Over two million New Yorkers have been left without power after Hurricane Sandy raged through the Tri-State Area on Monday. Some of the city’s most elaborate institutions, including the subway and public school systems and the New York Stock Exchange, have temporarily shut down. The New School’s academic buildings have been closed since Sunday at 3 p.m. And they will remain as such until Monday, the university announced this afternoon.
The university’s William Street dorms were evacuated earlier this evening. Consolidated Edison confirmed earlier today that the building will not regain power until next week. Students needing shelter can either relocate to the gymnasium at One Pace Plaza — Pace University’s flagship complex, located across City Hall — or to Arnhold Hall — at 55 W. 13th Street. At the latter, culinary services provider Chartwells is distributing food and beverages, and a generator is delivering electricity, despite worries that it will lose charge within the next 12 to 36 hours.
“We are doing everything we can to shelter our students hardest hit by the storm,” said university spokesman Sam Biederman.
President Van Zandt was at Arnhold Hall for most of the day. Other university personnel, including Vice Provost Pat Baxter, Eugene Lang College Dean Stephanie Browner and New School for Drama Dean Pippin Parker, also visited the facility.
The administration has yet to determine what they will do once the generator at 55 W. 13th Street runs out, University Student Senate co-chair Katherine Towell told the Free Press.
New York University has also combined resources with The New School. NYU’s Bobst Library is open to New School students, according to Linda Reimer, Senior Vice President for Student Services.
City transportation is slowly being restored. The Lincoln Tunnel was reopened this morning, and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority reinstituted New York City bus service at 5 p.m. this afternoon, operating sans fees and on a Sunday schedule. But seven subway tunnels under the East River have flooded with corrosive saltwater. And according to MTA Chairman Joseph Lhota, the water could take days to clear.
Much of the university’s online presence is also down. Internet services such as MyNewSchool and Blackboard are inaccessible to most students. And The New School’s Gmail system is only available through mobile devices. The university will keep students, faculty, and family members up to date on their website’s status page and Facebook page.
Students who typically commute to classes have inquired about staying in New School facilities and are being directed to find alternate housing. Roughly 65 shelters are open citywide.
Information technology personnel is also estimating that Blackboard and MyNewSchool will be down for at least the next two days.
“If further evacuation is necessary, they see tomorrow as the better time to do it, since bus service will be running and at no cost.”
With reporting by Danielle Balbi and Harrison Golden.
William Street is low-lying and in an area of the city where flood waters have still not completely receded. They are also estimated to be without power for longer than their uptown counterparts. (William St. is 2.5 miles from campus, as opposed to the other dorms, which are within a handful of avenues.)
Why is William Street closed when all other dorms are still open? Since none of them have electricity. Or maybe because all the shops around William Street are closed too? This is terrible I couldn’t even go back there if I wanted to.
My daughter is a freshman at Loeb and I have not been able to reach her or her suite mates. How can I find out where she is? Every number I call is not going through and it’s overwhelming being 1500 miles away!
The power is out at Stuyvesant, as in all the other dorms. There are currently no plans to evacuate the building. But evacuation or not, she is encouraged to go to Arnhold Hall, between 5th and 6th Avenues, for food, shelter, and electricity.
My daughter is also dormed at Stuyvesant. Not able to contact her since cellphone signal is down. What is the situation at Stuyvesant?
My younger sister is a freshman at Parsons and occupies a dorm at Stuyvesant. What is the status there? Have they been evacuated to 13 st?