DeLand Residence Halls Reopen Sunday, Sept. 17; Classes Resume Monday
Final Hurricane Irma Update, 6 p.m., Friday, Sept. 15
Thank you to everyone who has worked to help Stetson University get back up and running this week. We will soon be back to work/school as usual due to the heroic efforts of many, and we are grateful for your hard work and dedication to Stetson and its students.
Stetson University is reopening all of its campuses as of Monday, Sept. 18. Thankfully, this is our final Hurricane Irma update. Any additional information or updates will be posted on Stetson Today. Information about upcoming events will also be posted to the Stetson Today website.
DeLand Status Update
The Administrative Building and Print Shop at 300 North Amelia Ave., which includes administrative, accounting and financial services, will be under repair through at least Wednesday, Sept. 20.
As a result, there will be no Print Shop services until repairs are finished. Administrative, accounting and financial services are moving to temporary facilities. Please contact them through email until phone lines can be established.
Faculty and staff will have access to their offices starting on Saturday in preparation for business as usual on Monday, Sept. 18. Facilities will be on the regularly scheduled weekend thermostat setbacks during Saturday and Sunday. If there are any issues accessing a facility, please call Public Safety at 386-822-7300.
We’ve had questions from the Stetson community about opportunities to volunteer and the Center for Community Engagement has organized a cleanup for Sunday, Sept. 17, 3-5 p.m. Please meet in front of Allen Hall. We hope to see you there if you are back on campus.
To reiterate important information published earlier:
- Residence Halls reopen on Sunday at 8 a.m.
- Classes resume as scheduled on Monday.
- The campus is fully reopened (with the exception of specific facilities still without power or damage that needs to still be repaired) on Monday.
- Dining Services is serving lunch on Sunday from 11 a.m.-2 p.m., open to everyone on campus, no card needed, and dinner from 5-8 p.m. Dining Services resumes its normal schedule as of Monday.
- The duPont-Ball Library in DeLand will reopen on Sunday, Sept. 17, at 11 a.m.
With students returning to campus on Sunday, the Housing and Residential Life offices will be open and their direct number is 386-822-7201. They also can be reached by calling Public Safety at 386-822-7300.
Stetson football’s game against Dartmouth will be played as scheduled at 6 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 16. All Stetson students, faculty and staff — and their families — get in free with a Stetson I.D. For the public, general admission tickets are half off.
Adjusted Academic Calendar
The provost, deans, and registrar have made adjustments to the academic calendar to maximize the class time available over the fall semester and to minimize disruptions for previously scheduled travel and events. Further adjustments may be required if there are additional unforeseen class cancellations.
Revised academic calendar for Fall 2017:
- Undergraduate classes on DeLand campus are resuming on Monday, Sept. 18. In lieu of the final exam period (Dec. 12-15), all undergraduate classes will meet at their regular M-F class times between Monday, Dec. 11 and Friday, Dec. 15. Final exams will be held during the last class period, or over multiple class periods, at the discretion of the course instructor. In extremely limited circumstances, some courses may require a two-hour period for standardized testing or other reasons. In those cases, instructors will work with their deans to determine appropriate scheduling. No exams or courses are scheduled on Saturday, Dec. 16, or after. The current Fall Break (Oct. 2-3) and Thanksgiving (Nov. 22-24) schedules remain unchanged.
- FSEM classes, DeLand campus: First Year Seminar classes, previously scheduled to end on Tuesday, Nov. 21, will now be taught through Tuesday, Dec. 5.
- Graduate classes, all campuses and the Adult Degree Completion (ADC) program: Schedule adjustments for all graduate programs—Law, Business, Counselor Ed and Education—and the ADC program will be determined on an individual basis and communicated to students in the next two weeks.
Gulfport Campus
In Gulfport, Duke Energy recently restored power to the campus and the College of Law reopened the campus as of 12 noon today. As previously announced, classes resume as normal at the College of Law on Monday, Sept 18. The Tampa Law Center is up and running with its normal schedule.
Please see earlier Hurricane Irma Updates, below.
Crews “Working Feverishly” to Reopen DeLand Campus
Crews are “working feverishly” to clear fallen trees and dangerous debris, and reopen Stetson’s DeLand campus, university officials said Wednesday.
