Are You Ready for Winter?

The leaves are falling, the wind is blowing, time to talk about winter weather preparations! It’s always best to be prepared.

Being Prepared

Before the snow comes it’s good to be as prepared as possible. What can you do to be prepared?

For Your Classes

• Talk with your professors now about their expectations regarding class cancellations, or if classes would ever be held remotely (if not already an online course).

Commuting

• Make sure your car is ready for the winter. If you drive to campus, keep a shovel, ice scraper, gloves and a flashlight in your trunk at all times. It is also important to check your engine coolant and antifreeze levels to keep your engine from freezing. Inflate your tires to the recommended tire pressure for better car handling in the snow and rain. And remember to remove snow and ice from your car before traveling. It’s the law!!
• Carpool. Ask friends/classmates about carpooling.
• Mass Transit. If you are not a regular mass transit user, check into bus/train options from your home to campus using Google Maps, Apply Maps or the Waze app. Make sure you have an up-to-date schedule and know when an earlier bus/train will come.

Getting Around Campus

• Bundle Up! We’re on top of a mountain and the wind can really be cold. So, be sure to have a good, warm coat plus gloves and a hat. Oh, and wear winter boots or shoes to safely walk around campus! And if you want to also show your Red Hawk Pride and purchase Montclair winter gear at the University Bookstore, remember to go on any Friday wearing something Montclair and you’ll get 10% off something Montclair!!
• It may not be perfect. Facilities personnel often work around the clock to keep the roads and walkways clear. This is no different from your town or other areas off campus. We all should apply extra caution when getting around campus.

Budget Your Time

• Add extra time to get where you are going. Whether you are traveling via mass transit, by car or just walking, you know everything takes longer in the winter.

Moving Cars from Surface Lots

• Be ready to move your car! During snow events members of the campus community will receive instructions about when and where to move cars from surface parking lots to parking decks and then back to a surface parking lot. Any applicable parking fee for the decks will be waived during a snow emergency (except for the NJ Transit Parking Deck where normal fees will apply). All members of the campus community must adhere to the instructed timelines provided in emergency communications.

Please Note: The top levels of both Red Hawk Deck and CarParc Diem may be subject to closures for snow and ice removal.

Construction Is Ongoing

• Don’t forget the highway and local road construction is still happening. Plan extra travel time for road closure and/or detours. Check GPS before your trip!

Will The University Ever Close?

The default position is the University will be open. You’ve paid for an education and it’s our responsibility to be here to provide it. It will be the University’s intention to remain open and operating whenever possible.

If we do need to close the University or cancel classes, the data used to make the decision are obtained from a number of sources, including the National Weather Service, state and municipal agencies regarding highway and local road conditions, as well as campus officials who determine the state of parking lots, roads and walkways.

It’s Your Decision

Because members of our community commute from so many different areas of our state as well as neighboring states, the local conditions must be the primary consideration in the decision making process.

That means if you are a commuter, you should consider your personal circumstances in making a decision about whether or not to come to campus when the weather is a concern.

Remember: If you have extraordinary circumstances to consider you should discuss this matter with your faculty NOW – long before the need arises.