2:10 P.M. AUG. 29 UPDATE - University CLOSED MONDAY for non-essential staff following Hurricane Irene

Continued updates for campus hurricane-safety response to be posted on home page. The next update will be posted around 8 p.m. Monday.

This update to previous announcements about Princeton's campus safety following Hurricane Irene contains new information related to road closures and traffic conditions.

Because of power outages and road closures in the wake of Hurricane Irene, Princeton University remains closed except for critical and essential staff on Monday, Aug. 29. Further updates will be provided after campus conditions are assessed. Many campus facilities have been closed to ensure the safety and security of individuals on campus. Faculty, staff and students who do not have critical functions on campus have been strongly encouraged to delay their travel.

All campus events are canceled on Monday. This includes exhibitions, concerts, lectures, seminars and other activities. Firestone Library will be open with limited staff. Members of the campus community and patrons should check the University home page for updates.

Faculty Road remains closed between Washington Road and Elm Drive because of a fallen utility pole. Utility technicians have shut off power in the area to make line repairs, affecting power to some buildings. Several other University buildings also are without power, including many University housing complexes located away from the central campus.

Several key roads that lead to the campus are now open, but these following roads remain closed: Harrison Street at the D&R Canal; Mercer Street/Princeton Pike south of Princeton; Quaker Road south of Princeton; and Route 206 north of Princeton. There is very heavy traffic in and around Princeton. Traffic conditions can be monitored through Google traffic or Beat the Traffic, but please note that these independent sites vary in functionality.   

While move-in for most undergraduates does not take place until September -- on Sept. 3 for incoming freshmen participating in the Outdoor Action and Community Action pre-orientation programs, and Sept. 10 for other students -- arrangements for continued meal and other limited services are being made for the estimated 500 undergraduate students on campus for sports teams, campus research, and other functions. Most of the University's estimated 2,500 graduate students also are on campus, and these students should note that available non-emergency services are limited. Programs for participants already on campus may continue to operate, though there may be some buildings that will not be open.

The normal dining hours for Whitman College for all students and for emergency personnel this week are: 7 to 10 a.m. for breakfast, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for lunch and 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. for dinner. Students may dine using Paw Points or Student Charge. Tuesday, Aug. 30, Frist and all Dining Services retail operations will resume normal business hours Frist Dining will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the cafes at the Woodrow Wilson School and Chancellor Green will open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Students living in graduate units without electricity or gas may use the kitchen in the Common Room at New Graduate College and the kitchens at Old Graduate College (4th and 9th entrances). Access to the Old Graduate College kitchens is only through entryways 12 and 15, or the entrance facing parking Lot 19. Access to the buildings is limited to those with graduate student identification cards or PROX cards.

Critical and essential employees will continue to receive guidance from their supervisors about reporting to work. The Office of Human Resources defines critical and essential staff as "Critical/essential services employees (who) hold positions that are necessary to keeping the basic services of the University operating and support the safety, health and welfare of the University community. Examples include snow removal, dining services, security and power plant, or the academic mission of the University, such as library, research laboratories and computer services."

The home page, www.princeton.edu, will continue to be the primary source for general information following the storm. Campus opening and closing information also is available on the University's weather emergency hotline, (609) 258-SNOW. The University also is providing information via Princeton's Facebook page and Twitter feed.

The University's Office of Human Resources also maintains a weather emergency reference page for employees.

Guidance for residents of University housing and rental housing

In the event of a loss of power, residents of apartment-style housing should follow this guidance:

  • Use caution within your residence and on the stairs, as lighting is minimal.
  • Do not open your refrigerator or freezer; this will keep items cold and frozen.
  • Do not use candles or any other open flame as a light or heat source.
  • Carefully unplug carbon monoxide detectors in your residence and remove the battery if they start beeping (remove the panel located on the back of the unit to access the battery).
  • For residents of Butler Tract, Hibben-Magie, Lawrence, Stanworth and other off-campus University housing, if power fails and then is restored, please allow about two hours for the hot water, cooling and any elevators to be operational. These systems take some time to restart.
  • PROX cards needed for entry do not always work during power failures. In the event this occurs, members of the campus community should call Public Safety.

Because August has been a wet month, ground saturation suggests that people with basements may experience an ingress of water or flooding. Members of the campus community may report any flooding, clogged exterior drains or other hazardous conditions to the Facilities Customer Service Center at (609) 258-8000.