Fall Welcome, Move-in Update – Friday Afternoon
Friday, August 26, 2011
4 p.m.
Dear Students and Parents,
Throughout Friday afternoon, government officials in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania have been announcing plans to close mass transit systems and roads throughout the areas that are likely to be affected by Hurricane Irene.
The University understands that these closures could further complicate your travel plans for move-in for freshmen and upperclassmen. We want to reinforce for all students and families that you should use your best judgment in making your travel plans. Should it be necessary to move in on Monday or Tuesday, then the University will accommodate you.
Overnight Accommodations
For those parents whose hometowns are being impacted by the storm, we understand that you may be considering overnight accommodations in the Scranton area. The following links provide a list of hotels in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area. While hotels close to campus tell us that they are largely full due to Move-In Weekend, the following link provides a more expansive list of hotels in the region. If you are not familiar with the area, hotels in Wilkes-Barre are only a twenty minute drive south of the University on Interstate 81.
Lackawanna
County Hotels
Luzerne County (Wilkes Barre, PA) Hotels
Local Scranton Weather
Information regarding Hurricane Irene is widely available on news channels and websites. For a local perspective on when and how the storm will impact Scranton visit the website for WNEP 16, a regional television news station. As of Friday afternoon, the hurricane is scheduled to reach Scranton late Saturday night into Sunday morning. Winds are expected to be between 34-40 mph, and rainfall between 1-4 inches.
University Events
University events planned for Saturday afternoon, including New Student Convocation, scheduled for 4 p.m. will still be held. We understand if some parents elect not attend Convocation because of the weather. We have made arrangements to video tape Convocation, and it will be available early next week via the University's YouTube Channel.
The University’s Critical Incident Response Team is carefully monitoring forecasts for Hurricane Irene and will continue to do so throughout the storm. Should it be necessary, the University will use its emergency communications system to share information and instructions. If students have not yet done so, then we recommend that you verify and update your contact information by logging into my.scranton.edu. University email addresses are already registered to receive alerts. You can register up to three telephone numbers to receive voice and text messages, and up to two additional email accounts.
We will post additional information as it is available on the news section of the University’s homepage (www.scranton.edu). We continue to appreciate your patience and cooperation.
Sincerely,
Vincent Carilli, Ph.D.
Vice President for Student Affairs
