Campus closures

The UAA Incident Management Team (IMT) announces weather closures by 6 a.m. Closure alerts are posted on the university’s institutional social media pages (Facebook and X), UAA website and sent via email and the Rave Guardian safety app. 

IMT assesses weather situations and makes a recommendation to the chancellor about campus closures based on the following considerations: 

• Safety conditions of roads on and around campus.
• Safety conditions of roads in the Anchorage Bowl.
• Alaska State Troopers and Anchorage Police Department accident reports/warnings.
• NOAA weather reports and predicted conditions.
• Safety of the campus communities at each location.

While IMT monitors the activity of local school districts and community partners, a closure by another organization, including the Anchorage School District, does not determine whether the Anchorage campus will close.  

Guidance for campus closures

Faculty and students

Day of closure

Remote or hybrid learning should continue online when campus is closed due to inclement weather. Courses usually held in person should pivot to online for the day or the remainder of the campus closure. 

Faculty: Please discuss with students at the beginning of each semester the process for shifting to online classes in the event of a campus closure.

Make-up day: For classes unable to pivot to online formats

Courses held in person that cannot be offered online will have a make-up day near the end of the semester. The date of the make-up day will be determined and announced at a later date. Some students may be unable to participate in temporary online learning; specific accommodations for these cases should be coordinated directly with professors.

Guidance for employees

Remote work

Remote work should continue if adverse weather conditions permit. Employees with remote work agreements in place and those who can effectively pivot to working remotely should do so even on closure days whenever possible. Employees should discuss specific conditions or circumstances that prevent remote work with their primary supervisor. 

Administrative leave 

Administrative leave use during an inclement weather closure is intended for employees who travel to and from a work location and cannot conduct their work remotely. 

With supervisor approval, use the earnings code “466-Personal Safety Administrative Leave” on your timesheet. Temporary and student employees are not eligible for weather-related administrative leave. 

Guidance for inclement weather: No closure

Personal safety

Safety and well-being are our primary concerns. While snowy and icy roads do not always warrant a campus closure, we understand adverse road conditions during the winter months make it difficult for some employees and students to travel to campus. Please note that we make recommendations based on the Anchorage area. Conditions may vary for those living in surrounding communities. 

Please use your best judgment and do not risk your safety when traveling to campus in dangerous weather conditions. If weather conditions prevent safe travel to campus, employees should communicate with supervisors, and students should communicate with professors. Every attempt should be made to work or learn remotely to the extent available.

Rave Guardian safety app

The Rave Guardian safety app works in partnership with the safety messages you receive via other methods. This free personal safety app provides emergency information and support services straight to your phone. 

Search “Rave Guardian” in the app store on a mobile device and select the UAA site during registration. 

Please note the app defaults to the UA System Office. Please select the campus you are most affiliated with, such as the Anchorage Campus or Mat-Su College, in order to receive local alerts.