Hurricane Irma knocked out power to the DeLand campus, blew down trees and limbs, and busted out a few windows in buildings. Duke Energy had restored power to some buildings but not to the entire campus, as of Wednesday morning, Sept. 13.
“The sooner we can get the campus up and operational, the happier everybody will be,” said Bob Matusick, Stetson’s Director of Public Safety and Emergency Management Coordinator. “Everybody from a university standpoint is working as fast as they can to make that happen. But with that said, we’re not going to prematurely open the campus in lieu of safety issues. We want to make sure anybody who comes back is safe to be back.”
No date has been set yet for undergraduate classes to resume on the DeLand campus, but it will be Monday, Sept. 18, 2017, at the earliest, the university said in its latest update. Graduate classes will resume on Thursday, Sept. 14, in the Lynn Business Center, which remains fully operational.
Stetson is waiting for Duke Energy to restore power. Also, fire alarms aren’t operating properly in some buildings and must be inspected by the fire alarm company, Matusick said.
Crews with chain saws and bulldozers have been clearing fallen trees and debris for the past few days on campus. But still, snapped limbs dangle precariously from some trees, and some trees are leaning against others – and could fall at any moment, he said.
“As you can see from the campus and the debris that’s all around, there’s a lot of safety concerns for people walking around the campus,” Matusick said. “Crews are out there working feverishly to try to do the best they can with the daylight that they have and it’s been nonstop for Public Safety, Facilities and everyone else we have out here.”
Matusick said the campus was fortunate that Irma weakened by the time it hit DeLand, sparing the area what could have been far more severe damage.
Within hours of the storm passing Monday morning, Matusick and Stetson University President Wendy B. Libby, Ph.D., toured the campus to assess the damage, he said. Libby weathered Irma in the President’s House on the DeLand campus.
“The DeLand campus is in good shape, with minor damage, water incursion and downed trees, but no significant damage,” Libby said in a statement to students, faculty and staff on Monday evening. “The Gulfport campus also weathered the storm with similar reports of minor damage. The primary issue for both campuses will be the restoration of power and we understand that Duke Energy is focused on critical need areas, including hospitals and emergency services.”
Matusick said the Lynn Business Center “worked flawlessly” during the hurricane. The LBC has undergone a number of upgrades, including new generator, new power system and cooling system to ensure it can function as an emergency operations center during a storm, he said. Graduate programs for the School of Business Administration and the College of Arts and Sciences will resume in the LBC on Thursday, Sept. 14.
Hurricane Irma Update: 1 p.m., Friday, Sept. 15
DeLand, Celebration, Tampa and Gulfport status reports
In Gulfport, Duke Energy recently restored power to the campus and the College of Law reopened the campus as of 12 noon today. As previously announced, classes resume as normal at the College of Law on Monday, Sept. 18.
The Tampa Law Center and Center at Celebration are up and running with normal schedules.
DeLand has no change in previous announcements. To reiterate:
- Residence Halls reopen on Sunday, Sept. 17, at 8 a.m.
- Classes resume as scheduled on Monday.
- The campus is fully reopened (with the exception of specific facilities still without power or damage that needs to still be repaired) on Monday.
- There remain areas of caution tape on the DeLand campus. These areas should still be avoided since they identify locations and trees with broken branches and debris that could fall. Facilities is continuing to work to clear each of these areas, but please heed the caution tape.
- Dining Services is serving lunch on Sunday from 11 a.m.-2 p.m., open to everyone on campus, no card needed, and dinner from 5-8 p.m. Dining Services resumes its normal schedule as of Monday.
With students returning to campus on Sunday, the Housing and Residential Life offices will be open and their direct number is 386-822-7201. They also can be reached by calling Public Safety at 386-822-7300.
The duPont-Ball Library in DeLand will reopen on Sunday, Sept. 17, at 11 a.m. to Monday, Sept. 18, at 2 a.m.
Stetson football’s game against Dartmouth will be played as scheduled at 6 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 16. All Stetson students, faculty and staff get in free with a Stetson I.D. For the public, general admission tickets are half off.
