Students, faculty and staff woke up to a RAVE Alert early Friday morning: “Due to hazardous weather conditions, the USI campus is closed Friday 12/6/13. All classes are cancelled; only essential personnel should report for duty.”

Director of Public Safety Stephen Woodall said “essential personnel” includes the Office of Public Safety, the Grounds Center and the Physical Plant.

For those who do have to venture to campus today, he said, some of the roads are slippery and hazardous due to the freezing rain.

“The commute back will be worse,” Woodall said.

The freezing rain is expected to turn to snow around 8 a.m. and fall throughout the tri-state area for nearly 12 hours. As of now, six to 12 inches of accumulation is expected by tonight.

“Give yourself plenty of time and make sure your vehicle is prepared for the inclement weather,” Woodall said.

All meetings and events are cancelled as well, including the Faculty Senate meeting.

The “Stand by me, and I will stand by you: Opposing HJR-6” event scheduled for 2 p.m. will be rescheduled.

According to a post on the Facebook page, Assistant Professor of Psychology and Organizer Amie McKibban will keep everyone posted.

“I can’t thank all of you enough for wanting to be there today,” McKibban said. “It really did, and does, mean the world to so many of us.”