Winter is here, along with the potential for snow and ice, so it’s time for Horned Frogs to take note of TCU’s winter weather notification procedures.
TCU’s Office of Emergency Management routinely and carefully monitors weather conditions with Horned Frogs’ safety and well-being as their top priority. The campus will be prepared for extreme weather. When inclement weather conditions such as an ice or snowstorm are in the forecast, the university may need to delay opening or close the campus early for safety. Below is what to expect and where to find accurate information.
TCU Alert is the Primary Notification
TCU Alert, the university’s mass notification system that utilizes text, phone and email, is the primary notification method in the event of a winter weather delay or closing. The TCU Alert notification will also be posted to TCU’s home page.
Stay in the Know
Following the TCU Alert to all students, faculty and staff, the notification is posted on tcu.edu, and TCU’s official social media channels will share the information:
TCU Facebook
TCU Twitter
TCU Instagram
Continue to check your TCU email, TCU’s website and TCU social media throughout the weather event for important updates, FAQs and more.
Information about closings and delayed openings also will be shared with local print and broadcast media, but they are not the primary source of this information. Always check your TCU email and TCU’s website first. Note that TCU is open for normal business operations and instructional activities unless you are notified by a TCU Alert.
Be Safe and Use Good Judgment
Above all, the safety of Horned Frogs comes first. Students, faculty and staff should always use their best judgment regarding their ability to travel safely during inclement weather. Students who are not able to report for class due to inclement weather impeding travel when the university is open should contact their professors, and faculty and staff should contact their supervisor.
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 through winter weather closings, but hours of operation and menus may be limited. TCU Dining’s Instagram will be the best source 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. If necessary, a warming center will open in the TCU Rec Center.
Check Hall Instagram accounts and TCU’s home page for updates regarding programs and activities.
When Classes Are Canceled
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.
Students engaged in clinical rotations, internships or other offsite required activities should communicate directly with their instructors or administrators to work out details when there is a scheduling conflict with TCU’s emergency preparedness plan. In the event of an issue, your safety is our primary concern.
When classes resume, faculty will inform students of the adjusted course expectations and deadlines to make sure course learning objectives are met. Any make-up time will take place during the scheduled class time or through out-of-class activities.
Faculty and Staff
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, to support agreements with the public for the use of university facilities and/or maintain continuity of business operations.
Each department is responsible for identifying and communicating with 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 (section III).
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 channel and TCU Student Affairs social media.
Reopening
TCU’s Office of Emergency Management will continue to monitor the weather reports throughout the closing. When a decision is made regarding reopening campus, that information will be communicated the same way as the closing – through TCU Alert (text, phone and email), TCU’s home page and TCU social media.
More information on emergency preparedness can be found at Horned Frog Hazards on the TCU Public Safety web page.