It’s that time of year, folks!

Nothing says Happy Valley weather more than below-freezing temperatures, and with our first flurries of the year in the books, let’s look at the winter weather procedures for the rest of the 2023-24 school year.

There are multiple ways students, staff, and faculty can stay up to date with any closures or delays including Twitter, PSUAlert, the Penn State News website, or WPSU. Those who attend branch campuses can locate information on their respective campus’ social media, website, or PSU Alert system.

Classes

Due to Faculty Senate Policy 45-00, instructors can’t change an in-person class to an online synchronous class since it’s impossible to ensure that those enrolled have equal access to resources to attend a synchronous class.

In the case of a delay or campus closure, classes can take different forms depending on their setup. An in-person or remote synchronous class can be completely canceled or offered asynchronously. The class can’t be offered remote-synchronously without an extenuating circumstance. Hybrid courses can either be canceled, if the course is scheduled to meet in person that day, or offered asynchronously. Classes that are already asynchronous won’t be affected.

Delays

All classes or activities scheduled to begin at or after the announced resumption time on campus will be held as scheduled unless noted otherwise. Non-class activities scheduled before the resumption time will be canceled. If there is a delay on campus until 10 a.m., your 8 a.m. in-person class will either be canceled or asynchronous, while your 10 a.m. class will still be held in-person unless your professor says otherwise. Branch campuses may vary and students should refer to their respective campus website for updates.

Early Dismissals

In some cases, the university will choose to send students, faculty, and staff on campus home early. This is campus-specific and should be checked on the campus website.

Dismissal announcements will come via PSUAlerts at the beginning of the hour or 30 minutes in. Students will be released first followed by faculty and staff roughly 30-45 minutes after to ensure an orderly dismissal for traffic patterns and allow students to leave common areas on campus before they close.

In the case of a fast-moving storm, officials will communicate weather information such as the predicted length of the storm so individuals can make educated decisions on their departure.

Official Information

The university’s information for inclement weather will be updated on PSUAlert first. Users need an active Penn State account to access the alerts. PSUAlert is reserved for students, faculty, and staff, but the public can access the same information regarding Penn State’s campuses through Facebook and Twitter. Specific links and frequently asked questions can be found on the PSUAlert website.

Penn State’s campus is never truly closed. University Police and other emergency services continue their operations through inclement weather, as well as those dealing with research, caring for livestock, and ensuring the health and safety of students.