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Wednesday, January 28, 2026, 3:15 PM
Subject: Schedule for Thursday & Friday
Faculty, Staff, and Students:
For the remainder of the week (Thursday and Friday), classes will meet virtually, college offices will be closed, and staff and faculty will work from home.
Rush events for the remainder of the week will continue as planned, and the Saturday game against Boyce will be played at 2:00 p.m. If you’re on campus, we invite you to support our men’s basketball team for this exciting matchup. Go Flames!
On behalf of President Pinson and Provost McAffee, let me extend a special thank you to everyone for your patience during this time. We look forward to welcoming you back to campus in full this coming Monday.
For updates, please check your Welch email and welch.edu/snow26.
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Monday, January 26, 2026, 2:25 PM
Subject: Schedule for Tuesday & Wednesday
Faculty, Staff, & Students:
Due to widespread power outages and freezing temperatures, Tuesday classes are canceled and will not meet virtually. Offices are also closed, and staff and faculty will have the day off. Wednesday classes will be held virtually, and staff will work from home. The dining schedule for Tuesday and Wednesday is as follows: breakfast is 8:00–8:30 a.m., lunch is 12:00–1:00 p.m., and dinner is 5:30–6:30 p.m.
Students, please be patient during this time. Several faculty and staff members are dealing with downed trees and power outages at their own homes.
For updates, please check your Welch email and welch.edu/snow26.
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Sunday, January 25, 2026, 10:30 PM
Subject: Pre-Monday Reminders
Here are some quick reminders about Monday’s schedule:
- Monday classes are cancelled and will not meet virtually. Offices are also closed, so faculty and staff may not be readily available. Please be patient—several of your faculty & staff are dealing with downed trees and power outages at their own homes.
- The dining schedule has been adjusted: breakfast is 8–8:30 a.m.; lunch is 12–1 p.m.; dinner is 5:30–6:30 p.m.
- The library will be open tomorrow from 12:00–11:00 PM.
- More information regarding the rest of the week will be provided tomorrow.
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Sunday, January 25, 2026, 12:00 PM
Subject: Students, Let’s Continue Working Together!
Dear Students,
As predicted, the snow has turned to ice. We need your help as we continue working together to keep everyone warm, safe, and connected on campus.
I’m very proud of the spirit of cooperation we are seeing on campus. Mr. Mike Anderson reports that only one thermostat was adjusted (in the PDR), which reflects your desire to help in this area, and for that, we are very thankful. If your dorm room becomes too warm or stuffy, please speak with Mrs. Lute or Mr. Presley so we can address it without adjusting thermostats.
At 10:40 am today, the Gallatin Department of Electricity reported that customer outages have been reduced to 500 out of more than 26,000 served! This means that more than 98% of GDE customers currently have power—very good news for our campus. Let’s continue to pray for the more than 250,000 people in the Nashville area who are still without power.
Lord’s Day Worship
To our Student Council, who led the worship service this morning: thank you for uniting our campus in this special time of singing, prayer, Scripture reading, and preaching!
Student Activities
Here are some activities you can look forward to:
- West End will be holding weekend hours. Watch for text and email updates as hours are added throughout the break.
- The library will be open tomorrow from 12:00–11:00 PM. This is a great space to hang out, do puzzles, play games, or study.
- A volleyball tournament will take place from 1:45–3:45 PM. Coach Fawbush and Coach Bryan will pick teams, and the winning team will receive a gift card.
- A dodgeball tournament will be held from 3:45–5:30 PM in the Student Activities Center. See Coach Fawbush for more details.
- At 7:00 PM, you’ll have two options: an UNO tournament in the Student Activities Center or movie night at the Presleys.
- If there is enough interest, we will play hide-and-seek tonight. Meet at the gym around 9:00 PM to decide on game rules.
- You can still enter the Snow Photo Contest by emailing your winter photos of campus to anna.pinson@welch.edu. Prizes include a $50 Amazon gift card (1st place) and $25 (2nd place).
Stay Safe and Connected
Please help by doing the following:
- Leave thermostats set and windows closed, dress wisely outdoors, keep devices charged, and change out of wet layers when you come back inside.
- Although conditions are improving, please do not underestimate potential dangers. Stay away from trees, as falling branches remain a major hazard.
- Roads and parking lots are expected to re-freeze this afternoon—please use extreme caution while walking outside.
- State and local officials continue to encourage caution with travel; if you must leave campus, please follow the check-out/in process.
A Special Thank You
Please take time to thank our maintenance team when you see them. Mr. Mike Anderson, Mr. Alex White, Walker, and Ethan have been outstanding. Coach Fawbush was even on the tractor this morning assisting with snow removal. You are safe and warm because of the continued efforts of our maintenance team. Thank you, men!
For updates, please check your Welch email and welch.edu/snow26.
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Saturday, January 24, 2026, 12:45 PM
Subject: Students, Let’s Stay Warm, Safe, and Connected!