Hurricane Irma Update: 6 pm., Thursday, Sept. 14
Status updates for the DeLand and Gulfport campuses
DeLand
The DeLand residence halls will open to students Sunday, Sept. 17, at 8 a.m.
Classes resume Monday morning, Sept. 18.
Academic and administrative buildings open Monday morning for business as usual.
Academic and administrative buildings will be open to faculty and staff on Sunday but will be on pre-set thermostat setbacks.
Earlier today, the university announced residents of Stetson Palms, Stetson Oaks, Plymouth, and University Hall can return to campus as of today, Thursday, Sept 14. These facilities are open but offer limited operations, which means there may not be Wi-Fi or cable available.
Dining services will provide lunch on Sunday, Sept. 17, between 11 a.m.- 2 p.m. and dinner from 5-8 p.m., and returns to normal service on Monday. The coffee shop opens at 5 p.m. on Sunday
As the university resumes normal operations the Information Technology staff will give priority to learning and teaching functions.
Gulfport
There has been no change at the Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport since this morning’s update. The campus is still waiting for power to be restored to be able to reopen the dorms and resume classes.
Hurricane Irma Update, 12 noon, Sept. 14, 2017
Stay in touch
Faculty, staff, students and the Stetson community should continue to check these updates on a daily basis. The university is providing information through:
Emails to students, faculty and staff
stetson.edu/irma
Call in line 386-822-8815
Restoring Power
Duke Energy personnel are working near the campus today and the university is still waiting for power to be restored to the university chiller plant.
DeLand Residence Halls
We will have updated information on the status of all residential facilities tomorrow.
For residents of Stetson Palms, Stetson Oaks, Plymouth, and University Hall: these facilities have been restored to limited operations and are opening. Limited operations means there may not be Wi-Fi, cable, etc. available. If you have an assigned room in the Palms, Oaks, Plymouth, or University Hall and are in need of a place to stay, you may return to your buildings as of 5 p.m. today.
If you have a comfortable place to stay with friends or family, you are urged to remain there until further notice when the university is operating more fully. There are no dining or food services on campus. These are the only residential buildings that are partially operational at this time.
All other residential students are urged to stay where they are until all residence halls are operational, and continue checking these updates for information on your residence hall.
The DeLand campus is still not open and there remains debris, downed and damaged trees, and downed utilities in the area. Please remain off campus unless your residence hall mentioned above has re-opened.
Stetson University expects students returning to campus to follow the Code of Community Standards and remember that, regardless of a resident’s age, the residence halls and apartments are dry from all alcohol. Once classes resume, the residence halls will revert back to usage policies as defined in the Code of Community Standards.
College of Law
The Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport is still waiting for power to be restored to be able to reopen dorms and resume classes. Classes are expected to resume on Monday, Sept. 18, and the Tampa Law opened today and will resume normal hours starting on Friday.
Staff
All staff should expect to report to work on Monday, Sept. 18, for their normal schedule. Essential staff will be contacted by their supervisor if they are needed prior to Monday. Please continue to check these updates.
Faculty
Faculty should prepare for classes to resume as of Monday, Sept. 18. Please continue to check these updates and your email for information about the opening of academic buildings in preparation for Monday’s scheduled classes.
Event update
Due to the ongoing recovery on the Stetson DeLand campus, the following music events are being postponed: Jessica Hall Speak, Clarinet (Friday, Sept. 15, 7:30 p.m.) and Vyacheslav Gryaznov, Piano (Sunday, Sept. 17, 3 p.m.).
Football on Saturday!
Our home football game against Dartmouth this Saturday evening, 6 p.m., at Spec Martin Stadium is on!
Stetson faculty, staff and students will be admitted to the game free of charge with a Stetson ID. For the public, all general admission tickets are half off and children 12 and under get in free. Until the residence halls are available, the players will be housed off campus.
Gas supply
A reminder that current gas supplies in DeLand are limited. Apps like Gasbuddy.com can help identify gas stations that still have available supply for your travels.
Hurricane Irma Update, 6 p.m., Sept. 13, 2017
This update provides information on the current schedule for resuming operations at Stetson’s four campuses, adjustments to the academic calendar for Fall 2017 and information about the cleanup effort that is underway.
