Enterprise Risk Management

Managing Safety for the University

Inclement Weather


Texas A&M University-Kingsville remains open in the most severe weather conditions. Decisions about operating schedule changes are based on conditions on campus and major transportation routes. The campus community also monitors local conditions to assess individual travel risks.

Employee Guidelines

In the event of inclement weather when the university remains open, faculty and staff are expected to make every reasonable effort to maintain their regular work schedules, but are advised to avoid undue risks in traveling. Employees who anticipate arriving late or not at all should notify their immediate supervisors. Employees have the option of charging their time off as annual leave or taking leave without pay.

Students and Faculty

Students are expected to make every reasonable effort to attend classes but are advised to avoid undue risks in traveling. If weather conditions prevent students from reaching campus, they should communicate that to their professors at the first opportunity. Students are responsible for any academic work missed due to absences caused by severe weather conditions. It is the student’s responsibility to take the initiative to make up any missed class work.

If a faculty member cannot attend class, it is the faculty member’s responsibility to notify students in a timely manner, preferably at least one hour prior to the start of class. Faculty also should be mindful that hazardous weather conditions can cause students to miss class. Faculty are strongly encouraged to provide a reasonable opportunity for students to complete assignments or examinations missed due to hazardous weather conditions. Faculty have the discretion to determine whether an additional session of class should be held or if any additional assignments should be required to make up for classes not held.

Administrative Closings

The President, in consultation with the executive team, may officially close or suspend selected University activities because of extreme weather conditions.

When a decision is made to change the operations schedule, information is distributed to the campus community via TAMUK-Alert to multiple email, text message systems, social media, and website platforms, and shared with KTAI-FM 91.1 and other news media.

Delayed Openings

In the event of a delayed opening, senior leadership determines a specific time of opening and that information is distributed via the same, above-referenced, methods. In a delayed opening, all classes scheduled prior to the set opening time and any classes with less than 30 minutes remaining are canceled for that day.

Faculty and staff are expected to report to their work locations by the set opening time. Students are expected to report to their regularly scheduled class only if 30 minutes or more remain in the session. For example, if a delayed opening is set for 10 a.m., a student who has a class from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m. should report to that class at 10 a.m. A student who has a class from 9:00 to 9:50 a.m. should not report to class.

Weather Threat During Operating Hours

If weather conditions that develop during operating hours prompt a decision to close the University, that information is distributed via the same, above-referenced, methods.