UCF Reopened for Normal Operations Following Tropical Storm Nicole
UCF has resumed campus operations and all classes, including online classes, following Tropical Storm Nicole.
By UCF | November 15, 2022
Originally Published November 7, 2022
Thursday, Nov. 10, 5:30 p.m. Update
Some services that ordinarily operate on holidays and weekends will begin to reopen Friday, Nov. 11, according to their scheduled holiday and weekend hours. Faculty and student researchers who wish to return to labs may do so tomorrow. Saturday classes will go on as scheduled Nov. 12.
UCF Housing remains open for all residents. Some campus services will reopen tomorrow on holiday hours schedules to provide students access to dining and recreational facilities. On Saturday, the John C. Hitt Library will open at 10 a.m. and Knight's Pantry will open at noon.
We understand the impacts of Tropical Storm Nicole are varied, and we are asking for care and flexibility for those who may continue to feel the effects of the storm into the next week. Any homework or exams planned for or due while the university was closed Wednesday and Thursday must be postponed until Monday or later.
Students impacted by Tropical Storm Nicole who need assistance should contact Student Care Services by filling out this form. UCF staff will contact these students individually to connect them with resources and support.
Employees personally impacted by Tropical Storm Nicole should be clear with their supervisors about their expected ability to return to work. Our Employee Assistance Program is available to provide work, life and mental health support to faculty and staff in need.
Any additional updates will be shared via UCF Alert, https://www.ucf.edu/hurricane/ and social media.
Thursday, Nov. 10, 9:30 a.m. Update
UCF remains closed, with classes canceled and operations suspended as Tropical Nicole impacts Central Florida. UCF Housing remains open and operational for residents.
We strongly encourage everyone to stay indoors and off the roads until the storm has passed, which is expected later today. Following the storm, we will assess campus and local conditions and provide more specific updates about our reopening timeline.
If you need to be on the road once the storm has passed, please exercise extreme caution. If traffic signals are not working, treat intersections as a four-way stop.
Students impacted by Tropical Storm Nicole who need assistance should contact Student Care Services by filling out this form. UCF staff will contact these students individually to connect them with resources and support as the storm clears.
If students need immediate mental health support, they are encouraged to contact Counseling and Psychological Services' 24/7 crisis line at 407-823-2811 and press 5 if they need to speak with a therapist.
Our Employee Assistance Program is available to provide work, life and mental health support for our faculty and staff.
We will continue to share updates regarding campus operations through UCF Alerts, https://www.ucf.edu/hurricane/ and social media.
Wednesday, Nov. 9, 11 a.m. Update
Classes are canceled and UCF's campuses have suspended operations as Tropical Storm Nicole moves toward Central Florida. Student housing remains open and operational for residents.
Weather conditions are expected to worsen in the next few hours, and at that time you should stay indoors and off the road until the storm has passed.
UCF remains ready to help students who may be impacted by Tropical Storm Nicole. If students are impacted by Tropical Storm Nicole they are encouraged to contact Student Care Services at any time by filling out this form. UCF staff will contact these students individually to connect them with resources and support.
Our Employee Assistance Program also is available to provide work, life and mental health support for our faculty and staff.
Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2 p.m. Update
In anticipation of Tropical Storm Nicole, UCF will suspend campus operations and all classes, including online classes, Wednesday, Nov. 9, and Thursday, Nov. 10. UCF is already scheduled to be closed on Friday, Nov. 11, in recognition of Veteran's Day.
All academic assignments, including for all classes with online components, are suspended while the university is closed.
UCF Housing will remain open and operational through the storm for all residents and campus dining halls will remain open until 3 p.m. Wednesday.
The early payroll deadline remains Wednesday, Nov. 9. Employees should report their time as soon as possible, and supervisors must approve it by noon Wednesday.
Though Tropical Storm Nicole's impact is forecast to be weaker than Hurricane Ian, we are making these decisions in the interest of our community's safety and well-being. We encourage you to use this time to take storm preparations seriously and to stay indoors and off the road once tropical storm-force conditions arrive late Wednesday afternoon.
Following the storm, we will assess campus and local conditions and provide more specific updates about our reopening timeline. We hope that services that would normally operate on holidays and weekends will reopen Friday according to their scheduled holiday and weekend hours.
Faculty should consider what steps they may need to take in their research and in extending flexibility to students who may need it. Faculty with a lab should use UCF's "Laboratory and Research Areas Tropical Weather/Hurricane Preparation" checklist to identify necessary actions.
Essential and critical employees may be activated to work during the university closure, and employees should speak with their supervisor about this possibility.
UCF's Emergency Management team remains in active communication with our local National Weather Service office in Melbourne and the National Hurricane Center to ensure the university has the latest information. We will continue to share updated information regularly through UCF Alert, https://www.ucf.edu/hurricane/ and social media.
Monday, Nov. 7, 2 p.m. Update
UCF is actively monitoring Subtropical Storm Nicole, which, at this time, is forecast to approach Florida as a hurricane later this week.
The university will provide an update regarding campus operations for the week ahead later this evening.
Now is the time for you to consider your personal severe weather plan, which should include stocking your hurricane kit. Being prepared and having a plan now will be key in the event that a quickly shifting storm later poses a more serious threat to Central Florida.
The payroll deadline has been moved up to Wednesday, Nov. 9. Employees should report their time as soon as possible, and supervisors must approve it by noon Wednesday.
We will utilize the UCF Alert system to share critical updates about classes and campus operations. All students and employees automatically are signed up to receive these messages, and you can update your phone number and email address(es) via https://www.getrave.com/login/ucf.
Should the storm's path and intensity require UCF to suspend operations or close campuses, employees designated as critical may still be required to work during the closure, and other staff may be required to return to work to support students and operations.
More information about how to prepare for a hurricane and UCF's hurricane protocols are available at https://www.ucf.edu/hurricane/.
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