Closing Information

Except in the case of extreme weather conditions (i.e., severe snow, ice storms, floods, etc.) the Roanoke Higher Education Center (Center) will be open. In the event of inclement weather, the participating educational institutions represented at the Center may cancel their respective classes. When a participating educational institution closes their main campus this does not automatically result in the cancellation of all of their classes at the Center. Classes originating from the main campus that use distance learning for instruction may be cancelled. Notices about the cancellation of classes by participating educational institutions at the Center will be available by calling the respective educational institution or listening to the local and regional media outlets outlined below. Information about the closure of the Center can be obtained through the mediums outlined below.

When the Roanoke Higher Education Center is closed, announcements will be officially made through the RHEC Alert System, and to the news media for dissemination to the public. The local and regional radio and television stations that will provide this information include – WVTF 89.1 FM, WFIR 960 AM, WDBJ Channel 7 and WSLS Channel 10. This information will be provided to these media outlets in the event that a decision is made to close the Center.

The information provided to the media concerning closings will be explicit. However, from time to time the manner in which the media reports the closings may be confusing. Please keep this in mind when a closing announcement is made.

• If you hear an announcement that “Roanoke Higher Education Center is Closed”, all activities and operations associated with the Center are canceled and the Center is closed.
• The status of day classes and evening classes may vary from time to time due to changes in weather patterns and/or successful snow/ice removal efforts around the Center and roads. The Center will assess its ability to open or close throughout the day by monitoring the weather and road conditions. Closing announcements will be issued as follows:
  • Notice of closings for Center day classes will normally occur before 6:00 a.m.
  • Notice of closings of the Center for classes that meet at night will normally occur between 3:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.

In the event day classes are canceled but evening classes are held, the Center’s educational institutions are responsible for making arrangements to notify their students of changes in their respective class meetings. The educational institutions at the Center will make the information available to the Center administration as soon as possible in the event of class cancellation. Contact the Virginia Department of Transportation at 1-800-367-ROAD for road conditions. If you are interested in taking public transportation, you can contact Valley Metro at 982-2222 for scheduling and route information. Questions about the Center’s Inclement Weather Closing Policy may be directed to the Executive Director’s Office.