Campus offices close, classes not cancelled

As a severe snowstorm threatened to rock the Northeast with nearly two feet of snow last night, a storm of miscommunication inundated campus. In short, classes are in session, but most offices are closed.

"The real answer is that there are classes if the faculty member can make it," University spokeswoman Marilyn Marks GS '86 said. "That is what the snow hotline said and the Website read."

According to University Vice President for Finance and Administration Richard Spies GS '72, dining halls, McCosh Health Center, Frist Campus Center, building services and public safety will be fully functional today. In addition, classes will occur on a "case-by-case basis," depending on whether professors can get to campus.

ICC president Dan Winn '01 said eating clubs would strive to provide usual service to their members though the extent of operations will vary between clubs.

Causing confusion across campus, a University-wide voice mail announced, "Princeton University is closed. Only critical and necessary employees should report to work."

The voice mail spurred cheers of "Snow Day" across campus with students rejoicing in the relief from work and several eating clubs scheduling parties.

USG President Joe Kochan '01 called the message "an ambiguous broadcast."

"There is confusion because the first statement that came up said the University is closed," Kochan said. "That could mean a lot of things. There was no reference to classes or students. [Students] aren't going to look for other sources of information."

Kochan sent an e-mail to undergraduates late last night to clarify the voice mail.

In addition to repeating the official University policy regarding the closings, Kochan wrote, "But don't think that I'm telling you to go to class tomorrow . . . I think I am going to skip mine out of principle. Whoever said that you can't have a good time on a Sunday night?"

Earlier in the day, the National Weather Service issued a winter storm watch for New Jersey, and Acting Gov. Donald DiFrancesco declared a state of emergency. Forecasters predict the storm could dump 8 to 12 inches of snow on the area by this evening.

"The combination of the governor having prepared a state of emergency declaration, which would close the roads and that the the worst part of the storm being tomorrow during the day," Spies said. "It's not a safety issue getting around campus. It's to and from campus that's the problem."

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The partial closing marks just the second time in the past decade that the University has run on a similar reduced schedule, Spies said — the last time being a similar snowstorm in 1996. Last year's Tropical Storm Floyd caused delayed openings and early closings at the University.