Category: 2021 February Winter Storm

February 19, 2021

Dear Colleagues:

We are all concerned, first, about everyone’s health and safety, so please ask for help if you need it, and help others if you are able.

If there are critical services and supplies needed for your family and home, you can call 211 anywhere in the state of Texas for assistance. If a situation is imminently life threatening, call 911. All of SMU is coordinating efforts to support our students around the clock, so if you have concerns to report, please fill out a CCC form, because the forms are being processed daily. 

We have important announcements about classes next week. First, due to water and other damage to some buildings, as well as damage that may not be visible until temperatures are above freezing, all classes (Virtual and SMUFlex) will be held in the virtual modality on Monday, February 22. Students with classes scheduled for Saturday, February 20, should watch for an email from their academic programs regarding virtual classes or cancellations. A campus-wide communication will also ensure everyone is aware of this shift.

As you are aware, your faculty colleagues, students and staff have had widely varying experiences with power outages, internet access, unusual stressors, boil water mandates, and water outages. In light of this, please:

• Assume that our students, staff and faculty colleagues have not had access to technology or other possible resources this week.
• Treat Monday, February 22^nd as if it were Monday, February 15^th and stay on the altered calendar until further notice.
• Do not ask your students to come to class having done any additional work or asynchronous viewing of materials that would not have been expected by the 15^th. The most well-intentioned gestures, such as providing students with optional asynchronous content, are creating confusion.

We call on all faculty to either post a Canvas announcement or to send an email to each of their classes letting them know what to expect next week in class. Faculty are the best and first source for students to seek reassurance and clarity about particular classes. Please refer questions about university operations that might come from media and student media to Marketing and Communications at news@mail.smu.edu, which is an account monitored by the media relations team.

On a final note, we have received many questions from faculty and students about how makeup days will be handled. We are currently laying the groundwork for a clear and deliberate process that will involve input from deans, Faculty Senate, and Student Senate that meets accreditation requirements.

This consultation process will allow us to confirm an approach and provide clear instructions within the next 1-2 weeks.

Thank you, and I hope you are all staying safe and warm.

Sincerely,

Elizabeth G. Loboa

Provost and Vice President for

  Academic Affairs

SMU will resume classes next week with virtual-only academic instruction on Monday, February 22, 2021. The decision on virtual and/or in-person classes on Tuesday and beyond will be announced by Monday. Graduate students with Saturday classes should expect to hear from the deans of their schools if instruction will occur.

 

Crews from the Office of Facilities Planning and Management and Office of Information Technology are working diligently to assess and repair damage to various buildings caused by this unusual winter blast, as well as ensuring all technology in classrooms are in working order.

 

We will provide an update later today on facilities that will be open this weekend. At this time

• Hughes-Trigg Student Center is open as a warming and charging-up location
• Dedman Center for Lifetime Sports is open limited hours to on-campus students, only
• Dining is available at Arnold Dining Commons

 

With the boil water notice still in effect for University Park, which includes SMU, students residing on campus can obtain bottled water at Arnold.

 

With campus re-opening next week, all faculty and staff should plan to return to work as usual. You will be notified by your supervisor or department chair if your work area is impacted by the weather-related damage. Please check the campus policy on weather and other emergency conditions for more information.

 

We are grateful to be returning to classes and normal operations on campus, but the aftermath of this severe weather may have some lingering impacts. Please continue to monitor SMU Aware email, website, Twitter and Facebook for updates.

All dining service for SMU on-campus residents has been moved to Arnold Dining because of a ruptured water line at Umphrey Lee dining. Bottled water for residential students impacted by the boil water notice is also available at Arnold, not Lee.

 

Please continue to monitor your SMU Aware email, Twitter and Facebook for updates and other important information. Also, review all messages coming from your Residential Commons Director (RCD) and reach out to them or Resident Assistant about concerns in housing.

A boil water notice has been issued for all University Park water users, including SMU, until further notice. While you can continue to use your tap, it is important that you bring the water to a complete boil before you drink it or use it for cooking or ice making. Or drink bottled water. Also, use boiled or bottled water when brushing teeth. You may shower as usual, but please try not to ingest the water. You will also likely see a reduction in water pressure.

 

How this affects campus

SMU Residential Life and Housing Services (RLSH) will be providing more information for those living in on-campus housing, including how to acquire bottled water if you need it. On-campus dining will be limited to Umphrey Lee Dining Hall during this time.

 

Why this boil notice is necessary

Earlier tonight, the City of University Park (UP) experienced multiple water main breaks in rapid succession in addition to already low water levels, prompting a boil water notice to ensure that water is free of contaminants. UP is also asking everyone to curtail water use so the City can restore its distribution system to adequate levels as soon as possible.

 

Watch for updates

Monitor your SMU Aware email, Twitter and Facebook for updates and other important information. Please review all messages coming from your Residential Commons Director (RCD) and reach out to them or Resident Assistant about concerns in housing.

 

SMU’s campus will remain closed on Thursday and Friday, February 18 and 19, 2021, due to the impact of the severe weather on energy, utilities and roadways on and off campus. All classes, in-person and virtual, are canceled for both days. Only designated essential personnel should report to work on campus. Once classes resume, we will notify campus about make-up days that may be required.

 

On-campus Resources Available

Umphrey Lee Dining is fully open, Arnold Dining is open for limited take-out food, and the Dr. Bob Smith Health Center is offering limited services (check website for details.) Other campus operations such as the Meadows Museum and SMU Libraries will remain closed.

