October 9, 2018
18-195

Jessica Pope
Communications and Media Relations Coordinator

VSU Announces Class Cancellations, Closure Due to Severe Weather Forecast

Note: This information is current as of 9:15 a.m. Oct. 11.

UPDATE: Damage assessment overnight shows a few trees down here and there as well as some minor cosmetic building damage. Classes are currently still scheduled to resume at 8 a.m. Friday. If students feel they cannot safely return, they need to contact their professors as soon as possible. The Georgia Emergency Management Agency announced that drivers, if traveling today, should plan their routes accordingly and allow additional time to arrive. 

VALDOSTA — Valdosta State University will remain closed through 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 11, with a few exceptions. The Student Union, including Chick-fil-A and Starbucks, will be open from noon to 9 p.m. on Thursday. The Student Recreation Center will be open from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday, and Odum Library will open at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday. 

All VSU classes remain canceled today and Thursday, Oct. 11. This includes all online classes and classes held at Moody Air Force Base. Students are scheduled to resume classes on Friday, Oct. 12.

VSU faculty and staff are scheduled to resume normal business operations at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 11. Those who are unable to report to work due to weather-related issues or K-12 school closures should discuss these concerns with their supervisor.

Residence halls will remain open and staffed during the closure period. Palms Dining is closed for the rest of today and will serve dinner from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday. 

All activities scheduled during the closure period have been canceled.

Supervisors will notify any essential personnel required to report to work during the closure period.

The university will resume normal business operations at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday. Activities scheduled for Thursday evening and Friday will continue as planned, unless otherwise notified by event organizers and/or through official university channels.

The South Georgia Regional Meeting of the Georgia Production Partnership (GPP), which was scheduled on Thursday afternoon, has been postponed. A new date will be announced soon.

Pops in the Park, which was scheduled for Thursday evening, has been postponed. A new date will be announced soon.

VSU's Haunted Trail will postpone its grand opening until Oct. 19. It will now be open from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. Oct. 19, 20, 26, and 27. 

VSU Day at Wild Adventures Theme Park has been rescheduled and will now be held on Friday, Oct. 19. 

Classes will resume on Friday, Oct. 12.

VSU Public Safety will continue to monitor the situation alongside the Lowndes County Emergency Management Agency and other area first responders. Any necessary safety-related information will be posted on Facebook (@ValdostaState and @VStateNews) and Twitter (@ValdostaState and @VStateNews), shared with area news media, and sent directly to students, faculty, and staff through the Campus Alert System via text message, voice call, and email.

Students, faculty, staff, and parents with questions or concerns during this closure should call the VSU Police Department at (229) 333-7816.

VSU is a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Weather Service-certified StormReady Campus. This means that VSU has the communication and safety tools necessary to help save lives during hazardous weather conditions. Nationally, only 5.6 percent of four-year degree-granting institutions of higher education hold this designation.

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