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ChancellorJanuary 08, 2024

Weather and Safety

Written By: Terisa Riley

Leaders at the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith take your safety very seriously. The Chief of Police at the UAFS Police Department, Chief Ray Ottman, attends National Weather Service weather briefings twice daily to ensure that we have the latest information on weather that may effect our campus and region. We try to make weather-related decisions with the understanding that our decisions effect the lives of people who live in and outside Fort Smith, Arkansas, and we often coordinate our decisions with Fort Smith Public Schools because many of our employees and students have children who attend local schools where bussing and child care are of concern.

When bad weather necessitates a full or partial campus closure, we will notify everyone through campus email, Lions Alert (the campus emergency notification system which you can join through My.uafs.edu), and on official UAFS social media accounts. The campus email messages will include information on any available services (i.e. housing, dining, 24-hour computer lab, etc.) which will remain open.

As with all inclement weather, you should take necessary precautions to keep yourself safe. If the campus is open for normal operations but it is unsafe for you to travel, please contact your professors or immediate supervisor to let them know why you are unable to attend classes or work. Faculty are encouraged to work with students who miss classes due to inclement weather, and staff may use vacation leave or work with supervisors to utilize flexible or work-from-home options, when possible.

Please stay safe and warm, Lions!

Terisa Riley

Terisa C. Riley, Ph.D.

Chancellor

University of Arkansas Fort Smith

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