Current campus status
- Celebration graduate classes—fully reopening on Thursday morning, Sept. 14.
- Gulfport and Tampa law classes—cancelled through end of the day Sunday, Sept. 17.
- DeLand graduate classes—reopening on Thursday morning, Sept. 14, with all classes scheduled in the Lynn Business Center.
- DeLand undergraduate classes—reopening when electricity is fully restored to the DeLand campus, no earlier than Monday morning, Sept. 18.
Adjusted academic calendar
The provost, deans and registrar have made adjustments to the academic calendar to maximize the class time available over the fall semester and to minimize disruptions for previously scheduled travel and events. Further adjustments may be required if there are additional unforeseen class cancellations.
Revised academic calendar for Fall 2017:
- Undergraduate classes, DeLand campus assuming that undergraduate classes resume on Monday, Sept. 18: In lieu of the final exam period (Dec. 12-15), all undergraduate classes will meet at their regular M-F class times between Monday, Dec. 11 and Friday, Dec. 15. Final exams will be held during the last class period, or over multiple class periods, at the discretion of the course instructor. In extremely limited circumstances, some courses may require a two-hour period for standardized testing or other reasons. In those cases, instructors will work with their deans to determine appropriate scheduling. No exams or courses are scheduled on Saturday, Dec. 16 or after. The current Fall Break (Oct. 2-3) and Thanksgiving (Nov. 22-24) schedules remain unchanged.
- FSEM classes, DeLand campus: First Year Seminar classes, previously scheduled to end on Tuesday, Nov. 21, will now be taught through Tuesday, Dec. 5.
- Graduate classes, all campuses and the Adult Degree Completion (ADC) program: Schedule adjustments for all graduate programs—Law, Business, Counselor Ed and Education—and the ADC program will be determined on an individual basis and communicated to students in the next two weeks.
Current clean-up effort
Our four campuses fared very well considering the size and strength of the storm. Facts about Hurricane Irma and Stetson University:
- A major concern was flooding on the west side of the state. Tampa/St. Petersburg had a mandatory evacuation for residents in flood zone A and B (up to 15 feet). The Tampa Law Center is in zone C and the Gulfport campus is in zone D and E. Neither sustained damage from rising water or other water intrusion.
- There was some structural damage to facilities at the DeLand campus. Most of the damage was on the administrative services building (the old Stepp Office Supply), roof of the Cross Cultural Center, water intrusion in Flagler, minor roof damage, minor issues with dorms and Greek houses, and significant debris cleanup.
- Celebration escaped largely unscathed. There is one tree leaning on the building, but no structural damage. Power is fully restored to that campus.
- At some point on Thursday, we expect to be fully operational at the Tampa Law Center. That is astoundingly soon, given the number of people in Tampa who are without power, internet, and other services.
- For the DeLand and Gulfport campuses, restoring electricity is a major factor. Of the 1.8 million Duke Energy customers in Florida, 1.3 million were without power on Tuesday. That number was down to 600,000 Florida Duke customers without power by mid-day on Wednesday. There are three main lines that power the DeLand campus, and all three have to be restored in order to give cooling, lighting, fire suppression, key card access and many other needs to our facilities. As of Wednesday morning, two of the three lines have been restored. The one that is not up controls the chiller plant, which cools most of the buildings on the DeLand campus including the residence halls. The Gulfport campus remains without power as well and campus remains closed.
- Generators on all campuses have been functioning as designed. In Gulfport, we are sparingly using generator power to control the humidity in spaces like the Law Library and protect essential IT equipment. In DeLand, the generators have been successfully powering necessary equipment in Sage Hall, Hand Art Center and the Lynn Business Center (LBC).
- LBC is fully functional. A number of years ago, the university invested in full facility generator support for the Lynn Business Center, which holds IT servers and services. Our investment is paying off nicely, allowing us to resume classes on Thursday for our DeLand non-residential graduate classes and to maintain network, web and email services.
- Many of our away athletic events that were scheduled last weekend were able to take place out of the state. We are working with the City of DeLand and will play our home football game against Dartmouth this Saturday evening, 6 p.m., at Spec Martin Stadium, which currently has power and no structural damage. Stetson faculty, staff and students will be admitted to the game free of charge with a Stetson ID. For the public, all general admission tickets are half off and children 12 and under get in free. Until the residence halls are available, the players will be housed off campus.
