Southeastern Re-Opening Information

Despite the unhelpful heavy rains from Tropical Storm Nicholas, we are making steady progress with implementation of our phased reopening even as repairs and damage mitigation associated with Hurricane Ida continue to occur on campus. 

Over the next couple of days, residential students will be returning to their rooms and will have access to dining services, Sims Library and the Pennington Student Activity Center.  On Friday, campus will reopen with classes previously scheduled for that day being held remotely.  Unless individuals are notified otherwise, Friday will also be the time for remaining staff to return to their duties on campus and for faculty to gain access to their offices, classrooms and labs.  As a reminder, it is important for faculty and staff who are not part of current recovery efforts to not be in campus facilities until Friday so as not to impede the recovery work that is ongoing.

Like the surrounding community, our campus took a beating from Hurricane Ida.  Despite our best efforts, some facilities will have limited usability and/or access for some period of time.  Specific details will be communicated to those individuals who will be affected by limited access to facilities.  Clearly, the facility most significantly impacted in this manner is D Vickers Hall, which, as a result of complications associated with damage caused by the hurricane, will be unavailable for the remainder of the semester.  

As I write this update, I can hear the “plink plink plink” of rain water dripping into a bucket. While my leaky roof is an extremely minor issue in comparison, it does serve as a tangible reminder of the ongoing challenges so many of our faculty, staff and students face.  We are all going to have to be patient and understanding with one another as we work through a multitude of recovery-related issues in the weeks, and likely months, ahead. 

I can’t thank our staff enough for the tremendous recovery work they have done and are continuing to do.  I also want to thank in advance our students and faculty for their perseverance and resolve as we restart the fall semester. 

LION UP!

John L. Crain
President