Chancellor | FeaturedJanuary 27, 2026

Inclement Weather Update: Tuesday, January 27

Written By: Terisa Riley

Dear colleagues and students, 

At this time, emergency management professionals report that only about 25% of roads in Sebastian County are clear, and many campus walkways and parking lots remain completely covered in snow and ice. Experts suggest that overnight low temperatures make it unlikely that roads will make any additional progress toward clearing until tomorrow.  

With this in mind, we will once again close campus on Wednesday, January 28. 

All classes normally taught in person and online will be cancelled, including those at the Peak Innovation Center. All events slated for Wednesday will be rescheduled, and all regular operations will be halted. Human Resources will be in contact with employees this week regarding how inclement weather leave will be reflected in Workday 

Despite the proactive actions of our Facilities teams in pretreating paved surfaces, the frigid temperatures and thick layers of ice have made clearing incredibly difficult. Crews from Nabholz Construction have now joined our on-campus crews in clearing lots and sidewalks while the sun is out and temperatures are above freezing. 

I am optimistic that they will make significant progress over the next two days and that we can reopen on Thursday. 

However, with three and a half days of campus closures, many schedules and calendars will need to be reworked. The vice chancellors will send out more information about these changes once we return to campus and confirm new dates. 

I appreciate your patience and the hard work of everyone who has tirelessly ensured our campus is safe and our students are served throughout this closure. 

For more information: 
 

Campus Safety:

University Police will remain on campus to assist with emergencies and will continually evaluate the condition of roads and sidewalks. UPD can be contacted at their non-emergency line: 788-7140 or updFREEuafs 

UPD is also available to assist students in accessing the Lion Pride Food Pantry by calling 788-7140.  

Facilities:

Some Facilities staff will be on call as needed to check campus buildings for winter-weather-related issues and respond to emergent facility needs. 

At this point, facilities crews have done all they can to treat walkways, and they urge everyone to wear appropriate clothing and take precautions when walking on campus to the dining hall and/or 24-Hour Computer Lab in the Boreham Library. 

Boreham Library & RAWC:

The Boreham Library and RAWC will be closed through the weekend. Students will still have access to the Boreham Library's 24-hour lab. 

Housing and Dining:

Each housing facility will have a Resident Assistant (RA) on call throughout the closure to assist with resident needs.

The Lion’s Den dining hall will continue to serve brunch and dinner service in place of the Campus Center Food Court. The schedule will be 10:30 a.m. to 1p.m. and 4:30-6 p.m.  

Future Updates:
The best way to receive information regarding inclement weather and other emergency operations is through your university email and Lions Alert, the university’s emergency notification system.  

We will continue to send official campus updates via email, and notices regarding changes to campus operations will be posted on the UAFS webpage and social media accounts. 

Stay safe, Lions. 

Terisa Riley

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