- At all of our campuses, many personnel have been working around the clock to restore our facilities. Additionally, many of us meet multiple times a day to gather updated information and plan for our resuming services and classes. A huge “thank you” to all personnel who are working long hours to help us resume operations.
Event update
Due to the ongoing recovery on the Stetson DeLand campus, the following music events are being postponed: Jessica Hall Speak, Clarinet (Friday, Sept. 15, 7:30 p.m.) and Vyacheslav Gryaznov, Piano (Sunday, Sept. 17, 3 p.m.).
Gas supply
As you make your plans to return to campus, please be aware that current gas supplies in DeLand are very limited. Apps like Gasbuddy.com can help identify gas stations that still have available supply for your travels.
The next update will be posted by noon, Sept. 14.
Hurricane Irma Update, 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017
Some power has been restored to some locations, allowing these updates for students.
- The Lynn Business Center in DeLand is fully functional and DeLand graduate programs for the School of Business Administration will resume on Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017.
- DeLand graduate programs for the College of Arts and Sciences previously scheduled for Thursday and Saturday in Davis Hall will be moved to the Lynn Business Center, and students will receive information from their faculty about the location of classes.
- The Center at Celebration’s power is on. The facility is undamaged and will reopen for on Thursday to hold their graduate programs on site at the Celebration campus.
- Undergraduate classes at the DeLand campus remain canceled, and residence halls and apartments are closed until Duke Energy can fully restore power to the university. The earliest that undergraduate classes will resume is Monday, Sept. 18, 2017. Unlike some universities and colleges in the region that either never lost power or already have power restored, Stetson University’s main campus remains without power, and that includes the central cooling plant that services most of the university residence halls and classrooms. Until power is restored to the main campus, the university is not able to set a specific date for classes to resume, residence halls to reopen and the campus to reopen.
Some essential personnel have been asked to return to work to support the resumption of graduate programs at the Celebration campus and in DeLand at the Lynn Business Center on Thursday.
Stetson University College of Law faces a similar situation. It cannot resume classes and cannot open campus until power is restored. As a result, all classes and activities are canceled through Sunday, Sept. 18, including weekend classes scheduled for this weekend. The College of Law has asked faculty, staff and students to plan for resumption of operations on Monday, Sept. 18, 2017.
The next update will be at 6 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017.
Hurricane Irma Update, 12 noon, Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017
The following update is for Stetson University DeLand and Celebration undergraduate and graduate students.
Undergraduate classes at the DeLand campus remain canceled through Friday, Sept. 15, 2017. Residence Halls and apartments remain closed. Pending notification from Duke Energy, the earliest classes would resume is Monday, Sept. 18, 2017.
There is limited power returning to the DeLand campus and the central part of the campus, including the central cooling plant that services the majority of the campus, remains without power.
Lynn Business Center (LBC) is fully functioning. Graduate programs in DeLand will resume at LBC on Thursday. Graduate students will be informed by their faculty via BlackBoard of the time and location (room in LBC) of their class.
The Celebration campus is undamaged and has power and will resume operations on Thursday and will hold graduate classes Thursday afternoon and evening. Staff at Celebration should contact their supervisor for more information.
The DeLand campus suffered minor damage, and trees and debris are being cleared and repair work is underway.
The Stetson Law campus had no structural damage and no water incursions and is working with local utilities to determine an appropriate opening date.
The university will provide an update at 6 p.m. today or earlier if information becomes available.
Update, Monday, Sept. 11, 2017, 6:30 p.m.
From President Libby:
Stetson University’s DeLand and Celebration campuses will remain closed through at least Wednesday, Sept. 13. At this time, we do not know when Stetson’s DeLand campus will reopen since it is dependent on Duke Energy’s ability to safely restore power.
The DeLand campus is in good shape, with minor damage and downed trees, but nothing significant. The Gulfport campus has also weathered the storm well with similar reports. The primary issue at both campuses will be the restoration of power and we understand that Duke Energy is focused on critical need areas, including hospitals and emergency services. It is possible we will not know ahead of time when power will be re-established since Duke is assessing the situation day-to-day.
