The decision, and the levels
A closure call is made by the emergency-operations group using the forecast, actual road and sidewalk conditions, whether the city buses and the Porter Loop can run, whether the heat and power are stable, and regional emergency declarations. It is usually announced the evening before or by 5:30 a.m. Porter uses four levels: normal operations; delayed start (campus opens at a stated hour, earlier classes canceled); early closure (campus shuts at a stated hour, later classes canceled); and full closure (no in-person classes or events, only designated essential staff report). "Closed" means in-person — many instructors move the day online, and that is their call to communicate.
Residence halls, dining, the library, health services, and safety never close; their hours may shrink and they staff up in advance.
Where the official word is
One source of truth: it is posted at the top of the homepage and pushed through Porter Alert (text, email, app, and desktop pop-up on campus computers) at the same moment, with local TV and radio as a backup. Make sure your mobile number is in MyPorter and Porter Alert is not muted — every fall a batch of students miss the first closure because they never finished enrolling their phone. Social media reflects the alert but is not the primary channel.
If you see a closure claim that is not on the homepage or in an alert, treat it as a rumor until it is.
When campus is open but your situation is not
A regional university draws students from a wide area, and a road that is fine at the campus can be closed 20 miles out. Porter's policy is explicit that no one should drive in unsafe conditions even when campus is open: email your instructor or supervisor before class, and it is treated as an excused absence with a chance to make up the work. Instructors cannot penalize a good-faith weather call. The same applies to leaving early if conditions deteriorate during the day.
If you commute, keep a couple of contacts' numbers offline and know whether a Loop-plus-city-bus trip is an option on a day the car is a bad idea.
Living through a real one
In a full closure, stay in, charge devices, and keep water and a few days of food if a big storm is forecast. Residence hall residents get updates through the hall staff and the alert system; dining runs a modified service and will not let anyone go hungry. Do not park in a way that blocks plowing — the overnight surface-lot ban during declared snow events exists so lots can actually be cleared. Report downed lines, a heat outage, or a blocked accessible route to facilities or Campus Safety right away.
Questions?
See the full staff & office directory for any phone number or email. Because this is a fictional parody site, addresses and phone numbers are illustrative and do not reach a real university.