Advisory

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, on rare occasions, weather conditions may delay or cancel classes, or close campus. (Note: Kent State’s campuses will all follow the general guidelines below, but each campus makes its own decisions based on weather conditions.)

When inclement weather 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. 
• 3 p.m. for evening classes. 

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

Class Impact

• Classes taught in person will not be held in person on campus. However:
  • Instructors teaching in-person courses may consider conducting a synchronous remote session—and recording those sessions to make them available for students not able to connect—and/or assigning appropriate asynchronous work. 
  • Instructors should inform students before the class is scheduled to begin on the day of the cancellation by email or Canvas about the expectations for their participation during the cancellation.  
  • Students should check email and Canvas prior to a scheduled in-person class to watch for special instructor expectations.
• Classes offered through online formats will continue as usual. 

• If you are a College of Podiatric Medicine student and/or support the Cleveland Foot & Ankle Clinic, in many instances, a Kent Campus cancellation does not apply to the College of Podiatric Medicine. Always check your @kent.edu email account to verify the status of the College of Podiatric Medicine location.

  Students in special classes, such as clinical rotations, should consult with their dean on the appropriate procedures for an early morning delay or cancellation.

• Commuting students should always use sound personal judgment regarding the safety of their travel when deciding whether or not to report to classes. 
  • Students must arrange to make up missed work promptly.

Campus Services, Employee Expectations 

The following reminders provide additional guidance for students, faculty and staff when campus-wide class cancellations are in effect:

• When classes are canceled, university services remain open. This means that staff members are expected to report to work as usual.
• Employees should always use sound personal judgment regarding the safety of their travel when deciding whether or not to report to work. 
  • University leave policy governs the reporting and recording of work absences.
• 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 the Kent Campus by calling 330-672-2345 or the main office for Regional Campuses.
   

Additional Information

The following reminders provide additional guidance for students, faculty and staff when campus-wide class cancellations are in effect:

• 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 the Kent Campus by calling 330-672-2345 or the main office for Regional Campuses.
   

Class Impact

• Classes taught in person will not be held in person on campus. However:
  • Instructors teaching in-person courses may consider conducting a synchronous remote session—and recording those sessions to make them available for students not able to connect—and/or assigning appropriate asynchronous work. 
  • Instructors should inform students before the class is scheduled to begin on the day of the closure by email or Canvas about the expectations for their participation during the closure.  
  • Students should check email and Canvas prior to a scheduled in-person class to watch for special instructor expectations.
• Classes offered through online formats will continue as usual.

• If you are a College of Podiatric Medicine student and/or support the Cleveland Foot & Ankle Clinic, in many instances, a Kent Campus closure does not apply to the College of Podiatric Medicine. Always check your @kent.edu email account to verify the status of the College of Podiatric Medicine location.

  Students in special classes, such as clinical rotations, should consult with their dean on the appropriate procedures for an early morning delay or cancellation.

• Commuting students should always use sound personal judgment 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.

Campus Services and Employee Expectations

The following reminders provide additional guidance for students, faculty and staff when campus-wide class cancellations or campus closures are in effect:

• Only essential employees report to work. 
  • Facilities Planning and Operations staff are considered essential personnel and are expected to report to work. This includes University Facilities Management, Office of the University Architect, Airport Operations, and Environmental Health and Safety.
  • In University Housing, all full-time and graduate live-in staff and student employees are essential personnel and are expected to work. Other staff in University Housing may also be requested, based on the situation.
  • Access time reporting information during delays and closures.
• Nonessential staff are not required to report to campus or work remotely during a campus closure, regardless of telecommuting arrangement. However, staff must check with their supervisors to determine their team’s work plan, as some operations, deadlines and urgent items may require that nonessential staff still work during a closure. These instances are to be handled on a case-by-case basis between supervisor and employee.
• Critical services remain open on the Kent Campus. Students, faculty and staff may access a list of available services during these instances in the accordion below.

Campus Services

When the Kent Campus is closed, all university offices on the Kent Campus are closed with the following exceptions:

• Dining locations may have adjusted hours and service availability; refer to the University Culinary Services website for specific locations and hours of operation.
• Residence hall directors and graduate assistants will still be available, and area desk locations will continue to operate during a university closure. Student staff are essential and will work as scheduled, including the safety assistants. However, the central office of University Housing will be closed.
• The Kent Student Center may have adjusted hours; refer to www.kent.edu/kentstudentcenter.
• The Warren Student Recreation and Wellness Center may adjust its hours; refer to the facility hours page in the RecWell site.
• The DeWeese Health Center may adjust its hours and services; refer to www.kent.edu/deweese for details.
• PARTA operates a reduced bus schedule with only one bus per route, and Student Accessibility Transportation Services (SATS) is canceled during closures.