Severe Weather Conditions

One of our roles as university leaders is to recommend cancellations and closures due to severe weather conditions.

While the safety of our community is our top priority, the university typically does not close or cancel classes due to cold weather, winter ice and/or snow. However, on rare occasions, weather conditions may result in class delay, cancellation or complete campus closure.

When inclement weather becomes a threat to safety or extreme cold prevails, we expect to announce our course of action by 5:30 a.m. for morning and campus closures, 10 a.m. for afternoon class cancellation, and 3 p.m. for evening class cancellation. 

Our decision will be guided by the condition of major roadways, campus roadways and sidewalks, and by our ability to plow campus parking lots. For extreme cold, we will delay or cancel when the wind chill reaches (or is predicted to reach) -15 degrees Fahrenheit over an extended timeframe.

There are several ways to learn about delays, class cancellations, or campus closings:

• RAVE Alerts sent to anyone who has provided us with a domestic cellphone number. Find out how to set your campus preferences HERE.
• Email will be sent to your @vikes.csuohio.edu email account.
• Cleveland State University website. A red bar containing an announcement will appear on the top of the homepage if there is a delay, cancellation or closing.
• Local media broadcasts.

Additional Information Concerning Classes:

• Classes meeting virtually in a synchronized format follow the same delay or closure schedule as outlined for in-person courses.
• Students enrolled in special classes – such as clinical rotations – should consult with their course instructor, site supervisor and/or site contact to determine appropriate procedures for a morning delay, morning/afternoon cancellation, or campus closure.

Below are additional points to keep in mind:

• When classes are canceled, university services will remain open. This means that staff members are expected to report to work as usual unless informed otherwise.
• University closure due to inclement weather will result in office closure and limited services being provided. In the event of a closure, essential staff members are required to report to work to maintain the functioning of areas requiring 24-hour attention. Non-essential staff members are not required to report to work on-campus or virtually during a closure, regardless of telecommuting arrangement.
• A closing order from the governor’s office applies to state office buildings and other state employees in the field. Colleges and universities do not fall into this category.

We understand that on bad weather days some areas on campus may require additional attention. 

Please help identify those areas on campus by calling 216-687-2500.

Employees and commuting students should always use sound personal judgments regarding the safety of their travel when deciding whether to report to work or classes. Students must arrange to make up missed work promptly; university leave policy governs the reporting and recording of work absences.

When driving in the snow, please warm up your car before driving, allow extra travel time to get to your destination, and go slow.

Please be safe as you travel this winter and Go Vikes!