Snow emergency policy will require that vehicles be moved from most campus lots

Parking lots in red will have to be cleared of all vehicles if and when the University declares a snow emergency.

Old man winter appears to have made an early arrival this year, and University administrators are working to ensure that Main Campus parking lots remain as safe and clear of snow as possible throughout the winter months.

In that effort, the University has implemented a new Snow Emergency Policy. A snow emergency may be declared when 3 or more inches is forecast to fall or has fallen, and will typically be in effect from 10 p.m. on the day it is declared until 6 a.m. the following morning.

The following is critical information for campus community members to know relative to the University’s new policy:

• Once a snow emergency has been declared, all vehicles must be moved from designated snow emergency parking lots to the Ann V. Nicholson and Matthews Court student apartment parking lots or the covered levels of the P-29 and P-32 parking structures. All other Main Campus parking lots are designated snow emergency lots.
• Snow emergencies will take precedence over any overnight parking designations, including those in P-1, P-3, and P-16. Hence, all vehicles in the overnight spaces except those in the four exempt parking areas listed above will need to be moved during snow emergencies. Clearly marked signs will soon be posted in all designated snow emergency parking lots.
• Vehicles left in any other lots during a Snow Emergency will be impounded at the owner's expense. Retrieval of vehicles will require payment of a $100 impound fee and may also involve storage fees of $20 per day.
• The declaration of a snow emergency will not necessarily indicate that classes have been cancelled or that the campus has been closed. Campus-wide class cancellations and University closure decisions will be made independently as outlined in Policy 482.

Campus community members utilizing Kresge Library, University laboratories and study rooms after 10 p.m., or any campus community member taking part in an activity or event that may extend later than planned, should stay abreast of weather conditions throughout the day. Vehicles will be impounded from snow emergency designated lots starting at 10 p.m. anytime a snow emergency is declared.

Additionally, anyone planning to be away from the University for an extended period of time and wishing to leave a vehicle on campus should park in covered levels of the P-29 and P-32 parking structures. This includes individuals leaving for weekends, holiday breaks, vacation or business travel, and athletic away games or competitions.

Throughout the winter, a team of University officials will monitor weather conditions based on reports provided by the National Weather Service and other law enforcement weather resources.

Snow emergencies will be announced well in advance of the time they become active to provide campus commuters and resident students ample opportunity to move their vehicles prior to snow clearing activity. University communication staff will use multiple communication channels to broadcast announcements, including text message alerts to registered users, campus phone messages and University email accounts, webpages and social media sites.

For more information, visit oakland.edu/parking and click on the Snow Emergencies tab.