Lander Alert Information

Winter Weather Information

1/25/26 7:30 p.m.

Faculty and Staff

The continued freezing rain and sleet this evening have led to deteriorating road conditions around Greenwood. Campus roads, parking lots and sidewalks are also becoming extremely slick. 

Because your safety is our priority, we want to remind all employees that only essential personnel should report to campus tomorrow (Monday, Jan. 26) and Tuesday. Non-essential employees should remain off campus and coordinate with their supervisors to use telecommuting or annual leave for these days. 

If you are designated as an essential employee, please use your discretion when making travel decisions. If conditions in your area are unsafe, you should not attempt to travel to campus and should ​notify your supervisor accordingly. 

Facilities staff will be on campus tomorrow morning to continue treating sidewalks and walkways; however, conditions across campus will remain slick. Anyone who must be on campus should follow the designated routes outlined on this Winter Walkways Map. 

Please continue to monitor Lander email, social media and this page for additional updates and important information as we move into next week. 

1/25/26 1:30 p.m.

As winter weather continues to affect our region, please take a moment to review these reminders about campus operations, services and safety for the beginning of the week. 

Instructional Operations for Monday and Tuesday (Jan. 26 - Jan. 27)

• All classes for Monday and Tuesday will be virtual. Students should monitor their email and/or Blackboard for instructions from faculty regarding lessons and assignments. 
• Only essential employees should report to campus Monday and Tuesday. Employees should use discretion regarding travel and only travel if it is safe to do so.
  • Non-essential employees should plan to work with their supervisors to utilize telecommuting or annual leave for these days.
• A decision regarding classes and operations for Wednesday will be communicated no later than Tuesday morning, to give students who returned home adequate time to make travel plans. Students will be notified when it is safe to return to campus; until that time, they should remain at home.

Campus Service Reminders

• Lander Dining (all retail locations and the dining hall) will be closed Sunday. 
  • The Dining Hall will open Monday and Tuesday  from 9:30 a.m. - 6 p.m., conditions permitting.
  • Retail locations will remain closed Monday and Tuesday. 
• The Lander Line/Bearcat Shuttle will not operate Sunday or Monday. 
• Essential campus services will remain available through Tuesday, including housing support, health and wellness services, and campus safety.
• In the event of an emergency on campus:
  • Contact LUPD at (864) 388-8222, (864) 388-8911 or (864) 323-4122.
  • Contact Housing staff at housing@lander.edu for urgent concerns or needs related to residence halls. 

Always Put Your Safety First

Icy conditions are expected to persist through tomorrow, with additional freezing rain likely this afternoon and evening. Campus walkways, paths and area roads may become treacherous as freezing occurs, especially overnight when temperatures dip. 

Remember, always put your safety first. You are strongly encouraged to remain indoors and avoid unnecessary travel on foot or by vehicle until hazardous conditions improve. 

• If travel on campus is necessary, please use the treated routes highlighted on this Winter Walkways Map. Use extreme caution, even on treated surfaces.
• Avoid uncovered stairwells, decks and elevated surfaces, as well as parking lots.  
• When possible, walking on grassy areas may provide better traction than sidewalks.

Please continue to monitor campus email, social media and this page for any changes to these plans as conditions evolve. 

1/24/26 4:00 p.m.

As we prepare for the arrival of the ice storm this evening and overnight, we want to share important information regarding preparations in the event of a power outage on campus. 

Regardless of whether you are on campus or off, ensure you have a winter weather supply kit ready in case travel becomes unsafe or outages occur. Include items such as:  

• Warm clothing and blankets
• Food, snacks and water
• Essential medications and personal items
• Phone chargers and flashlights

Residence Hall Safety and Warming Station Plan

In the event of a power outage on campus that impacts residence halls, the University will activate an established warming station in the PEES Gym. If activation becomes necessary, students will be notified when this space is available and it is safe to travel to PEES. 

