Alert Carolina Informational Message: How Winter Weather Status Decisions Are Made and Communicated

Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:

As Winter season approaches, it is important to review the University’s policies and procedures for addressing winter weather.  When adverse weather has the potential to affect class and work schedules, the University will make decisions about the campus operating status as far in advance as possible.

Your safety is our number one consideration. We rely on information from our grounds, public safety and transportation staffs, Chapel Hill Transit, law enforcement agencies, the National Weather Service, and other sources when deciding how the campus will operate during winter weather events. Please refer to alertcarolina.unc.edu for more information on how these decisions are made and communicated.

Unless a change in operational status is announced, the University always operates on a regular schedule.  As a rule, students, faculty and staff must use their own best judgment about whether they can travel safely to and from campus.

Please visit “Adverse Weather and Emergency Closing” posted on the Alert Carolina and Office of Human Resources websites to view an easy-to-read chart describing the three campus operating conditions in greater detail along with a summary explaining the key factors in the decision-making process.

Information Sources

If winter weather changes the University’s operating status, campus communications will include:

  • An email, website post and, if conditions warrant, a text message from Alert Carolina, alertcarolina.unc.edu. You must be signed up to receive an Alert Carolina text message.
  • Posts on the University’s homepage, www.unc.edu, amplified via official social media accounts including @UNC and @AlertCarolina (for parents, family, Chapel Hill residents and friends) on Twitter.
  • Adverse Weather and Emergency Phone Line: (919) 843-1234. You may call this number to hear recorded announcements about campus operations.