It may never rain at Autzen Stadium. But is certainly does snow. A blanket of snow covered the entire University of Oregon campus on Friday morning, and continue falling into the afternoon - prompting a rare cancellation of classes and events that began after 2 p.m.

The Office of Emergency Management and Continuity cautioned the campus community to use goodjudgment in assessing the risk of coming to campus, and to use caution in returning home.

Andre Le Duc, executive director of Emergency Management and Continuity, said his office is actively monitoring the situation on campus and assessing road conditions with local governmental emergency management officials.

He said it is rare for the UO to close, but a chief concern is with the sidewalks on campus. “If conditions require, we may suspend activities such as campus classes or events,” he said.

Le Duc said with 4,000 residents living on campus – and with research taking place – it is not practical to shut down.

Emergency management issued an early release notification at noon, to allow faculty, staff and students to get home before conditions worsen with nightfall.

Some events, such as the SEIU Collective Bargaining Agreement training, were cancelled on campus early in the day. That even has now been rescheduled for Dec. 10.

Hundreds of students continued to traverse campus late in the morning. Many carried umbrellas and wore galoshes, unprepared for the winter storm.

You could hear cheers of, “It is snowing!” as snow balls zinged across the snowy lawn in front of Johnson Hall.

Click here for useful resources to help stay up-to-date on winter weather information.

- by Jennifer Winters, UO Office of Strategic Communications