Dear Students,
As you know, the snow has officially started! As we head into this weekend, here are a few important reminders to help us stay warm, safe, and connected on campus. Please read through the sections below, so you know what to expect.
But first, let me commend you: Mr. Mike Anderson reports 100% participation with the request to move your cars. Great job!
Student Activities
Winter weather doesn’t stop campus life:
- There will be some activities on the quad today at 2:30 pm. Dress warm and grab your favorite outdoor group game.*
- West End will be holding weekend hours, just for you! The first opening will be after today’s activities on the quad. Watch your text/email updates as hours will be added throughout the break.*
- The Lutes will host a movie night this evening. Check your campus notifications or contact Mrs. Lute for more details.*
- We will have a student-led worship service this Sunday at 10:30 am, regardless of the weather or power situation. Casual dress is totally fine.
- The library is open on Saturday (3–9 pm) and Monday (12–11 pm). This is a great space to hang out, do puzzles, play games, or perhaps… study.
- Coach Fawbush will provide a gym schedule for Flames practices and open-gym times for students.
- Be sure to enter the Snow Photo Contest by emailing your winter photos of the Welch campus to anna.pinson@welch.edu. The top two photos will receive an Amazon gift card: $50 (1st place) and $25 (2nd place).
- We’ll let you all handle the snowmen, snowballs, and snow forts. If anyone is planning a larger group activity, let us know. As long as your activity prioritizes safety, we’ll get a text out to everyone.
While the Power Is On
Please help by doing the following:
- Please leave thermostats set and windows closed in the residence halls and other buildings. Our maintenance team is adjusting temperatures to help us retain heat if power is lost.
- During outdoor activities, be safe, warm, and wise.
- Keep your devices charged (phones, laptops, power banks) while power is available.
- Keep your layers dry when you come back in from playing outside.
If We Experience a Power Outage
We have several options in place to keep you safe. As we assess the situation, please immediately follow these simple instructions.
- When possible, try to stay put.
- Follow instructions from Residence Directors and staff.
- When possible, avoid using automatic door openers to reduce heat loss.
- Dress warmly and stay in designated areas.
- Meals in Celorio will continue as conditions allow, but the times may change due to kitchen staff adjustments.
- Be flexible.
Stay Connected
- Our TN State Governor has already declared a state of emergency, and local officials are expected to follow. As the storm intensifies, we need to be good neighbors and stay off the roads unless it is an emergency.
- If you must leave, be serious about following the check-out/in process established by your Residence Directors. This is essential.
- The National Weather Service advises, “If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency. The latest road conditions for the state you are calling from can be obtained by calling 511.”
- For updates, check your Welch email and welch.edu/snow26.
We’re grateful for how well you have already responded—your cooperation truly helps keep everyone safe. Enjoy the snow, look out for one another, and stay warm!
We will provide more updates as conditions develop. An asterisk (*) indicates updates that were added after the initial post.
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Friday, January 23, 2026, 1:50 PM
Subject: Parking Lot Plan
Residential students are asked to move their vehicles to the green zone (see image below) by 10:00 PM on Friday, January 23. Essential staff may use the spaces in the yellow zone. There is no parking in the red zone. The only exception is for students who require an ADA-approved parking space.
Thank you for your cooperation. This parking configuration will allow our maintenance team to efficiently clear the red zone and will provide appropriate egress for response vehicles in the unlikely event of an emergency.
For updates, please check your Welch email and welch.edu/snow26.
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Friday, January 23, 2026, 8:00 AM
Subject: Winter Storm Preparations and Student Safety
The Welch College administration is closely monitoring the winter storm expected to impact Middle Tennessee and the more than twenty surrounding states.
The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for our area from Friday (1/23) evening through Sunday (1/25) evening. The forecast calls for heavy mixed precipitation, which could cause widespread power outages and hazardous road conditions.
The safety and well-being of the Welch community remain our greatest priority. At this time, the college will operate on a normal schedule on Friday (1/23). Classes on Monday (1/26) are cancelled and will not meet virtually; offices are also closed, and employees (except for essential employees) will not work on Monday. Updates regarding the rest of the week will be provided later.
Students, faculty, and staff should prepare for the possibility of hazardous travel and extended power outages. Residence halls will remain open to dorm students. While our buildings do not have backup power, in the event of a short-term outage, residence hall students will continue to be served hot meals. In case of an extended outage, a contingency plan is in place to relocate students to an alternate location. Residence hall students are encouraged to dress warmly, keep their phones charged, and prepare for the possibility of a transition to a safe, but potentially less-than-comfortable arrangement.
President Matt Pinson said, “Our first priority is our students, and we’re going to take great care of them during this storm. That’s one of the reasons I love living on campus, and in addition to Melinda and me, our resident directors and their families, the Presleys and the Lutes, will be on campus during the whole weather event. We will also have continuous support from our maintenance and food services personnel, and additional members of our staff are staying on campus throughout the entire weather event to help keep students safe. I want parents to rest assured that your childrens’ safety is our first priority.”
For updates, please check your Welch email and welch.edu/snow26.