Campus just looks prettier covered in snow.

Even though snow has just barely started falling in Morningside Heights, classes are cancelled at both Columbia and Barnard, thanks to what my Music Hum teacher has referred to as an “unbelievable snow panic.” Rejoice! Sleep in! Bake eggplant parmesan! Catch up on all the homework you didn’t do over break!

Barnard bit the bullet first, sending out an email at 9:41 pm cancelling all classes, but stating that essential personnel (Facilities, Public Safety, Dining, ResLife, etc.) will be at work.

Columbia kept us in suspense a little longer, waiting a tense seven minutes before sending their email. As with Barnard, essential personnel are expected to come in, although the email added that non-essential personnel should come in if they can.

Enjoy the day off!

Dear Members of the Barnard Community,

Due to worsening weather conditions, Barnard College is cancelling all classes and events tomorrow, Wednesday, March 21. Essential personnel (Facilities, Public Safety, Dining and Residential Life staff) are expected to report to work. The main gate at 117th Street & Broadway will always remain open. Additional information on campus services (including the Barnard gym, library, etc.) will be added to the Barnard website (www.barnard.edu).

To report an emergency on campus, please call Barnard Public Safety at 212-854-6666. For off-campus emergencies, please dial 911. For other assistance on campus, call Public Safety at 4-3362. For real-time weather and travel updates, please visit the National Weather Service website (http://www.weather.gov/okx) or follow them on Twitter (@NWSNEWYORKNY).

We will continue to update monitor the weather conditions and update you on tomorrow’s campus operations on the Barnard website (www.barnard.edu).

Sincerely,

Antonio Gonzalez

—

Dear Columbia Community,

Columbia University has canceled classes for tomorrow, March 21, 2018, in light of updated forecasts predicting snowfall rates of 1 to 3 inches per hour starting as early as the morning commute and total snow accumulation of 12 to 15 inches.

Essential personnel are expected to report to work tomorrow, consistent with University Policy. Please stay safe, exercise caution and allow extra travel time. Non-essential personnel who are able to travel safely to work are encouraged to do so, or should speak with a manager or supervisor about contingency plans if needed. If you have a question about your “essential status,” please check in with your supervisor.

Please be aware of these additional operational changes related to the weather:

Morningside Campus Updates:

Butler Library will be open tomorrow as a 24-hour study space. All other libraries will be closed tomorrow.
Dodge Fitness Center will be open tomorrow per its normal hours.
Columbia Dining facilities will be open tomorrow. Prior to visiting a Dining facility, we suggest checking the Columbia Dining website for the latest updates as conditions change.
The College Walk pedestrian gates (on both Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue), Earl Hall gate, 120th Street gate, Chapel gate, and exterior staircase at the Northwest Corner Building will be closed for snow removal. All other gates and regular building entrances should be available to access campus.

University Shuttle Buses:

The Intercampus, Manhattanville Loop, and Fort Lee shuttles will operate tomorrow for as long as conditions allow.
The Public Safety Evening Shuttle will operate tomorrow evening only if conditions allow.
The Arbor Shuttle operators will assess conditions tomorrow and will communicate any service changes to Arbor residents.
Please check the Transportation website for additional impacts to the Intercampus, the Public Safety Evening Shuttle, Manhattanville Loop, Lamont, and Fort Lee shuttles prior to traveling by University shuttle.

University Events and Programs:

If you are planning to attend an event on campus, please reach out to the event organizer for the latest updates.

Columbia University Irving Medical Center

For updates related to the Medical Center campus, please visit newsroom.cumc.columbia.edu/cumc-operations-update.

In Case of Emergency:
Campus Operations is available to assist with campus and building services. On the Morningside and Manhattanville campuses, contact the Facilities Services Center at 212-854-2222, 24 hours a day. At the Medical Center, contact Facilities Management at 212-305-HELP (4357), option 3, or after-hours call Public Safety at 212-305-8100. For any other emergencies, please contact Public Safety at 212-854-5555 (Morningside), 212-853-3333 (Manhattanville), 212-305-7979 (CUIMC), or 911 if appropriate.

Stay informed:
The EMOT team will keep you updated by email and/or text as well as via the University homepage, the Columbia Preparedness site and the Medical Center Operations site as new information becomes available that impacts you or our campus. For real-time weather information, visit the National Weather Service. Stay informed by signing up for Notify NYC, the City’s official source for emergency information, or by visiting New York City’s Severe Weather website.

Please stay safe and exercise caution when traveling.

Sincerely,

David M. Greenberg, on behalf of the Emergency Management Operations Team
Executive Vice President
University Facilities and Operations
Columbia University

Photo via Bwog archives