Weather-Related Closings

On days when Trocaire College is scheduled to be open, the college administration will monitor local and regional weather conditions and follow a standard protocol in making the decision to remain open or to close.

Please be advised that, in general, the college intends to remain open if at all possible. 

The college makes every effort to remain open to ensure the success of our students. As we enter the time of the year where inclement weather is more likely to happen, we want to make sure you are fully aware of the protocol we will follow during the 2023-2024 academic year.

The Trocaire community’s ability to work remotely allows us to complete most of our duties and studies from home just as we would from the office or classroom. Employees will work remotely even when the college must close its physical locations due to inclement weather. This means staff will be available to assist students during regular business hours.

For weather-related events and at other times when the campus must be closed on an emergency basis, it is expected that learning activities will continue remotely, to the extent practicable. Specifically, classes which are normally online will continue online per their usual schedule. For classes which are normally on-site including lectures, labs, and courses requiring on-campus equipment, faculty will provide communication to students regarding remote learning content and any adjustments to the schedule. All off-site clinicals will be cancelled for that day.  

As a reminder, any announcement about closings will be communicated through the Trocaire College Emergency Notification System, as well as posted on the College’s homepage, social media and local radio and TV stations.

Please note:  Individuals missing a day due to inclement weather when the college remains open will be considered absent and must make appropriate arrangements with their faculty, program directors/deans and/or supervisor(s).

Closing Protocol

Decisions Prior to the Start of the Day:

For weather conditions occurring early in the morning or prior to the start of classes, every attempt will be to make a decision before 6 a.m. to facilitate student and employee ability to plan their day.

Decisions During the Day/Evening:

If a decision to close is made during the day or is being made for the evening, every attempt will be made to make the decision before 4 p.m. to allow for adequate notice to be provided.

Decisions on Weekends:

Decisions to remain open on Saturdays or Sundays when the college is scheduled to be open will follow the same procedures as for prior to the start of day or decisions during the day/evening, depending upon the weekend circumstance.

Decisions About Different Locations:

Occasionally weather conditions may affect the main campus but not the Extension Center on Transit Road in Lancaster, or vice versa. In such instances, messages about site closure will specify which location is being closed, and also that the other site remains open.

Note: The building on Seneca Street is part of the main campus, so when the main campus is closed, the building on Seneca Street will also be closed.

Emergency Notification System:

The college’s Emergency Notification System (ENS) is one of several official communication channels which will be used to notify individuals of important events, including school closure. It is vital for all students, faculty and staff to ensure that their contact information is up-to-date in the ENS.

To do so, follow the instructions on this page. 

Communication:

Official closure or other related information is posted in a number of locations.

  • Trocaire College Social Media Channels
  • TV
    • WGRZ-TV Channel 2
    • WIVB-TV Channel 4
    • WKBW-TV Channel 7
    • WNLO-TV Channel 23
  • Radio
    • Cumulus Media
      • WEDG (FM 103.3), WGRF (FM 96.9), WHHT (FM 104.1), WHLD (AM 1270), WBBF (FM 98.9 AM 1120)
    • Entercom Radio
      • WBEN (AM 930), WGR (AM 550), WKSE (FM 98.5), WTSS (FM 102.5), WWKB (AM 1520), WLKK (FM 107.7), WWWS (AM 1400)
    • Townsquare Media
      • WBLK (FM 93.7), WMSX (FM 96.1), WYRK (FM 106.5), WBUF (FM 92.9)

If the college is open, individuals who call Trocaire or contact faculty or staff asking for closure information will be directed to check the official communication channels noted above.