News

**Update: Tennessee Tech University is CLOSED for Monday, Jan. 26, 2026.  All university activities are canceled.

An update on the university's operating status for Tuesday, Jan. 27 will be shared by 1 p.m. on Jan. 26. 

How Tennessee Tech shares information during inclement weather
_{Updated with additional information for Winter Storm Fern (Jan. 2026)} 

Text of Jan 22, 2026 email message to campus:

 As we prepare for the potential of significant snowfall this weekend, please know that university leadership is already working with local and regional officials to take all necessary precautions and ensure the continued provision of essential services for our campus community.

Facilities personnel will begin treating university roads and sidewalks on Friday, Jan. 23, and will continue servicing the campus throughout the weekend. 

The university has also recently added a redundant electrical utility feed that will serve as a backup for the campus in the event that our primary electrical circuit suffers a blackout.

Please take note of the following updates and recommendations as we plan for the incoming weather and work to keep our community safe:

• ​A decision regarding a campus closure for Monday, Jan. 26, will be made no later than noon on Sunday, Jan. 25. In the event of a campus closure, residence halls will remain staffed and fully operational for all on-campus students, and Dining Services will continue serving meals at The Caf.
  • Determinations on the ability to open additional campus dining locations and other campus services (e.g., The Burn, Health Services) will be made as weather conditions permit.
    
    
• You can help us maintain campus safety by following these helpful tips:
  
  
  • When the campus is closed, this typically means all employees are excused from their duties unless informed otherwise by their supervisor (e.g., essential on-site personnel for campus operations). However, in the event of a prolonged closure, some staff may be asked to begin working remotely. Therefore, university employees are encouraged to take their work devices home on Friday, Jan. 23. Employees should also ensure all windows in their buildings are closed before departing campus.
    
    
  • In the event of a campus closure, employees who are not required to report to campus to perform their duties can help us prioritize student needs by remaining at home and keeping roads clear for facilities teams and emergency personnel.
    
    
  • During icy conditions, some building entrances and stairwells may become hazardous. Whenever possible, use each building's ADA accessible entrance for safer passage.
    
    
  • Students who remain on campus are encouraged to park in green-zoned parking lots to reduce walking distances to residence halls and allow our teams to use red- and gold-zoned lots for snow removal.
    
    
  • ​Students residing at the Appalachian Center for Craft in Smithville are strongly encouraged to consider alternate arrangements for the weekend due to the center’s remote location and the potential for impassable roads. University representatives will reach out directly to affected students.
    
    
  • All students, whether residing on or off campus, may wish to consider gathering some emergency supplies, such as nonperishable food items, a flashlight with extra batteries, and items to stay warm. This resource from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides further guidance. 

Stay safe, warm and keep your Wings Up! 

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Original website information on how the university communicates timely weather decisions: 

When inclement weather impacts our region, Tennessee Tech works quickly to keep our community safe and informed. Read on to learn how we share information about campus closures or delays:

 

Where campus closures are announced

When the university makes a decision to delay or cancel classes, announcements are shared on Tech's Facebook page, X (formerly Twitter) account, Instagram story and the homepage of the Tech website. Media in Cookeville, Nashville, Knoxville and Chattanooga are also alerted.

In cases of a closure, messages are additionally sent to the Tech email accounts for all students, faculty and staff. Whenever possible, email messages will also explain the status of individual campus services and facilities (e.g., Dining Services, the Volpe Library, the Marc L. Burnett Student Recreation & Fitness Center, etc.).

Importantly, the university does not use our SMS-based TTUalerts to communicate snow or most other weather-related closures. TTUalerts are reserved for urgent messages that ask students to take immediate action or precaution (e.g., tornado warning, active threat to campus, etc.).

 

How a decision to delay classes or close campus is made

The decision to close campus or delay classes is taken very seriously. During cases of inclement weather, university administrators are in constant contact with facilities staff, campus police and others.

Once information is gathered, decisions are based on campus conditions, the ability to create safe passage into buildings – starting with each building's ADA-compliant entrances – and information about conditions in Cookeville.

 

Guidance to students, faculty and staff

If classes are canceled for inclement weather, this will typically close most university offices unless otherwise noted.

Whenever possible, the university will continue operations for certain campus facilities and services on a limited or modified schedule during snow closures, such as Dining Services, The Volpe Library and the Marc L. Burnett Student Recreation & Fitness Center. Other university offices as such as the Bursar’s Office, the Office of Admissions and others may provide remote availability to assist students via phone or email. 

Students should refer to their email messages to learn the status of campus services and facilities, and Tech employees should communicate with their supervisors if they have questions. 

There may be instances where Cookeville or surrounding areas are impacted by inclement weather, but the university decides that classes can continue on a normal schedule. In these cases, students with concerns about weather conditions or their commute to campus should exercise their best judgment and communicate directly with their instructors.

 

Additional resources

Verify enrollment in TTUalerts: These messages are not used for snow closures, but are used to share information for tornado warnings, threats to campus and other timely alerts. Current students who have given the university their cell phone numbers are automatically signed up to receive alerts. Faculty, staff, parents, spouses and others interested in receiving alerts can sign up as well.

Emergency preparedness: Review emergency preparedness information for campus courtesy of the Office of Environmental Health & Safety.