University officials are monitoring weather conditions as Winter Storm Diego brings freezing temperatures to the Southeast over the coming days, according to an AlertCarolina released Friday afternoon.
Although subject to change dependent on Diego's path, significant snow and ice are expected to arrive in the Piedmont late Saturday and carry into Sunday night.
If the University moves to Condition 1, semester exams will continued as scheduled, the AlertCarolina said. If the University moves to Condition 2, Monday's exams will be rescheduled for Wednesday and the revised exam schedule will be posted on the Registrar's website. An AlertCarolina will be sent if conditions change.
If the University moves to Condition 1 on Sunday, Davis Library will close at 11 p.m. and open at 8 a.m. Monday. The Undergraduate Library will remain open its usual 24 hours. Under Condition 2, all libraries will be closed.
On Friday morning, Governor Roy Cooper declared a state of emergency, which facilitates the movement of essential resources and equipment to respond to the storm, in all 100 North Carolina counties after the National Weather Service issued a Winter Storm Warning for several North Carolina counties, including Orange County. A Winter Storm Warning indicates that heavy snow of at least 6 inches in 12 hours or 8 inches in 24 hours, or sleet of half an inch or more is expected.
The storm arrives during an already contentious exam week, with anti-Silent Sam activist account @strikedownsam posting on Twitter that 79 TAs and Instructors have signed a petition to withhold grades unless Chancellor Folt and the UNC Board of Trustees withdraw their proposal to relocate Silent Sam on campus and the Board of Governors hold "listening sessions" with the campus community.
