Campus to Close Due to Severe Weather
UPDATED 1/29/19: New information in bold.
Due to the forecast of extreme weather including dangerously low temperatures, Grinnell College will be closed from 5 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 29 through noon Thursday, Jan. 31. Residence halls will remain open. Campus safety, dining services, and JRC will remain open with limited services. Personnel needed for these services as well as for the safety of the college will report for work.
All classes are cancelled and no activities will take place on campus during this time.
While this is an extraordinary measure, it is necessary to ensure the safety of all Grinnell students, faculty, and staff during this dangerous weather. People exposed to extreme cold such as this are susceptible to frostbite in a matter of minutes.
Please continue to monitor the Grinnell College website for updates and to review the weather/emergency closing policy for Grinnell College.
As the college will be closed, campus services will be limited:
- Campus Safety, dining services (8–9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m., 5–7 p.m. Regular dining service will resume at 5 p.m. on Thursday), and JRC will remain open with limited services.
- Campus Safety will remain open and available at 641-269-4600. In order to focus on student safety and weather-related emergencies, Campus Safety will be unable to provide battery jump-starts and other non-emergency services during the closure.
- If you experience a mental health or physical health-related emergency, you can call 641-269-3230 to access to the after-hours support resource. If you need to seek immediate medical attention, please contact Campus Safety at 641-269-4600 or call 9-1-1.
Staying Safe
The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory with a wind chill warning for this time. Dangerously cold wind chills could reach -50 degrees from Tuesday through Thursday. Frostbite can take effect in as little as 5–10 minutes for any exposed skin. If you leave your residence you need to wear proper winter gear, including warm boots or shoes, and make sure to cover skin with scarves, hats, gloves, and mittens. Given the risk of battery or other automotive failure in extreme low temperatures and the expected lack of support services, travel by car is not recommended and the Iowa DOT has issued a ban on towing for the period of our closure.
Additional information on staying safe during cold weather is available through the National Weather Service website, and winter safety information for travelers is available through the Iowa Department of Transportation website.
Cold Weather Tips
- Don’t prop open doors or windows.
- If you leave your residence you need to wear proper winter gear, including warm boots or shoes, and make sure to cover skin with scarves, hats, gloves, or mittens. In this type of weather, exposed skin can be frostbitten in fewer than 10 minutes. https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/winter/staysafe/frostbite.html
- Be sure to eat enough, even if you might be moving less. Your body needs food to convert to body heat.
- Limit alcohol consumption. Alcohol has significant additional risks in very cold temperatures, such as making people feel warmer than they actually are. This may make them susceptible to serious conditions such as frostbite, hypothermia, and even death. https://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/how-drinking-alcohol-makes-you-vulnerable-in-cold-weather/70003691
- If possible, stay indoors.
- Look out for your friends. If you are walking someone home, please make sure they have their p-card and actually get inside their residence hall.
- If someone must walk alone, have them text you to confirm they are home safely once inside.
Preparation
- If you need food supplies outside of what is offered by the dining hall, please plan to do your shopping before Tuesday evening so you don’t have to leave your residence.
- A shuttle will be running to/from Walmart from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., leaving every 30 minutes from the JRC so that students can purchase food/supplies. Alcohol will not be permitted on the shuttle.
- The food pantry will be open at the CRSSJ the following hours (Tuesday, 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.) for any student who needs food.
- If you have any extra winter gear that you would like to donate to other students, please drop it off in the Laurel Leaf Lounge on the JRC 1st floor.
- If you need winter clothing, please visit the Laurel Leaf Lounge on the JRC 1st floor to explore what is available.
Behavioral Expectations
The college is making the decision to close because the health and well-being of our students, faculty, and staff are of utmost importance; therefore, we need everyone to make choices that align with that priority. Despite the closure, certain staff will be required to report to work—campus safety, dining services, facilities management, etc., and we need to ensure they are able to focus their efforts on supporting the needs of our residential community.
Please make responsible choices during this closure and take care of one another. Thanks in advance for your cooperation.
Temporary Housing
If you live off-campus and your current residence is unsafe in extreme weather, please contact Residence Life at 641-269-3713 for temporary on-campus housing prior to Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. After that date and time, please contact Campus Safety at 641-269-4600.
Information for Students
Students scheduled to work during the closing will be paid for their scheduled hours but should not plan to work during this time. Students scheduled to work after noon on Thursday should report to work as usual. If you have any questions about your work schedule please contact your supervisor.
If the cold weather emergency presents a financial hardship for you, the student affairs emergency fund may be accessed.
Information for Faculty and Staff
Non-essential staff may not report to work before Noon on Thursday. All staff will be paid for their regularly scheduled hours and are encouraged to work remotely as needed and as possible. Staff are encouraged to consult with their supervisor and plan accordingly.
If faculty or staff determine that their commute would be too hazardous at times before or after the planned campus closing, please do the following:
- Faculty may contact their ASA to inform them that they will cancel class and ask for assistance in notifying their students;
- Staff may contact their supervisor to inform them that travel is too hazardous and safe travel is not possible for them.
Faculty and staff with questions about resources needed during the time campus will be closed should contact the President’s Office (ext. 3000).
Winter supplies will be available for students in need. If you have coats, hats, gloves or other winter weather items that may be of use to students, please bring them to the Laurel Leaf Lounge in JRC on Tuesday.
Additional resources
Grinnell College weather/emergency closures