AU announces campus closures due to severe weather

Update: 11 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 26

AU announces campus closures due to severe weather

Forecasters warn that Hurricane Helene is expected to bring potentially significant impacts to the Augusta area later today and into Friday morning.

In the interest of safety for students, faculty, staff and visitors, Augusta University campuses will close at 3 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26. All in-person instruction, campus events and activities will be canceled.

On Friday, Sept. 27, instruction will be delivered remotely, and employees are encouraged to work from home.

Campus transit may be suspended during this time if weather conditions inhibit safe operations. Please monitor Passio GO! for updates on shuttle operations during inclement weather.

All AU residence halls will remain open. On-campus residents should contact your community front desk or RA with any questions or concerns. If you become aware of any facilities-related problems, please report them immediately.

Atrium Dining Hall will provide normal service today. On Friday, Atrium Dining Hall will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Please continue to check jagwire.augusta.edu/alert for the latest updates on our response to the storm.

Essential employees, those who have been identified by their department or unit as essential to the maintenance and operations of the university, are expected to report by 9 a.m. on Friday unless conditions prevent safe travel. Essential employees should contact their supervisors for additional information.

Faculty, staff and students at AU regional campuses and external training sites should follow local directions specific to their locations.

If you have not already done so, now is the time to verify your emergency contact information in JagAlert.

Additional resources to help keep yourself safe in inclement weather:

• Monitor Hurricane Helene updates on the NOAA website. 
• Monitor local weather. 
• Verify your AU JagAlert contact information to ensure your ability to receive emergency messages.
• Review preparedness information.
• Keep your cell phone charged.

Please continue to follow AU’s social media accounts, check your AU email regularly and monitor jagwire.augusta.edu/alert for updates.

Update: 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 25

Augusta University’s Office of Critical Event Preparedness and Response is continuing to closely monitor Hurricane Helene forecasts to ensure the safety of our employees and students.

Operations at our Augusta campus locations on Thursday, Sept. 26, including classes, will continue as normal. For information regarding campus locations outside of the Augusta area, please follow the guidance of your respective emergency response teams.

We will provide updates on the status of operations as needed. Any adjustments to shuttle operations will be updated on the Passio GO! app.

Posted: 3:50 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 25

As Hurricane Helene approaches Florida’s Gulf Coast, Augusta University’s Office of Critical Event Preparedness and Response is monitoring forecasts closely to ensure the safety of our employees and students.

Unlike many previous storms, Helene presents the potential for widespread impact across the entire state of Georgia. We expect guidance from multiple agencies this evening and will share information as it becomes available.

Equipment and processes are in place to mitigate any potential impact on university operations, in keeping with AU’s designation by the National Weather Service as Storm Ready.

We will provide updates on the status of operations as needed. Any adjustments to shuttle operations will be updated on the Passio GO! app.

To learn more about various storm designations, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has provided this helpful information. 

Update your personal information

Communication during potentially adverse events is important. Update your information in JagAlert. If we can’t reach you, we can’t inform you.

Be prepared

Maintaining a personal preparedness plan reduces stress and increases your likelihood of having a positive outcome during emergencies. A few moments of preparation can make a world of difference. The links below provide good information on disaster preparedness:

• Hurricane Safety Tips
• Emergency Preparedness Checklist
• Pet and Animal Emergency Planning
• Ready Georgia

Please check back for updates.