THIBODAUX – Nicholls State University will shift classes online Thursday, October 8 and close campus buildings at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday due to the approach of Hurricane Delta.
All classes will continue virtually through Friday. Faculty are encouraged to retrieve any equipment necessary for remote delivery today or tomorrow morning. Staff will secure campus before campus buildings are closed tomorrow evening.
Services including the library, recreation center and Little Colonels Academy will remain open until 4:30 p.m. Thursday, October 8.
All campus events scheduled for Thursday, October 8 through Sunday, October 11 have been postponed, including all homecoming festivities.
The Nicholls State University Emergency Preparedness Committee has initiated a Phase III alert as the National Weather Service places the Bayou Region under a Hurricane Warning. Hurricane Delta is expected to make landfall Friday evening as a Category 2 or 3 hurricane and could bring heavy rains, winds and storm surge to the Louisiana coast.
Residence halls will remain open and food service for all on-campus residents will continue until further notice.
All Nicholls classes and services will operate under the guidelines of Nicholls Virtual Campus. The virtual campus was developed by Nicholls faculty and staff during Spring and Summer 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nicholls Online will continue to operate as normal.
The Emergency Preparedness Committee initiated the alert in accordance with the university’s Hurricane Emergency Plan, posted at nicholls.edu/hurricane. A Phase III alert is issued when storms in the Gulf of Mexico are projected to make landfall around South Louisiana and the NWS places south Louisiana under a Hurricane warning. The committee will now track path, speed and projected storm surge of the storms and initiate any further changes.
All Nicholls departments will refer to the Hurricane Emergency Plan and begin enacting internal Phase III storm preparations at this time. The community will be notified if Phase IV storm preparations are implemented.
Please continue to follow www.nicholls.edu/hurricane and Nicholls social media for updates.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 7, 2020
CONTACT: Jacob Batte, Media Relations and Publications Coordinator, 985.448.4141 or jacob.batte@nicholls.edu
