University Weather Closures

Colorado State University is committed to remaining operational whenever possible, in recognition of students’ tuition obligations and the University’s academic mission. However, extreme winter weather conditions may necessitate cancellation of all classes and events, closure of offices across all campuses, or implementation of a delayed schedule.

Colorado’s climate routinely brings snow and cold; the University will remain open unless conditions are severe enough to prevent road crews from maintaining safe travel.

Note: Any closure or cancellation applies to all class formats and University activities — including remote, hybrid, and in-person classes, labs, events, and meetings — unless explicitly stated otherwise.

CSU’s Emergency Management team consults with University leadership and provides a recommendation to the President on operational status, which may include remaining open, implementing a delayed start, closing mid-day, canceling evening activities, or canceling all operations.

In making this determination, the following factors are assessed:

  • Local school district status. CSU does not automatically close when K–12 districts close, as the safety considerations for college students and University employees differ from those of minor children.
  • City and county operations, including the operational status of Transfort.
  • City of Fort Collins Emergency Management recommendations.
  • Road conditions on routes to and from all campuses, as well as internal roadways on Main, South, and Foothills campuses.
  • Campus conditions, including the status of parking lots and sidewalks and the ability of Facilities Management to adequately clear those areas.
  • Safety assessments by CSUPD and Facilities Management, including evaluations of tree damage and pedestrian pathways.
  • On-the-ground reports from Emergency Operations Center team members.

Safety is the primary consideration in all closure decisions. While winter weather is common in Colorado and most students and employees are expected to travel to campus safely, individuals who cannot do so should exercise sound judgment and make appropriate arrangements with their professors or supervisors.

Individual departments and colleges do not have authority to close University operations or buildings. Events may be canceled at the discretion of event organizers.

Employees and students who do not live on Main Campus are asked to leave campuses once the University is closed. This allows facilities crews to more readily clear snow from parking lots and roadways as it accumulates. Some employees are required to report to a campus even if the University is closed; otherwise, employees are encouraged to stay home.

The University notifies employees and students through a variety of means:

  • CSU’s Safety website.
  • CSU official social media sites including CSUPD and main university websites.
  • A University-wide email sent to all employees and students; individuals cannot opt out of this email. This message will come via the Larimer Emergency Telephone Authority (LETA).
  • A University text message alert.
  • Local and Denver news media (including the Coloradoan, Collegian, Denver TV channels, local radio stations).

Please note that it may take 10-15 minutes for all news media, the status line and other notification methods to be updated once the decision is made.

University employees with emergency duties should check with their supervisor about whether they are expected to report to work even if the University is closed.

The decision to re-open campuses will be made by the university president with information from the Emergency Management team, based on weather and road conditions. If the University is currently closed and weather conditions improve during evening hours, a decision to reopen the next day may be made that evening, or before 5:30 a.m. the next day, depending upon the weather forecast and available information.

It should be assumed that the University is open the day following a closure, unless a new closure for the current day has been communicated.

Individual students or employees who cannot travel safely should use sound judgment and make a choice based on their individual circumstances. Students and employees who choose not to travel to campus should make arrangements with their professors and supervisors.

If you are a student, it is your responsibility to make accommodations with all of your professors and instructors to be excused from class prior to your absence.

If you are an employee, it is your responsibility to make timely accommodations with your supervisor. Employees who cannot safely travel to work during adverse weather and who are not authorized to work from home or who cannot work from home should use annual leave or leave without pay if annual leave is not available.

Facilities Management strives to remove snow from sidewalks, parking lots and streets by 7:30 a.m. after an evening or early morning storm when the University is open. If a storm is moving in during operating hours, Facilities Management crews regularly shovel routes during the day.

Snow is removed and ice melt is applied according to priority routes across campus, including vehicle, pedestrian, bike and transit routes, with a focus first on the most traveled sidewalks and streets. Some routes may be more clear of snow than other routes in the morning hours, particularly if snow falls during business hours and crews are making their rounds. Please use caution when walking and driving to campus, and wear appropriate clothing and shoes.

Areas of concern, including accessibility issues created by snow, should be reported to Facilities Dispatch at 970-491-0077. Please do not contact the University grounds crew or other Facilities Management employees directly; they may be away from their phones working to clear campus of snow.

More information on Facilities Management work to clear campus of snow.


Important information for employees

Some employees may be required to report to work because their job functions include maintaining or protecting the health, safety, or physical well-being of students, faculty and staff, such as police officers, some facilities employees, those caring for certain research laboratories, or employees providing dining services to students. Employees should ask their supervisor for information about their designation. CSU’s Veterinary Health System will be in contact with employees regarding their status.

All other employees should please leave campus in a timely fashion. In many cases, this is essential so that snow crews and others can clear lots and address safety concerns needed to get the campus open again.

Closure:

  • When campuses are closed, administrative leave is granted to regular employees for their scheduled work hours during the period of closure.
  • Regular part-time employees who are normally scheduled to work when a closure occurs are given paid administrative leave for the scheduled work hours.
  • Non-student hourly employees and student employees are not eligible for paid leave during a closure.
  • Employees who are already on approved annual, sick, or other type of leave when a closure occurs are not eligible for paid administrative leave for their scheduled work hours during a closure.

Employees who are required to work:

  • Those required to work during a University closure are to be paid at the regular rate for hours worked.
  • If an employee is required to work four hours or more during a closure, they may use the equivalent number of hours of paid administrative leave on an alternate day.
  • Those required to work during a University closure who do not report to work or leave work early without authorization will not be granted administrative leave and must use annual leave or leave without pay to cover the absence.
  • Those not required to work or who are released early during a University closure will be granted paid administrative leave.

Early closure:

  • Regular employees are granted paid administrative leave and released under the guidance of the department head or supervisor.
  • The amount of administrative leave granted for sequential/staggered release or early closure is based on the official time of release authorized by the president.
  • Regular shift employees are granted paid administrative leave for their normally scheduled work hours occurring after an official University closure.
  • Early release time not authorized by the president is charged to annual leave or leave without pay, unless alternate work arrangements or options are approved by the appointing authority.

Delayed start:

  • Regular employees are granted paid administrative leave if the delay occurs during their scheduled work hours.
  • Regular employees who arrive late to work beyond the delayed opening due to extreme weather conditions may be granted administrative leave if their supervisor determines that the lateness was reasonable.

Employees should use their discretion in deciding whether they can safely commute to and from work. Employees may request time off prior to and in the absence of an official closure of University campuses. With supervisor approval, and if the employee is unable or not authorized to work from home, employees must take annual leave or leave without pay if no annual leave is available. Supervisors are encouraged to be flexible in authorizing annual leave for employees in these situations.

A supervisor may determine that an alternate work arrangement, such as telecommuting, could be used during extreme weather conditions. Alternate work arrangements must be approved by the supervisor.

Contact your supervisor or MyHR at (970) 491-MyHR (970-491-6947).