Once power is restored it will take one to two days for the university to schedule dates for re-opening residence halls and restarting classes. Last year after Hurricane Matthew it took the university a full week to return to normal.
The university’s emergency team will provide an update by 12 noon, Tuesday, Sept. 12.
Hurricane Irma Update, Monday, Sept. 11, 2017, 10:30 a.m.
At this time, the remnants of Hurricane Irma are passing out of Florida and into Georgia, but all Stetson University campuses remain closed.
Classes at the College of Law in Gulfport and Tampa campus locations remain cancelled through at least Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017.
Classes in DeLand and Celebration are cancelled through at least Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017.
Stetson University in DeLand will be assessing the DeLand and Celebration campuses and will work with local emergency agencies and utilities to determine the schedule for the campus to reopen.
At this time, the campus and residential facilities remain closed and only emergency and essential personnel, as determined by the university Emergency Management Team, are allowed on campus.
If this website becomes unavailable you can see updates online at Facebook.com/StetsonU.
Hurricane Irma Update, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017, 10:30 a.m.
Stetson University campuses and offices are closed and will remain closed at least through Monday, Sept. 11. Once the hurricane passes DeLand and Gulfport the university will assess campuses as soon as it is safe to do so.
According to the National Weather Service, Volusia County should expect tropical storm force winds to arrive early Sunday afternoon and hurricane force winds Sunday evening through sunrise on Monday.
Stetson University students, parents, faculty and staff should monitor their stetson.edu email, Facebook, Stetson.edu/Irma and 386-822-8815.
For information on Hurricane Irma, please monitor local media or visit the National Hurricane Center website. Please monitor your local government Emergency Management Agency for any safety or emergency communications.
Be Safe Hatters!
Hurricane Irma Update for 10:30 a.m., Friday, Sept. 8, 2017
Stetson University has closed all campuses due to the approach of Hurricane Irma. We will remain closed through at least Monday, Sept 11, 2017. Only emergency personnel are allowed on campus. Stetson University residence halls closed at 10 a.m., this morning with accommodations made for all students who needed them, and campus facilities and offices are already closed. Stetson is currently in the process of securing facilities. Dining services continue through 1 p.m. today.
Please check the National Hurricane Center website for information on the direction and track of the storm.
The Volusia County Emergency Management Agency is opening shelters and Votran (county bus service) bus stops will be used as pick up points for shelter transportation.
The university expects a handful of Stetson University students to be transported to the Volusia County Emergency Management shelters.
At this time, the university continues to utilize its email, Facebook, Stetson.edu/Irma and 386-822-8815 to keep the community informed. At some point as the hurricane approaches, all updates will be posted to Facebook and the website (as long as the site remains up and as services allow). Please be sure to check daily following Hurricane Irma as the campus begins the process of assessing damage and reopening.
Hurricane Irma Update, Sept. 7, 2017, 12 p.m.
(Next scheduled update is noon, Friday, Sept. 8, 2017.)
If Hurricane Irma continues on its forecast track there is the possibility of Category 2 or 3 winds near DeLand as the storm passes through. Residence halls close at 10 a.m., on Friday, Sept. 8, and students seeking a safe location to ride out the storm should indicate their need by filling out the Student Evacuation form on MyStetson through Housing Central. Dining services will remain open until 1 p.m., Friday, Sept 8.
Students must clear all perishable items from refrigerators and freezers before they leave campus. Due to expected power outages anticipated on campus, all buildings will be powered down in preparation for the storm. Temperature sensitive food items, both in the refrigerator and freezer portions, will spoil and cause damage. Please know it is your responsibility to remove these items, but if you fail to do so, they may be disposed of, including the container that they are in, by emergency staff due to health and safety concerns.
On Friday, the campus and offices are officially closed, and the university will begin powering down and preparing facilities for the potential impact of the hurricane. The university has announced its DeLand and Celebration campuses will be closed and remain closed at least through Monday, Sept. 11. The Gulfport and Tampa campus locations are closed through at least Sunday, Sept. 10.
