MONTGOMERYCOLLEGE

Office of Communications

November 20, 2008

MEMORANDUM

To:The College Community

From:Elizabeth Homan, Interim Director of Communications

Subject:Inclement Weather Closing or Delayed Opening Notifications

As the winter season approaches, we want to remind you of the various options that are now available for quickly obtaining up-to-date information on MontgomeryCollege closings or delays, due to inclement weather.Please retain this information for reference or for updating syllabi.

Decisions to close the College or delay opening are made by the senior vice president for administrative and fiscal services. These decisions are made after consulting with various administrative staff at the collegewide and campus levels, which may include the president, executive vice president for academic and student services, vice presidents and provosts, associate vice president of college facilities, director of emergency planning, and campus facilities directors. The Office of Communications is contacted for the purpose of notifying the media and in-house communications systems (e-mail, voice mail, Web site, etc.).

You will be able to determine the College's operational status during inclement weather or other emergencies through the following means:

  • MontgomeryCollege ALERT - This service can send cell phone text messages and/or e-mail messages to subscribers in the event of an inclement weather-related closure or delayed opening, and major emergencies. To learn how to sign up for this service, please visit
  • MontgomeryCollege Web site - Check the College's Web site at A message will be place on the front page, in the event of a closure or delayed opening.
  • Faculty and staff voice mail - Call in to check your voice mail, which will be updated with a broadcast message. If you are calling from home or off-site, dial 240-567-1701, insert your extension number, press * and enter your pass code.
  • Faculty and staff e-mail - Faculty and staff with e-mail should log on tothee-mail service to receive notice. A collegewide e-mail will be sent to announce closures or delays. To log on from home or off-site, visit
  • MontgomeryCollege main phone number - Call the 240-567-5000to hear an updated message, in the event of closures or delays. Do not call security or the campuses for an update.
  • MontgomeryCollege Television – Tune in to MontgomeryCollege’s own television station, cable channel 10 within MontgomeryCounty.
  • Area radio and television stations – Dozens of commercial radio and TVstations are also notified about MontgomeryCollege’s operational status. Among the stations with most frequent updates are: Television - NBC Channel 4/WRC; Fox Channel 5/WTTG; Channel 7/WJLA; Channel 9/WUSA; and Cable News Channel 8. Radio - WTOP (103.5 FM), WMAL (630 AM), WAMU (88.5 FM). In the Frederick area, check WFMD/WFRE.

The Office of Communications notifies the media and in-house communications systems as early as possible, once the decision is made to close or delay opening. If no announcement is made, assume the College is open.

Thank you in advance for making students, visitors and colleagues aware of the options available to them for obtaining information on opening/closing status. These options include all of the above except voice mail and faculty/staff e-mail, which are available only to employees.

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