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Weather Delays and Closures

We are committed to the safety and well-being of everyone in the university community. The university will be open whenever weather conditions on campus and the immediate vicinity are reasonable, to maintain our commitment to the CMU community and the public. But on rare occasions, adverse weather or other conditions may delay university operations or close the university.

The following explains how our administration makes the decision to delay opening or close the university due to weather, what is affected, and how you will be notified.

Please note: When it is determined a delay or closure is not necessary, we encourage faculty, staff, and students to make reasonable efforts to get to campus while taking personal responsibility for their own safety. Read more about preparing for and taking action during severe weather.

If conditions make it unsafe for you to travel to campus, please remain where you are safe and make alternate arrangements with your instructor(s) for any classwork that may be missed or contact your supervisors for alternate work arrangements.

Making the decision

For the main campus in Mount Pleasant, our vice president of finance and administrative services consult with others, including CMU's chief of police and associate vice president for facilities management, to decide, based on available information, whether to delay or close the university.

For CMU locations outside of Mount Pleasant, location managers will decide in consultation with their directors. Military locations and university centers will follow the directives of their host installations.

Delayed opening

A delayed opening means that due to current conditions, CMU Mount Pleasant locations are not prepared to open before 11 a.m. In the event of a delay, classes on campus and routine operations/activities are canceled until 11 a.m., unless otherwise noted (for exceptions, see "Events and Services During a Delay or Closure" below).

CMU closed

A closure means that due to current conditions, CMU Mount Pleasant locations are not prepared to open for the day. In the event of closure, classes on campus and routine operations/activities are canceled until the next day, unless otherwise noted (for exceptions, see "Events and Services During a Delay or Closure" below).

Decision times

CMU will inform the community of a delay or closure at least two hours before the start of classes or events — for example by 6 a.m. for 8 a.m. classes.

A decision to turn a delay into a closure for the rest of the day will be made no later than 10 a.m.

Unless there are further notifications, delays and closures expire as specified.

Staffing during a delay or closure

  • Only designated essential or recalled staff personnel are to report to campus.
  • Only designated essential contractors are to report to campus.
  • Faculty and staff continue courses (except face-to-face) and work activities if these functions were previously scheduled for remote instruction/work. 
  • Faculty and staff who have the ability to work remotely during the closure or delayed start may do so as directed by their supervisor. Supervisors should communicate with their employees when directing a temporary switch to remote work during the closure or delayed start. 
  • Exceptions to delay or campus closure include residence halls, residential dining facilities, research facilities and critical support operations (i.e. police, information technology and facilities management essential personnel). These employees should check with their supervisor for specific instructions related to working on campus.
  • Depending upon the circumstances of each event, other support functions may open earlier and might include University Libraries, the Student Activity Center, the Bovee University Center, campus events and athletics. These employees should check with their supervisor for specific instructions related to working on campus. 
  • All other employees are not expected to report to campus, until the campus is reopened.
  • Pay practices for CMU Employees: Guidance on pay practices for CMU employees impacted by a “delay” or “campus closure” announcement can be found on the CMU Human Resources website.

Communicating a delay or closure

For delays or closures affecting CMU's main campus in Mount Pleasant, students, faculty, and staff will receive notification through:

  • Email to their CMU (@cmich.edu) email address.
  • CMU's social media sites.
  • CMU's Central Alert emergency notification system. Most faculty, staff, and students opt into Central Alert automatically.
  • Local and regional media.
  • CMU's homepage.
  • The CMU information line: 989-774-7500.

Events and services during a delay or closure

During a delay or closure:

  • Residence halls remain open, and residence hall dining facilities and convenience stores within residence halls are open for regular business hours.
  • All campus events are canceled unless communicated otherwise by the organizing department (e.g. CMU Athletics). Check departments' web pages for the latest information.
  • Services such as University Recreation and Park Library may continue operations or have different hours during a delay or closure. Check departments' web pages for the latest information.
  • All other services, including CMU Health and CMU Counseling Services, will be closed if the university is closed.

Frequently Asked Questions

    Weather-related campus delays or closures do not necessarily affect online class sessions. Check with your instructor.

    Check course syllabi, Blackboard accounts, and/or email for instructors' policies or plans related to canceled classes.

    Anyone with a CMU global ID may report potential hazards on campus, such as ice on walking paths, by calling 989-774-6547 or 989-774-1847 after business hours and on weekends. You also may submit an online facilities management service request.

    Service Request