If your residence hall loses power overnight, please remain in your room and await further instructions. Do not attempt to travel overnight or during hazardous conditions. Residence halls will retain heat for several hours after an outage, and students should remain comfortable and safe during that time. Additionally, avoid going in and out of your room; keeping doors and windows closed will help extend this heat. 

Reminders to All Residents

• No candles, space heaters or electric blankets should be used in residence halls. These items are fire hazards and are strictly prohibited. 
• No guests are allowed in campus housing during this time.

Essential Services and Emergencies 

Essential campus services will remain available this weekend and through the virtual instruction period, including housing support, health and wellness services, and campus safety. 

In the event of an emergency on campus: 

• Contact LUPD at (864) 388-8222 or (864) 388-8911.
  • If campus phone lines are down, you may also reach LUPD at (864) 323-4122.
• Residential students may contact Housing staff at housing@lander.edu for urgent concerns or needs related to residence halls. Staff will be checking this email frequently throughout the weekend. 

Please continue to monitor Lander email, social media and this page for updates as conditions change. 

1/24/26 1:30 p.m.

Conditions in the Greenwood area are expected to deteriorate quickly once sleet and freezing rain begin this evening. Campus walkways, paths and roads may become icy and treacherous when this precipitation begins. 

Lander Facilities crews are actively treating designated pedestrian routes on campus, which are highlighted on this Winter Walkways Map.

• Please use these treated routes whenever travel is absolutely necessary. Use extreme caution, even on treated surfaces. 
• Avoid uncovered stairwells, decks and elevated surfaces, as well as parking lots.  
• When possible, walking on grassy areas may provide better traction than sidewalks.

Students on campus should plan to pick up meals and snacks for Sunday and Monday during this evening's dinner service in the Dining Hall. This will reduce your need for traveling outdoors tomorrow, should campus conditions become icy. 

Remember, always put your safety first. As conditions worsen, you are strongly encouraged to remain indoors and avoid unnecessary travel on foot or by vehicle. Hazardous conditions may increase emergency response times, whether on campus or off.

Please continue to monitor campus email, social media and this page for additional updates today and throughout the weekend.

1/24/26 8:00 a.m.

The following changes are being made to Lander Dining's hours of operation for this weekend, in preparation for the expected inclement weather. 

• Saturday, Jan. 24
  • Freshens, the Drop, POD and Chick-fil-A will be closed. 
  • The Dining Hall will be open 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., and 4 - 6 p.m. with limited meal options.
  • To-go bags covering all meals and snacks for Sunday will be available for pick up in the Dining Hall during today's dinner hours (4 - 6 p.m.). 

• Sunday, Jan. 25
  • Starbucks, Freshens, The Drop, POD and Chick-fil-A will be closed. 
  • The Dining Hall will be closed.
  • Be sure to pick up your to-go bags for Sunday snacks and meals during the Saturday dinner service in the Dining Hall.

• Monday, Jan. 26, and Tuesday, Jan. 27
  • Starbucks, Freshens, The Drop, POD and Chick-fil-A will be closed. 
  • The Dining Hall will be open 9:30 a.m. - 6 p.m. 

Please Note: These plans may be adjusted as campus conditions evolve this weekend. Students should continue to monitor their Lander email, social media and this page for further updates to Dining Services hours due to weather-related impacts. 

1/23/26 11:30 a.m.

The Greenwood area is now under an Ice Storm Warning, with the potential for significant ice and sleet accumulations throughout the Upstate. Because of the extremely cold temperatures and the potential for widespread power outages, all students who are able to return home are strongly encouraged to do so this afternoon, before conditions deteriorate.

As a reminder, all classes beginning at 12 p.m. and after are canceled for today (Friday, Jan. 23). Monday and Tuesday will be virtual instruction, as announced last night. 

