How UCO Decides to Cancel Class for Weather

Kaleb Gonzalez

Contributing Writer

The University of Central Oklahoma hosted meetings, observed weather forecasts, and connected with local public school systems to track last week’s weather, resulting in the campus closing for three days just a few weeks into the spring semester.

At 8:40 a.m. Monday, Jan. 30, the university held a Winter Weather Operations Decisions Meeting to discuss the unexpected morning forecast. Edmond woke up to freezing temperatures and icy road conditions, which led to the university canceling all activities on campus at 9:30 a.m.

Vice President for Communications and Public Affairs Adrienne Nobles, said the forecast took them by surprise.

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“Ice events are the hardest to forecast, because it could be a couple of factors that could change everything,” Nobles said.

UCO has several teams and services in place to decide when to cancel classes during inclement weather. The National Weather Service, a forecasting weather service, is the university’s primary source of weather information. UCO’s Winter Weather Operations team will then hold a meeting to discuss how many people will be affected by the conditions.

UCO considers road and parking lot conditions, travel distance, sidewalks, and primary entrances to buildings. Contracted vendor services clear ice on parking lots and sidewalks, so appropriate contacts and preparations must be

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“The majority of our students commute from a very short distance, so we consider clearing parking lots, primary and secondary entrances, and sidewalks so that people are safe when they arrive on campus,” Nobles said.

Nobles said the university also consults Academic Affairs before deciding, with the UCO president making the final decision. She said students should make the best decision for their safety, whether the campus closes or not. Some suggestions include checking weather reports, preparing in advance for parking, and wearing boots with good traction.

UCO provides a snow map for students, showing recommended pathways and entrances, as well as inclement weather information on its website.

Once UCO decides to cancel class, the information will be sent out via Centralities, UCONNECT, the UCO website, UCentralMedia.com, and

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