The university has not made plans yet on when or how it will reopen. The university will assess the status of the campus once the storm has passed and Public Safety and facility staff are able to safely do so. Students, faculty and non-emergency and non-essential staff should not return to campus until the university officially announces its reopening plans.
Information will continue to be posted to:
Stetson.edu/Irma
386-822-8815
Since Stetson University facilities are not authorized and staffed hurricane shelters, students will not be allowed to shelter at the university during the storm.
Information from Volusia Emergency Management
Transportation to shelters
Votran, Volusia County’s public transportation service will provide free transportation to public shelters. All Votran bus stops are evacuation assembly points during a declared emergency evacuation order. Shelter locations have not yet been announced but will be posted on the Volusia County Emergency Management website. Information will also be posted by Emergency Management on Twitter @VCEmergencyInfo.
To find out when and which shelters are available, tune to the local news media or call the toll-free Citizens Information Hotline at: 866-345-0345 (Only during the storm)
Bus space is limited. Carry-on items are limited to a pillow, blanket and one carry-on bag (not larger than 22” x 16” x 8”).
Evacuees may need to stay at a shelter for several days during an emergency. Space is limited, only bring:
• Special dietary food, snacks and comfort food
• Bedding, pillow, blanket
• Extra clothing
• Medications and medical supplies
• Toiletry items
• Flashlight and batteries
• Diapers and other necessities for infants and elderly and disabled persons
• Time occupiers such as books, magazines, games and cards
• Important papers, credit cards, cash and identification
Hurricane Irma Update, 4:30 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2017
[Next scheduled update is noon Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017]
Classes at the Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport and Tampa are cancelled Thursday through Sunday, and the campus itself will be closed as of noon on Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017.
Classes on the DeLand and Celebration campuses are canceled as of 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017, and the DeLand and Celebration campuses now plan to close at the end of business Thursday, (some Thursday shifts may extend until 11 p.m.). They will remain closed at least through Monday. Residence halls will remain open to students until 10 a.m. Friday, Sept. 8, 2017, and dining services will continue to support on-campus students through midday on Friday.
After campuses are officially closed only emergency and essential personnel will be allowed on campus. Supervisors are expected to plan for the closing of their facility, including powering down and covering equipment, unplugging computers and printers, cleaning out refrigerators and setting thermostats to 78.
Students are encouraged to seek safety with family and friends. Prior to leaving the campus please inform family of travel plans and destination, and fill out the Student Evacuation Form through MyStetson. If students, including international students, need shelter they should indicate that on the Evacuation Form by the end of the day on Thursday, Sept. 7.
The Stetson University Emergency Management Team plans to reassess and update the university community after Hurricane Irma passes.
CANCELLATIONS AND CLOSING TIMES
Due to Hurricane Irma, the Stetson University School of Music announced it is postponing the String Institute and rescheduling the String Institute for Thursday, Sept. 21 through Saturday, Sept. 23.
The Stetson Chamber Orchestra Concert will occur on Friday, Sept. 22 at 7:30 p.m., and a recital by Professors Routa Kroumovitch and Sean Kennard will be presented, as regularly scheduled, on Saturday, Sept. 23 at 7:30 p.m.
The recital by Professor Kathy Thomas, scheduled for Monday evening, Sept. 11, has been cancelled.
The Hollis Center is planning for the following hours:
Wednesday, Sept. 6, close at 11 p.m., as normal; and
Thursday, Sept. 7, 8 a.m.-7 p.m. The pool will be open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Updates will continue to be posted at:
Stetson.edu/Irma
386-822-8815
10:30 a.m., Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2017
In abundance of caution and in order to allow students, faculty and staff adequate time for preparation for Hurricane Irma, Stetson University’s Emergency Management Team is canceling all classes in DeLand and Celebration as of 11:30 a.m., on Thursday, Sept. 7.
Residence halls in DeLand will close as of 10 a.m., Friday, Sept. 8, 2017.
The DeLand and Celebration campuses will be closed at the end of the day, or end of shift, on Friday, Sept. 8, 2017.
The university will begin closing facilities and powering down systems as of Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017. Only emergency and essential personnel will be allowed on campus after it closes late Friday.
The Gulfport and Tampa campuses are working with their local Emergency Management Agency on the timing for the campuses, and College of Law students, faculty and staff are encouraged to check their website and social media pages for information and updates.
