Snow days and other unplanned campus closures are an inevitable part of the academic calendar, but when multiple cancellations stack up, the cumulative effect on course pacing and student learning can feel significant. The good news is that with some intentional planning, you can recover effectively without simply trying to cram lost content back in. The strategies below are designed to help you think flexibly about how to make up for missed instructional time, whether through asynchronous alternatives, virtual class sessions, or thoughtful adjustments to your course schedule and assessments. The goal isn’t to replicate every lost hour, but to ensure students still meet the core learning outcomes of your course by semester’s end.
Asynchronous Options
The most flexible approach is converting lost class time into asynchronous work that students can complete on their own schedule. You can record short lecture videos using tools like YuJa, then post them to Blackboard alongside a discussion board prompt or short quiz to ensure engagement. This works especially well for content-heavy sessions that don’t require real-time interaction. For a lost day’s or week’s worth of content, breaking recordings into 10–15 minute segments is far more digestible than one long video.
You can also assign readings, case studies, or problem sets that substitute for the canceled session and ask students to come to the next in-person class prepared to discuss or apply the material. This effectively “flips” the lost class into preparatory work.
Synchronous Virtual Sessions
When University cancellation policies allow, you can hold a live session via Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, or Webex at the regularly scheduled class time. Students are already accustomed to being home, and attendance tends to be reasonable when the session is held at the expected time. These sessions can be recorded for students who can’t attend live. This approach works best when faculty give at least a few hours of advance notice so students can plan accordingly.
Reworking the Course Schedule
For material that’s truly essential and can’t be offloaded asynchronously, faculty should identify which topics in the syllabus are “nice to have” versus foundational, and trim accordingly. Most courses have at least one or two units that can be condensed, combined, or removed without undermining core learning outcomes. Faculty can also shift some content to what would otherwise be review days or exam buffer weeks. Another option is to add a short online module between sessions, rather than trying to make up entire classes all at once.
Whatever approach you choose, remember that perfection isn’t the goal. Coverage of every planned topic may matter less than students achieving the core learning outcomes for the course. Auditing your syllabus with that lens will reduce the pressure to “make up” time in ways that end up feeling rushed or punitive for students.
Assignment and Assessment Adjustments
If the lost time affects the sequencing of major assignments or exams, you should consider pushing deadlines back by the equivalent amount of time lost, or reducing the scope of an early assignment to reflect the fact that students had less instructional preparation. Being transparent with students about why adjustments are being made builds goodwill and reduces anxiety.
Additional suggestions related to assignments and assessments in specific types of courses are available on The Sheridan Center for Teaching and Learning at Brown University: Inclusive Approaches to Support Student Assignments During Times of Disruption. Scroll down and expand the section relevant to your course for more specific ideas.
Communicating with Students
Whatever approach you choose, clear and prompt communication matters. A brief message explaining what students should do in place of the canceled class — with specific links, deadlines, and expectations — goes a long way. Vague messages like “we’ll catch up later” tend to create confusion. Faculty should also acknowledge the disruption openly; students respond well when instructors are realistic about what can and can’t be fully recovered.