Outdoor Activities Beginning at 1 pm are Canceled Today

Due to today’s expected temperatures, outdoor campus activities that begin at 1 pm or later are canceled. All in-person indoor and remote activities, including classes, will be held as normally scheduled.

Community members are encouraged to take preventative measures as outlined in yesterday’s community email, which is copied below. Some offices may be working remotely during this time. As a reminder, Salem State will participate in a regional effort to reduce peak energy demand to avoid a grid brownout between 3-7 pm today and possibly tomorrow. If you would like to report a heat-related situation, please create a ticket on the School Dude system or call the help line at 978.542.4357. We will continue to monitor the situation and will provide updates if necessary.

Here are the tips included in yesterday’s message:

Keep Safe: Please keep hydrated and avoid spending extended time outdoors during the worst of the heat. Please check on summer interns and others to ensure they are staying hydrated.  

Keep Cool: Shut windows and pull blinds down to keep classrooms and offices cooler.

Save Energy: Turn off unnecessary electronics and lights.

“Shave the Peak:” Salem State will participate in a regional effort to reduce peak energy demand in an effort to avoid a grid brownout between 3-7 pm on Tuesday and possibly Wednesday. Each year, the hour with the highest energy demand typically occurs on a hot summer afternoon when building air conditioning peaks. This peak hour requires New England to pull our most polluting and most expensive energy sources back into production. Salem State’s energy usage during this single peak hour also determines the rate at which National Grid charges us for a portion of our electric bill. Thus, there are safety, environmental, and economic reasons for us to reduce demand on hot summer afternoons.