The exact path of the hurricane remains unclear, so it is not known at this time when and how the campus will reopen, but we expect to post updates on the university website and Facebook pages as of 12 noon, daily until the campus reopens.
Campus events are cancelled as of 12 noon on Thursday. All athletic events are cancelled.
Graduate programs and PACE programs at the Celebration campus are cancelled as of 12 noon on Thursday as well.
Students will not be able to shelter on campus and are encouraged to find safe shelter at home or with family or friends. Students should share their plans with family and friends and fill out the Student Hurricane Evacuation Information Form, which will be available through Housing Central on MyStetson.
The Volusia County Emergency Management Agency will decide whether to open shelters in the DeLand and Volusia area. Students without a safe place to shelter, including international students, should indicate their needs when they fill out the Hurricane Evacuation Information Form-Hurricane Irma. Students with pets should be prepared to shelter with their pet for up to 48 hours and plan to bring a cage or crate for containment, food and blankets. Stetson University Housing and Residential Life staff will accompany students at the shelters.
International Students – Important Information!
International students should begin preparing in the event they need to evacuate the campus. The following information is from WORLD:
International students should bring their I-20 or DS-2019 to WORLD if they require a travel signature. Travel signatures are good for one year from the day they are signed.
- WORLD staff will be available to sign Forms I-20 and DS-2019 until the university officially closes.
- The United States Customs and Immigration Services (USCIS) requires a signed I-20 or DS-2019 to allow you to return to the United States in the event that you need to leave the country.
Stetson University must know the location of international students at any time. Therefore, all international students must complete the International Student Hurricane Location Information Form.
International students must take any identification and international paperwork (I-20, DS 2019, passport and visa), as well as cash, medications, cell phones and chargers.
Hurricane Irma Update, Sept. 5, 11:30 a.m.
Stetson University’s Office of Public Safety and its Emergency Management Team are closely watching the direction and progress of Hurricane Irma, now a category five hurricane, as it approaches the British Virgin Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. There are multiple paths the hurricane can take this week including over Central Florida, potentially impacting Stetson University’s campus locations in DeLand, Celebration, Tampa and Gulfport.
I have already been in touch with the Governor’s Office as he announced a State of Emergency for Florida in anticipation of Irma and am in contact with the Volusia Country Emergency Operations Center.
As recently as Friday, Sept. 1, the Stetson University College of Law held a lunchtime program on preparation and recovery from serious weather.
When a hurricane approaches, Stetson University’ Emergency Policy Team may decide to cancel classes, all events, and close campuses and residence halls. If that happens, students will be encouraged to return home. In October of last year, Stetson University campuses were closed in early October due to the imminent approach of Hurricane Matthew and remained closed for several days.
As Hurricane Irma moves closer to the U.S., and its path becomes more clear, local Emergency Operations Centers may begin to activate. Now is the time for students, faculty and staff to prepare for the potential impact of Hurricane Irma.
Tips and links
In Housing Central is a sign-up sheet for letting Housing and Residential Life know where you will be if you have to evacuate the campus.
Get a NOAA weather radio (and batteries) or download a weather application if you don’t already have one.
Stetson University will advise you on whether it will be safe to ride out the storm or leave if the campus must evacuate. Plan now on what you will do in each eventuality and share your plan with family and friends.
Monitor Stetson’s websites and your Stetson email for messages about the storm. If it becomes necessary to close campus, updates will be posted on Facebook.com/StetsonUniversity.
Make sure to fill your gas tank 72 hours before you expect to travel.
Prepare to transport your pets away from campus. Be sure to have their paperwork with you.
If you have to leave your residence hall, close and lock all windows. Unplug electrical devices and life them off the floor. Empty refrigerators.
Make sure to bring with you before you leave:
- Medications
- Special dietary needs
- Passports and other documents that are hard to replace
- Cash (ATMs may not be working after the storm)
- Identification
- Keys to your car and residence
A complete list of “Go Kit” items can be found in the Stetson University Hurricane Preparedness Guide.
Track the storm on the National Hurricane Center’s website.
Bob Matusick
Director of Public Safety and
Coordinator of Emergency Management
