Delays, Closings and Time Reporting
The following information addresses general policy and priorities used in guiding decisions for delays, cancellations or closings and how such are communicated. In addition, a list of frequently asked questions (FAQ) follows that address how time is reported in the event of a university closure due to weather or any other emergency.
While the safety of our people is our priority, in general, the university does not close or cancel classes because of cold weather, winter ice and/or snow. However, there are occasions when weather conditions may delay or cancel classes, or close the Kent Campus. (Note: Kent State University's Regional Campuses will follow the general guidelines below, but each campus makes its own decisions based on weather conditions near their campuses.)
When snow and/or ice threatens, or extreme cold prevails, we expect to announce our actions by 5:30 a.m. for morning and all-day cancellations, 10 a.m. for afternoon classes and 3 p.m. for evening classes.
In general, our decision will be guided by the condition of major roadways leading to campus, by the condition of campus roadways and sidewalks, and by our ability to shovel our parking lots. For extreme cold, we will delay or cancel when the wind chill reaches (or is predicted to reach) -20 degrees Fahrenheit for an extended period.
For more details, visit the Kent State Advisory page.
Key Points to Keep in Mind
Students (Classes)
- In the event of a delayed opening of the Kent Campus, classes will not begin before 10 a.m. (Students in special classes, i.e., clinicals, should consult with their dean on the appropriate procedures for an early morning delay or cancellation.)
- Students should always employ sound personal judgments regarding the safety of their travel when deciding whether or not to report to work or classes. Students must arrange to make up missed work promptly.
Employees (Business Operations)
- In the event that there is inclement weather but Kent campus is not close, employees should always use sound personal judgments regarding the safety of their travel when deciding whether or not to report to work. Employees should notify their supervisors if they are unable to report to work or feel it necessary to leave early. Any absence must be recorded in the form of leave (vacation, personal, or comp time). University leave policy governs the reporting and recording of work absences.
- When there is a delayed opening of the Kent Campus, employees shall report to work when the delay has been lifted, with the exception of those staff members who are deemed essential and must report. If you are not sure of your status, please check with your supervisor.
- When classes are canceled, university services and offices remain open. This means that staff members are expected to report to work as usual, or remain at work if the cancellation occurs during the day. If there is an exception to this, it will be communicated with the
classcancellation announcement. - Only when the university is “closed” due to weather are offices closed and some services not available. Even in that situation, essential staff members must report to work so that operations needing 24-hour attention are maintained.
Communications
Communications
There are three ways to learn about any delays, class cancellations or campus closings:
- Flash ALERTS text message. The Flash ALERTS message will notify subscribers to check the university’s Advisory web page for up-to-the-minute reports on campus and class status. You can subscribe to Flash ALERTS at www.kent.edu/flashalerts.
- Kent State’s Advisory Web page at www.kent.edu/advisory. This page lists any closings across the university’s eight-campus system. A red bar will appear on the top of the www.kent.edu home page if there is a cancellation or closing. The information is also posted to the university’s Facebook page and Twitter.
- Kent.edu Email. The text alerts are limited in the amount of information that can be displayed, while the advisory page and email will list all details of a delay, cancellation or closing. This is especially important for staff, so they know whether or not they are to report to work.
Closing Order from the Governor’s Office
At times there has been confusion when the Governor’s Office issues a closing order, or when the local sheriff’s departments have posted snow emergency advisories. A closing order from the Governor’s Office is issued primarily for state office buildings and other state employees in the field. Colleges and universities do not fall into this category. Sheriffs’ departments issue snow emergency levels ranging from one to three. These orders do not apply to employees required to provide essential functions at their workplace.