Inclement Weather Information
Because MCLA is a residential nature campus, weather-related closure decisions are made thoughtfully and with care. Our top priority is the safety of our students and employees, while also ensuring that essential campus services continue—especially for students who call campus home.
Awareness
In the event of a major winter storm, a decision to close campus or delay the opening will be made by 5 a.m. and will be posted on mcla.edu. Delayed opening times will coincide with the class schedule for that day and will be reported as the specific time the campus will open for classes. This decision will be reported to the Public Safety Department, to the following radio and television stations, and a message will be sent to portal.mcla.edu and an alert message will appear at the top of mcla.edu.
Radio Stations:
- North Adams Area: WNAW (1230 AM) WUPE-FM (100.1 FM)
- Pittsfield Area: WBEC (1420 AM) WBEC-FM (95.9 FM) WUPE (103.3)
- Greenfield Area: WHMP (1240 AM) WHAI-FM (98.3 FM) (WPVQ)
Television Stations:
- Albany Area: WTEN, Channel 10; WRGB, Channel 6
- Springfield Area: WGGB, Channel 40; WWLP, Channel 22
Web Pages:
- mcla.edu
- Albany Times Union Address: timesunion.com/closings
Stations/web pages listed above will provide the College’s operational status as one of the following:
- Delayed opening with start time
- Closed for the day with evening classes cancelled
- Mid-day closing with evening classes cancelled
In addition to checking the web site for class cancellation information, students attending evening classes can also call the MCLA Cancellation Line which is extension 5299 for on-campus students and 413-662-5299 if calling from off campus.
Every Trailblazer needs to develop their own system to be prepared for inclement weather. Everyone must use care and their best judgment when deciding whether to travel to, around, or from campus regardless of the college’s decision to open, close, or delay.
Inclement Weather Resources
National Weather Service for North Adams
Frequently Asked Questions
The decision to open, delay, or close the college is made by the Critical Incident Response Team.
During inclement weather, the college’s priority is safety. We also do what we can to reduce the interruption to college programs and to minimize inconvenience to community members. We consider many factors including:
- Weather forecasts from the National Weather Service, including severe weather advisories and warnings
- Information on road conditions from local officials
- Whether weather conditions are expected to worsen or improve throughout the day
- MCLA’s capacity to clear ice and snow from school parking lots and sidewalks
- Building conditions (e.g., whether buildings have electricity, heat, and water)
- What programs are taking place on campus (e.g., academic programs, such as classes, and events, such as academic conferences)
- Weather forecasts are not always consistent or accurate, so it is impractical to rely solely on them.
- While we prefer to make our decisions based on visible and reported conditions, we do consider forecasts to determine whether conditions are expected to improve or worsen throughout the day.
- We monitor a wide variety of sources to get as accurate forecasts as possible to help us make the best possible decisions.
We make every effort to post the decision on the homepage of mcla.edu by 5 a.m. Local news stations are also notified. In the absence of such notification, community members should assume the college is open.
The MCLA Campus Alerts are NOT used to communicate openings, delays, or closures due to inclement weather unless there is an extreme emergency.
No. We are a residential school with students who live on campus, so we have different obligations and considerations than public schools.
No. At a minimum, the college considers the following services to be essential. While hours and services may be modified, the college makes every effort to provide essential services.
- Community Safety: all primary services provided 24/7*
- Dispatch and switchboard operations
- Campus patrols
- Fire and security system alarm response
- Medical emergency response and 911 liaison
- Facility access (door unlocks and locks)
- Escorts
- Residence Life
- Facility Services
*Wait times for non-emergencies may be longer