Laney College’s administration made the decision to close the campus Tuesday, September 6, canceling in-person classes and services due to high temperatures in Oakland and across the rest of the East Bay.
Early Tuesday morning, Laney College President Rudy Besikof sent out an email informing the Laney community about the campus closure, citing the high temperatures as the reason. Besikof clarified in his announcement that online classes would “still be held as planned.”
For members of the Laney community who have opted in to receive SMS alerts, the college sent out a text message shortly after 10 a.m.
In an email response to the Citizen’s inquiry, Mark Johnson, Peralta Community College District’s Executive Director for Marketing, Communications, and Public Relations confirmed that Merritt College and College of Alameda would remain open on Tuesday. Tom Rizza, Public Information Officer at Berkeley City College, told the Citizen that the college campus would also remain open.
As of publication time, the Citizen was not able to confirm whether in-person classes at Laney would also be canceled on Wednesday.
The decision followed a historic heatwave that swept across California over Labor Day weekend, causing record-breaking temperatures in the Bay Area and surrounding counties. According to The Weather Channel the cities of Oakland, Berkeley, and Alameda all experienced temperatures ranging from the 90s to the low 100s. In Livermore, CA, a city located south of PCCD, temperatures reached 116°, breaking the city’s all-time record.
Local, State, and Federal government agencies issued excessive heat warnings for several counties across California, and weather forecasts predicted that high temperatures would continue through to September 8.
The National Weather Service issued a heat advisory and an excessive heat warning early Tuesday morning, stating that the impact of the extreme heat “will significantly increase the potential for heat related illnesses, particularly for those working or participating in outdoor activities.”
For more information and resources on the dangers of excessive heat and how to stay safe in high temperature conditions, please visit the National Weather Service Heat Safety Tips and Resources webpage.
