University of Louisiana System Hurricane Gustav
BATON ROUGE – The eight University of Louisiana System campuses are vigilantly monitoring Hurricane Gustav. All have activated their campus emergency action teams. The four South Louisiana universities are making appropriate arrangements to secure the safety of their campus faculty, staff, and students, if necessary, and the four North Louisiana universities are preparing to support and assist, as needed.
“Over the past year, our System universities have been collaborating to improve emergency preparedness efforts. I commend our campus presidents and their staffs for their planning and preparation, as well as their willingness to offer assistance,” said UL System President Randy Moffett.
The following are special contact information and the latest status updates by university:
GRAMBLING STATE UNIVERSITY, Grambling, Louisiana
The university is monitoring the storm.
LOUSIANA TECH UNIVERSITY, Ruston, Louisiana
The university is monitoring the storm and is preparing for the arrival of students from Nicholls State University.
MCNEESE STATE UNIVERSITY, Lake Charles, Louisiana
1-800-622-3352; www.mcneese.edu/emergency
All non-essential buildings will be closed and secured beginning at 5:30 p.m. today. Residence halls, dining services, athletic complex and university police will remain open.
NICHOLLS STATE UNIVERSITY, Thibodaux, Louisiana
1-866-709-8927; www.nicholls.edu; http://emergency.nicholls.edu
Classes are canceled starting at noon today until 7:30 a.m., Wednesday, Sept. 3. Students and nonessential personnel are advised to leave campus. Students are advised to evacuate the area by 3 p.m. Saturday. On-campus residents without a means of transportation will be evacuated to Louisiana Tech University where they will receive pre-arranged shelter and meals for the duration of their stay. At this time, there are no plans for an open shelter on campus.
NORTHWESTERN STATE UNIVERSITY, Natchitoches, Louisiana
318-357-5431 (University Police); www.nsula.edu/hurricane.asp
NSU’s Health and Human Performance Building is being prepared as an emergency evacuation shelter if requested by the American Red Cross. The facility has served as a shelter for evacuees from Katrina, Rita and other storms in recent years. Depending on the track of Gustav, students from McNeese State University in Lake Charles, the University of New Orleans and other South Louisiana schools could be housed in a vacant dormitory at Northwestern that is being prepared as a possible shelter for students. Efforts are also being made to accommodate emergency response personnel from utility companies in Louisiana and other states who will be dealing with possible power outages in the region.
SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA UNIVERSITY, Hammond, Louisiana
www.selu.edu ; KSLU 90.9 FM
Southeastern Louisiana University will cancel classes and events and close its main campus and off-site locations on Tuesday, Sept. 2. Southeastern will also close the Pennington Student Activity Center over the weekend for hurricane preparations. Based on current information, normal operations and classes expected to resume on Wednesday, Sept. 3. While the campus is closed, only previously identified essential emergency support personnel will be allowed on campus. The university does not operate a “public” shelter. In the event of a campus closure, only students who live on campus and are unable to return home, e.g., international students, will be housed at the University Center.
UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA AT LAFAYETTE, Lafayette, Louisiana
1-337-482-2222; www.louisiana.edu
The university is monitoring the storm.
UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA AT MONROE, Monroe, Louisiana
1-866-698-4887; www.ulm.edu; Email: emergencyinfo@ulm.edu
Today ULM opened Fant-Ewing Coliseum as a Special Needs Shelter operated by the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, Louisiana Social Services, and ULM’s Nursing and Pharmacy faculty, staff, and students. Residence halls are at full capacity and cannot hold additional people. ULM is directing families of students, faculty, and staff to local shelters.
Status changes and decisions on class and campus closures may be made over the weekend. Please utilize the specific university websites and phone numbers for the latest up-to-date information.
