Dear Campus Community,
Due to the expected impacts from Hurricane Ian, the College of Charleston is canceling in-person instruction for both Thursday, Sept. 29, and Friday, Sept. 30; faculty will update students regarding instructional plans for individual classes.
Business operations for the College will be closed for Thursday, Sept. 29, and Friday, Sept. 30. Essential personnel should work with their supervisors regarding their work schedules for Thursday and Friday. The College will maintain necessary operations to continue to house and support students on campus in our residence halls.
All College activities are canceled after 10 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 28, until further notice. The College will resume normal operations and reopen facilities after a post-storm assessment has been completed. The campus community will be updated when it fully opens.
Please see the labeled sections below for specific instructions for students, faculty and staff.
STUDENTS
Residence halls will remain open, and students will have access to on-campus dining/meal options. Campus Housing will communicate with residential students via CofC email to provide additional information, including tips for staying safe on campus during the storm.
Essential services, such as Public Safety, Facilities Management, Dining Services, Campus Housing and Residence Life, will remain operational for the duration of the storm.
Please check the Campus Recreation Services’ website to see the revised schedule for different campus facilities and the George Street Fitness Center.
Students who need to leave the Charleston area are asked to work with their faculty members regarding their individual circumstances.
Cougar Shuttle service will be suspended from Thursday evening through Saturday morning.
FACULTY
The cancelation of in-person instruction will follow the Office of Academic Affairs’ hurricane plan and provide faculty with wide discretion regarding online instruction and assignments. Faculty are encouraged to be flexible with students regarding class attendance and access to certain course materials in the event of possible power outages, internet connectivity issues and travel.
The Office of Academic Affairs will communicate directly with faculty about other guidelines for instruction in a subsequent message.
STAFF
Division heads and supervisors will communicate with essential staff regarding work schedules for Thursday and Friday.
All CAMPUS MEMBERS
Everyone should have a personal safety plan and be prepared for potential events such as power outages, flooding and downed tree limbs. Do not attempt to drive through high flood waters. Follow directions from law enforcement, emergency responders and College officials.
For emergencies on or off campus, dial 911. To contact CofC Public Safety for non-emergencies, dial 843.953.5609.
Information Technology Service Desk’s phone, email and chat support will remain available. Check the IT website for hours and contact information.
The City of Charleston will open certain parking garages to city residents free of charge beginning at 5 p.m. Thursday to 5 p.m. Saturday.
The South Carolina Emergency Management Division maintains valuable hurricane information and resources on its website at hurricane.sc. Stay tuned to local media and the National Weather Service’s Charleston Office for the latest forecast.
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM IAN
The College of Charleston’s Emergency Management Team continues to closely monitor Hurricane Ian and remains in regular contact with city, county and state officials.
Charleston and surrounding counties are currently under a Hurricane Watch, Tropical Storm Warning and Storm Surge Warning. The current forecast for the Charleston area calls for significant rainfall, strong wind gusts and localized flooding, with impacts beginning as soon as late Wednesday and continuing into Saturday. Rainfall totals of 3 to 6 inches inland and 6 to 10 inches along most of the South Carolina coast are likely.
Flooding will likely be worsened by coinciding high tides on Thursday and Friday, and travel may be impacted by road and bridge closures. Check the City of Charleston’s Tide Eye app for the latest tide forecasts.
Sincerely,
CofC Emergency Management Team