zero wind chills and significant icing expected, conditions will behazardous; it is dangerous to be outside for extended periods.Students, faculty and staff should always use their best judgment regarding their ability to travel safely during inclement weather and are encouraged to remain indoors when possible and dress appropriately for weather conditions if you must go outside.
Special Hours During University Closure
• Check the TCU Campus Recreation Instagram for hours of operation.
• Mary Couts Burnett Library is closed and will reopen when the university opens.
• Brown-Lupton Health Center is closed when the university is closed. For emergencies, call TCU Police (817-257-7777).
• TCU’s Counseling & Mental Health Center is closed when the university is closed. Call the 24-hour helpline (817-257-7233) or TCU Police (817-257-7777) for emergencies.
• LEAP Transit will not run when the university is closed. For emergency transport, call TCU Police (817-257-7777).
Taking Care of Residential Students
Services for on-campus Horned Frogs continue when the university is closed due to weather, although hours of operation and offerings may be limited.
Meal service will continue. To ensure consistent service, staff will be prioritized for the main dining halls, but, Starbucks and Chick-fil-A may not be open. Visit TCU Dining’s Instagram for up-to-date information.
Residence halls and fraternity and sorority chapter facilities will remain open; there will always be an RA on duty in residence halls and professional staff on duty to respond to student needs.
Check Residence Hall Instagram accounts for updates regarding programs and activities.
When the University is Closed
When the university is closed due to inclement weather, all academic instruction and activities, online or in-person, on or off-campus, will cease until the university officially reopens. Since there is no guarantee of the ability to communicate or access academic resources, students will not be expected to attend class online, submit assignments, take exams or meet any scheduled deadlines during the closure.
Faculty and Staff Employees
When the university is closed, many employees will continue providing essential services to ensure the health and safety of our community, to support the presence of residential students and/or to support agreements with the public for the use of university facilities.
Each department is responsible for identifying and communicating to employees who are required to report to work during a weather event. Employees with questions about work expectations should contact their immediate supervisor. Employees may refer to university policy 6.025 Leaves of Absence.
Athletics or Campus Events
At times, depending on developing weather conditions, sporting or other major events may still take place when the campus is closed; those decisions are handled on a case-by-case basis by the appropriate event-planning parties and communicated to participants accordingly. Check GoFrogs.com and TCU Athletics’ social media for athletic event updates. For all other campus events, check TCU main social media channels and TCU Student Affairs social media.
Updates
TCU’s Office of Emergency Management will continue to monitor the weather forecasts throughout the closing. Any updates will be communicated the same way as the closing – through TCU Alert (text, phone and email), TCU’s home page, TCU social media and local media.
Sincerely,
Sean Taylor
Director of Emergency Management