Harvey brings minor damage, class cancellations to Texas universities

Editor’s note: This story has been updated with new details about when class will resume at the University of Houston and the response by the University of Texas at Austin. 

Colleges in the Houston area have canceled classes and evacuated some student housing as Hurricane Harvey’s rain keeps falling and floodwaters keep rising. But most universities along the coast appear to have avoided catastrophic damage from the storm so far. 

This was supposed to be the first week of school for universities across the state. Instead of hosting celebratory cookouts and get-to-know-you events, campuses as far as 100 miles from the coast have canceled classes and focused on protecting students and staff. 

At the University of Houston, located south of downtown, floodwater reached the grounds of Bayou Oaks, an apartment complex for older students and international students.

Sushma Swaraj, India’s minister of external affairs, tweeted early Monday morning that about 200 Indian UH students were marooned at or around the university; “They are surrounded by neck deep water,” she wrote. But the university’s president, Renu Khator, said the students were relocated safely. 

“They were safe on 2nd floor with food for last night,” Khator wrote on Twitter. “They are being evacuated now.”

Most of the other on-campus dormitories appeared to be safe, too. In response to a request for updates on Twitter, students reported to Khator that they were watching the flooding from their dorm rooms or eating in the dining halls. Some students from the University of Houston-Victoria had also been bused onto the Houston campus to ride out the storm. 

Classes are canceled at the university through Labor Day

That’s also true at Texas Southern University, located is less than a mile away from UH. The historically black university has reported that all 500 students holed up on campus are safe. 

At Rice University in Houston, classes are canceled through Tuesday. Libraries and recreational centers remained open to students, however, and all the dining halls were serving food. The university has reported two fallen trees on campus and minor damage to 12 buildings. Most of that damage is the result of leaks, although at least three buildings had their basements flooded. 

Outside of Houston, many other schools have canceled class or reported damage:

Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi is on an island and appeared to be in the direct path of the storm, but university officials say that the campus fared well. Buildings only appeared to be hit with minor structural damage, though the school will more fully assess campus housing and other buildings in the coming days. The first day of class has been pushed back from Monday to Sept. 5. 

“We are grateful that our campus fared relatively well in the storm, and we continue to turn our thoughts to those in the Coastal Bend community and beyond who were not as fortunate,” said President Kelly Quintanilla.

Texas A&M University-Kingsville canceled classes Monday but expects to return to normal operations Tuesday. 

Texas A&M University in College Station has canceled classes for Monday and Tuesday. The university’s Galveston branch will now begin class on Sept. 4. The Galveston campus reported no major building damage or flooding. 

The University of Texas at Austin has reported “extensive damage” to its Marine Sciences Institute of Port Aransas. President Greg Fenves said in a statement that “several buildings experienced roof failures and serious water damage. Staff members will not be able to reoccupy the buildings until extensive repairs have been made.” In the meantime, the institute will use facilities at A&M-Corpus Christi. The fall semester is expected to begin on schedule Wednesday, but professors have been told to “provide the greatest level of flexibility and support for students impacted by the storm.”

Lamar University in Beaumont pushed the start of class back to Aug. 30 due to heavy rain. 

Texas State University in San Marcos canceled classes Monday, but is expected to return to normal Tuesday. Aside from some leaks, buildings avoided major damage. 

Disclosure: The University of Houston, the University of Texas at Austin, Texas A&M University, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi and Rice University have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune. A complete list of Tribune donors and sponsors is available here


Source: Texas Tribune Blue News

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