The University has cancelled classes for Aug. 27 and 28 and is taking precautions in preparation for the potential impact of Tropical Storm Isaac.
In an emergency faculty and staff meeting Sunday night, University officials said no students have been evacuated from campus residence halls at this time but that these residents should stay up-to-date and provide resident assistants will proper personal emergency information.
Residents were asked to fill out an emergency card at check-in, which will “indicate to us whether they were going to stay in the residence halls or they were going to leave,” University President Stephen Hulbert said. “If they haven’t filled out that card, they need to make sure their resident assistant has information.”
Students are encouraged to return home to their families, if possible. Anything of value should be taken and refrigerators should be cleaned out. For those remaining on campus throughout the storm, University officials said they are also encouraged to put anything of value high up in their closets. If wind speeds increase beyond topical storm level, residents will be moved to the Student Union ballroom two hours before projected landfall.
For those leaving campus to evacuate, Eugene Dial, vice president of student affairs, said they should make their families and resident assistants aware of their plans.
“We’re encouraging them to return home and assist their families,” Dial said. “Do what you have to do to secure your families and make sure your families know where you are.”
If the storm intensifies beyond a Category 3, Dial said students will be moved to Louisiana Tech or University of Louisiana – Monroe. If this occurs, residents will receive written instructions outlining the procedure as well as instruction for resident assistants.
At any point during the storm, students, faculty and staff can get the latest University information on the Nicholls homepage.
“One thing we do want to remind all students about is that they can still connect to the Nicholls website even if the power is lost on campus,” Dial said. “Our website is backed up some place in Baton Rouge, some place in Tennessee, so no matter where you are in the country if you evacuate, or if you’re still in Thibodaux, you will be able to access what’s happening at Nicholls 24/7.”
Whether on campus or at home, students should continue to check Banner and Moodle for homework and assignments from instructors, Laynie Barrilleaux, vice president of academic affairs, said. Instructors are preparing three weeks of classwork to continue classes online in case power is out for an extended period of time.
“We do have a possibility that if the University is shut down for an extended period of time, classes will continue online for our students who can get to computers to do their work,” Barrilleaux said. “So, Nicholls life will go on but they need to take the responsibility to check and make sure they know what’s out there.”
