Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:
As Central New York begins to experience winter weather after a mild fall, we are writing to provide important information on how the University navigates and communicates about extreme weather conditions. Please review the following information carefully.
Syracuse University generally remains open for business in inclement weather, while always prioritizing the safety and well-being of our community members. We work with Precision Weather Service to help inform our decisions about weather delays, class cancellations or other operational changes. Community members representing Academic Affairs, Campus Facilities, Campus Safety and Emergency Management Services and the Student Experience Division are also consulted.
In the event weather conditions necessitate a change in the University’s operating status, it will be announced via the University’s emergency broadcast notification system and will carry the notice SU WEATHER ALERT. To ensure you receive these messages, please confirm your Orange Alert settings are up to date in MySlice.
SU WEATHER ALERT information will be announced via the following communications channels:
- Orange Safe (which can also be accessed in the new “Orange Now” app);
- campus email;
- text message;
- a “crawl” on campus TV monitors and University websites;
- X: @SyracuseUNews and @SyracuseDPS;
- Facebook: @SyracuseUniversityNews and @SyracuseDPS;
- news.syr.edu and Syracuse.edu; and
- Syracuse University public radio station WAER-FM/88.3 and other local media outlets.
Only Syracuse University’s Division of Communications is authorized to transmit to the campus community and the news media about closings, work-schedule changes or class-start delays.
Although Syracuse University rarely closes for inclement weather, individuals must make personal decisions based on a risk assessment related to travel. We encourage all employees to take precautions and use good judgment when traveling to/from work. Faculty and staff concerned about travel conditions should contact their department chair or supervisor, respectively. Students, particularly those who commute to and from campus, should contact their professor if they have concerns about attending class.
For information on winter weather preparedness, please visit the Department of Public Safety website.
Sincerely,
Lois Agnew
Interim Vice Chancellor, Provost and Chief Academic Officer
Andrew R. Gordon
Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resource Officer
Craig A. Stone
Chief, Campus Safety and Emergency Management Services