 

Warm Up and Power Up

Hughes Trigg Student Center will be open from noon to 9 p.m. each day for the campus community to come to warm up and charge electronic devices. Because of limited staffing, no food, drinking fountains or other services are available but students may bring drinks and snacks. Please continue to follow COVID-19 safety measures, and make sure to socially distance and wear masks except when actively eating or drinking.

 

Watch for Updates

Please take care of yourselves and others during this unusually tough winter blast and monitor your SMU Aware email, Twitter and Facebook for updates and other important information. On campus residents should reach out to their Residential Commons Director or Resident Assistant about concerns in housing. Employees may check the campus policy on weather and other emergency conditions for additional information.

 

We expect warmer weather this weekend and a return to normal operations and classes next week. Please stay safe and Mustang Strong.

SMU’s campus will remain closed on Wednesday, February 17, 2021, due to the impact of the severe weather and related power outages. All classes, in-person and virtual, are canceled. Only designated essential personnel should report to work on campus.

 

Please take care, and help one another stay warm and healthy. Once the weather and power outages are resolved, we will notify campus about the continuation of classes as well as make-up days that may be required.

 

On-campus Resources Available

For meals, Umphrey Lee Dining is fully open, Arnold Dining is open for limited take-out, and the Dr. Bob Smith Health Center is offering limited services (check website for details.) Other campus operations such as Meadows Museum, Dedman Center for Lifetime Sports and SMU Libraries will remain closed. Anticipating the ongoing outages, please plan accordingly to stay warm, power up electronic devises and protect any sensitive equipment.

 

Watch for Updates

We will continue to monitor the weather’s progress and provide updates on the impact to campus academics and operation via SMU Aware email, Twitter and Facebook. Please check the campus policy on weather and other emergency conditions for more information.

SMU is opening the Hughes-Trigg Student Center and Fondren Library as emergency warm-up and power-up spots for our campus community impacted by the extreme weather and continued power outages. Both will be open from now through 9 p.m. today, Tuesday, Feb. 16, as a warm place to come and charge electronic devices.

 

Because of limited staffing, no food or other services are available. Due to COVID-19 concerns, water fountains are not operating, but students may bring drinks into the buildings. Please make sure to socially distance and wear masks except when actively eating or drinking.

 

Also, be aware that the rotating power outages could impact these buildings on campus as well. The buildings will be cleared and locked as of 9 p.m. with no one remaining inside them overnight.

 

Residence Life and Student Housing has also modified the current COVID-19 restrictions on visitors temporarily to allow on-campus students who don’t have heat to visit areas that do. Check with your RCD if you plan to visit another commons or student’s room to warm up.

 

We will continue to monitor the weather’s progress and provide updates on the impact to campus academics and operations via SMU Aware email, Twitter and Facebook. Please check the campus policy on weather and other emergency conditions for more information.

A reminder that SMU is closed and all classes are canceled on Tuesday, February 16. 

The state’s rotating power outages are more widespread and lasting longer than anticipated impacting our community and interrupting virtual instruction. The outages, created by the extreme weather, are also causing a loss of heat in some buildings on campus, so please dress warmly, plan ahead and power up electronic devices when possible. Facilities crews are continuing to salt and sand walkways across campus. Umphrey Lee Dining is fully open, Arnold Dining is open for limited take-out, and the Dr. Bob Smith Health Center is offering limited services (check website for details.) Other campus operations such as Meadows Museum, Dedman Center for Lifetime Sports and SMU Libraries will remain closed. After an outage, it may take several hours to bring some campus buildings back to full heating capacity, so please plan accordingly to stay warm and protect any sensitive equipment.

 

We will continue to monitor the weather’s progress and provide updates on the impact to campus academics and operations via SMU Aware email, Twitter and Facebook. Please check the campus policy on weather and other emergency conditions for more information.

SMU is canceling academic instruction and extending the campus closure for Monday and Tuesday.  

The state’s rotating power outages are more widespread and lasting longer than anticipated impacting our community and interrupting virtual instruction. The outages, created by the extreme weather, are also causing a loss of heat in some buildings on campus, so please dress warmly, plan ahead and power up electronic devices when possible. Facilities crews are salting and sanding walkways across campus. Umphrey Lee Dining is fully open, Arnold Dining is open for limited take-out, and the Dr. Bob Smith Health Center is offering limited services (check website for details.) Other campus operations such as Meadows Museum, Dedman Center for Lifetime Sports and SMU Libraries will remain closed. After an outage, it may take several hours to bring the campus back to full heating capacity, so please plan accordingly to stay warm and protect any sensitive equipment.

 

We will continue to monitor the weather’s progress and provide updates on the impact to campus academics and operations via SMU Aware email, Twitter and Facebook. Please check the campus policy on weather and other emergency conditions for more information.

SMU will close campus on Monday February 15. However, academic instruction will continue as scheduled virtually. Due to the ice, snow and extreme cold, only designated essential personnel should report to work on campus. Students should attend all classes online. Campus facilities including Meadows Museum, Dedman Center for Lifetime Sports and SMU Libraries will be closed. Umphrey Lee dining is open and the Dr. Bob Smith Health Center is offering limited services, so please check the website for availabilities.

 

As announced earlier, SMU has been notified of anticipated rotating power outages over the next few days due to unusually high demand. The loss of electricity is expected to last about 15 minutes each time and could occur twice from now through Tuesday. After the outage, it may take several hours to bring the campus back to full heating capacity, so please plan accordingly to stay warm and protect any sensitive equipment.

 

We will continue to monitor the weather’s progress and provide updates on the impact to campus academics and operations via SMU Aware email, Twitter and Facebook.  Please check the campus policy on weather and other emergency conditions for more information.