The University is taking preparations for this storm seriously. To ensure the safety of the campus community, the following updates to services and operations are also being made: 

• Campus dining will operate with reduced hours and menus for Saturday and Sunday, and will offer to-go meal options for hours closed over the weekend. Additional information about dining hours and services will be shared with campus later today. 
• Athletic practices scheduled for this weekend, Monday and Tuesday are canceled.
• The Jackson Library will close at 5 p.m. today (Friday, Jan. 23), and will remain closed Saturday and Sunday. 
• The Lander Line/Bearcat Shuttle will not operate Saturday, Sunday or Monday. 

For students unable to return home, essential services such as dining, health and safety will continue to be available. So that the University can adequately prepare for residential students remaining on campus, those who are not able to return home must notify the Housing Office of their intentions to stay by completing this form: Housing Survey  – Fill out form.

If you have already completed this form, but have now decided to return home, you must email Housing at housing@lander.edu. 

1/22/26 8:00 p.m.

The Upstate remains under a Winter Storm Watch, with the potential for significant ice accumulation leading to widespread power outages and treacherous travel conditions this weekend. Additionally, extremely cold temperatures during the overnight hours on Sunday and Monday will likely extend hazardous conditions into early next week.

In light of these expected conditions, the following operational changes are being made:

• The University will move to virtual, asynchronous instruction for Monday, Jan. 26, and Tuesday, Jan. 27. Students should monitor their email and/or Blackboard for instructions from faculty regarding lessons and assignments for those days.
• Only essential employees should report to campus Monday and Tuesday. Employees should use discretion regarding travel and only travel if it is safe to do so. Non-essential employees should plan to work with their supervisors to utilize telecommuting or annual leave for those days.
• It is possible that conditions could require a shift to virtual instruction for the remainder of next week. Decisions regarding classes and operations for Wednesday will be announced on Tuesday. 

STUDENTS ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO TRAVEL HOME

As a reminder, students are strongly encouraged to travel home tomorrow before road conditions deteriorate. If you are unable to leave campus, you must notify the Housing Office (housing@lander.edu) of your plans to remain on campus. (If you have already notified Housing, but your plans have now changed as a result of this shift, please update the Housing Office.)

Additional operational and campus service updates will be shared tomorrow and throughout the weekend. Please continue to monitor campus email, social media and the website for important updates.

1/22/26 12:00 p.m.

University officials are closely monitoring the winter weather forecast for our region. The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Watch for our area for this weekend. Hazardous levels of snow, sleet and ice are possible beginning Saturday afternoon through Sunday, which may cause widespread power outages and make roadways impassable.

Because of this potential, and out of an abundance of caution:

• Classes beginning at 12 p.m. or after for Friday, Jan. 23, are canceled. Students should look for instructions from their professors regarding any assignments for those courses.
• Campus offices will remain open Friday on a regular schedule.
• Campus transportation services (Lander Line/Shuttle) will be suspended Saturday and Sunday.
• No decision has been made at this time regarding classes and operations for Monday, Jan. 26. However, students and faculty should be prepared for remote learning on Monday, should conditions prevent safe travel.  
• Officials will closely monitor conditions throughout the weekend and additional operational updates will be shared via Lander email, social media and website as those decisions are made.

STUDENTS ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO TRAVEL HOME

It is possible that some campus services will be scaled back in order to focus resources on storm preparation and response. Should our community experience power outages, access to some campus amenities, such as retail dining, transportation and internet, may be limited this weekend.  

Therefore, students are strongly encouraged to travel home tomorrow afternoon, before road conditions deteriorate. If you are not able to travel home, you must notify the Housing Office (housing@lander.edu) of your plans to remain on campus. 

STAY INFORMED AND STAY SAFE

Students and employees should plan to closely monitor Lander email for additional updates to campus operations and services this weekend. If you haven’t already done so, sign up for Lander Alert so that you can receive notifications quickly through text and email.

Winter Weather Walkways

This map highlights campus walkways to use during winter weather conditions. When on campus, walk on the grass when possible, or use treated walkways. Avoid areas that have not been treated, especially outdoor or unsheltered stairwells.