Once the boil notice is lifted, what should we do with our home faucets and appliances?
From University Park: Go to each faucet and turn on your cold water tap for two continuous minutes. Start with the faucet at the highest point in your home or building. Move lower and lower one at a time. Use a toothbrush and some vinegar to clean any particles from your faucet’s aerator. You can typically unscrew these to clean them using your fingers or a wrench and then rinse them off before screwing them back into place. Continue cleaning efforts by changing the filter cartridge in your refrigerator or ice maker. Make sure you throw out any ice and flush the water dispenser for three to five minutes. Lastly, run the ice maker for one hour and make sure that you throw away any ice made during that time. Finally, don’t forget to wash the bin.
When will classes resume?
SMU will return most students to a normal class schedule on the established red/blue rotation beginning Tuesday, Feb. 22 (a blue day). Students with classes in the Owen Fine Arts Center will be virtual until Wednesday. Some biology and physics lab classes in Fondren Science will remain virtual until March 3, and those students will be notified by their professors. All other Fondren Science classes will be held in their regular classrooms. Students should watch for SMU Aware emails and SMU social media for more information.
NORMAL RED/BLUE schedule resumes for SMUFlex classes Monday, Feb. 22.
Where should I look for the latest information about SMU during this weather event?
We have created a website — smu.edu/aware –that is the central resource for the latest information being sent to the SMU community.
The latest updates are available via your SMU email (from SMU Aware), as well as through Twitter and Facebook. On-campus residents should reach out to their Residential Commons Director (RCD) or Resident Assistant (RA)about concerns in housing. Employees may check the campus policy on weather and other emergency conditions for additional information.
I am a parent, how can I receive more information about the weather-related impacts on campus?
NEW WEBSITE FOR PARENTS, SMU COMMUNITY:
We have created a website — smu.edu/aware –that will be the central resource for the latest information being sent to the SMU community.
I am not receiving the messages that my student is receiving, what can I do?
If you would like to receive the email messages your student receives, your student will need to add you as a recipient in the my.SMU system. My.SMU is the central system where students manage notifications, enroll into classes, view grades and class schedules, and more. Please encourage them to follow these instructions to add you to the emails. If you would like to receive the emergency notifications (these are for campus-wide emergencies such as an active threat, timely warnings, etc.) sent to the campus community, please text SMUParent to 888777. (We did not use this system for this ongoing weather situation, instead we used regular SMU Aware emails that began on 2-12 prior to the predicted weather and continued with daily updates.) A parent list has been added for notices such as this going forward, as we realized some students were not informing family of the messages.)
I’m a faculty/staff member and want to get into my building. How do I access my office?
All faculty and staff should plan to return to work as usual Monday, Feb. 22, unless notified of damage to your work area by your supervisor or department chair. Please check the campus policy on weather and other emergency conditions for more information.
Will students/my child have to complete an assignment or exam previously scheduled for this week?
SMU faculty have been advised to be flexible with assignments and exams. While the University is closed, students are not expected to complete assignments. If a student is concerned about their workload, they should first consult with the faculty member. If a reasonable solution is not found, students are encouraged to reach out to the Department Chair.
Student/my child needs medical assistance. What should they do?
Students who are experiencing an emergency should call 9-1-1. For non-life-threatening issues, the Dr. Bob Smith Health Center is open for normal operating hours as of Monday Feb. 22, including COVID-19 testing. Check the Health Center website for more information on what is available.
Is there a live body I can talk to about my/my student’s housing situation? I’ve left voicemails and haven’t received a call.
While our Residence Life and Student Housing staff members are working hard to accommodate the needs of our students who live on-campus, they may not be able to respond quickly to phone calls. RLSH staff are monitoring emails and messages and answering them in the order of urgency. We recommend, instead, that students living in on-campus housing reach out directly to their Residential Commons Director (RCD) or on-site Resident Assistant (RA) with questions or concerns. This is the most effective way to resolve weather-related issues for on-campus residents at this time.
I was relocated from a fraternity house to a campus dorm. Will I be able to eat on campus?
Staff have been informed that students will be able to sign in to secure a meal.
They will be able to sign in and eat – in the overnight move to Arnold, that info may have been lost in translation to the staff at Arnold. Making sure the Arnold staff are all aware right now.
How/when will I be allowed to retrieve belongings left in damaged rooms?
This varies depending on when the pipe breaks or other issues occurred and the level of damage to each facility. Facilities is working as quickly as possible to stop leaks, repair damage and dry out affected rooms. RLSH communicates expected timelines to residents as they become available.
Will SMU insurance cover weather-related damage to my belongings?
As outlined in the contract for student housing, SMU insurance does not insure the personal property of students. The University recommends through the contract that students seek individual insurance for their property.
Will we be on the same Red/Blue Rotation as before?
When campus operations return to normal, SMUFlex classes will follow the published red/blue split. No changes have been made to this schedule.
dining options.