Update: September 30
Hurricane Ian
The Southeastern University Emergency Response Team (SERT) has announced that the campus is now clear to reopen for students, faculty and staff.
Your safety is our top priority and we want to make sure that your return to campus is as safe as possible. Much of Southwest and Central Florida are still recovering from the impact of Hurricane Ian. This means that road crews may still be working to clear debris, and traffic lights in some areas may still not be functioning. Be prepared for detours or additional travel time as others are also returning from being evacuated. Please plan your trip accordingly and remember these tips regarding traffic lights:
- A traffic light that is completely out (not lit in any direction) should be treated as a four-way stop.
- A traffic light that is flashing yellow should be approached with caution and traffic should slow down and be prepared to stop, if necessary.
- A traffic light that is flashing red should be treated as a stop sign. Caution should be used as cross traffic may not stop if they have a flashing yellow light.
When parking on campus, please avoid parking near fencing that has been damaged by Hurricane Ian, as we will be working to repair that over the next few days.
Classes will resume on Monday, October 3, and university offices will be open. Employees should report to work at their regularly scheduled time.
Tuscana Ristorante hours for Saturday and Sunday will be:
- Breakfast: 8:00 a.m.–9:00 a.m.
- Lunch: 11:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
- Dinner: 5:30 p.m.–7:00 p.m.
Normal hours of operation for the restaurant will resume on Monday, October 3.
Update: September 29 (5 p.m.)
Hurricane Ian
While the tropical storm watch for Polk County has been lifted, the Southeastern University Emergency Response Team is unable to give the “All Clear” to re-open the campus at this time. The Facilities team is working to clear debris and potential hazards.
To ensure everyone’s safety, students in the on-campus ride-out location will continue to shelter-in-place until the official “All Clear” is given.
Students who sheltered off campus for the storm should not return to campus until the “All Clear” notification is sent out. We anticipate the campus to be open by 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, if not sooner.
Classes will resume on Monday, October 3. Students are encouraged to exercise caution and pay particular attention to the path of the storm as they make their travel plans back to campus. A more westerly route may be advised.
Supervisors will be connecting with essential personnel this evening with details about returning to work on Friday, September 30.
Other employees should plan to report to work on campus on Monday, October 3, at their regularly scheduled time.
Update: September 29
Hurricane Ian
The hurricane warning has been lifted for Polk County; however, the area is currently under a tropical storm warning. All students and staff who were being sheltered on the Southeastern University campus are safe and will continue to shelter in place until the Southeastern Emergency Response Team (SERT) has determined that it is safe to leave the ride-out location. Preliminary reports indicate that the campus appears to have sustained minor damage. There is power on the campus.
We are grateful for all of the prayers and support we have received from all over the country. Please continue to pray with us in the days to come as the state of Florida continues to recover from Hurricane Ian.
An announcement about classes and the reopening of SEU offices will be forthcoming once a thorough damage assessment of the campus has been completed.
Please continue to monitor your email, the SEU website and SEU social media for further information.
Update: September 28
Hurricane Ian
The Southeastern Emergency Preparedness Team (SERT) has completed its hurricane preparedness plans.
Students who are sheltering on campus were moved to the designated ride-out location at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 28.
A “shelter in place” order has been given and movement on campus will be restricted to emergency personnel until the “all clear” is given.
The ride-out location will be overseen by SEU staff. To ensure everyone’s safety, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office will have a command center on campus throughout the duration of the storm.
SEU will continue to monitor the hurricane and share more information about campus closures and openings as information is available. Regular updates will be shared on SEU’s website and through the university’s official social media accounts. Critical information will also be sent through the SEU Alerts system as the situation develops.
Update: September 27
Hurricane Ian
The Southeastern University Emergency Response Team (SERT) is continuing to monitor the path of Hurricane Ian and consult local, state and national agencies. Due to the updated track of the storm, the university will be canceling all classes and student events beginning at noon today. University offices will also close at noon.
The campus will remain open for those students who need accommodations, and campus food services will maintain normal operations. An 8:00 p.m. curfew will be in effect for all students who remain on campus. Students can expect further communication about the activation of the “Ride Out” location based on the timing of the storm.
Please know, Southeastern has made all necessary preparations in the event that severe weather is experienced.
Additional updates will also be posted to the SEU website and social media channels and sent through the SEU Alert system.
SEU Alert System
Emergency alerts will be sent out during the storm through the SEU Alert System. The SEU email address of all students, faculty, and staff have been registered with the service provider (InformaCast). Additionally, SEU community members can use the InformaCast app to update their profile information, to include adding or changing mobile numbers to receive text messages or phone calls from the system, as well as selecting or removing the methods by which these alerts are delivered. If parents would like to receive SEU Alert notifications, they can text #SEUParents to 863-213-3613.
Update: September 26
Tropical Storm Ian
The Southeastern University Emergency Response Team (SERT) is continuing to monitor the path and magnitude of Hurricane Ian and consult local, state and national agencies.
As a reminder, classes and student events on the Lakeland campus will be canceled from Wednesday, September 28, through Friday, September 30. University offices will be closed Wednesday and Thursday, with plans to reopen once the storm has passed and the “All Clear” has been given.
The campus will remain open for those students who need accommodations, and campus food services will maintain normal operations.
Please know, Southeastern has made all necessary preparations in the event that severe weather is experienced.
SEU Alert System
Emergency alerts will be sent out during the storm through the SEU Alert System.The SEU email address of all students, faculty and staff have been registered with the service provider (InformaCast). Additionally, SEU community members can use the InformaCast app to update their profile information, to include adding or changing mobile numbers to receive text messages or phone calls from the system, as well as selecting or removing the methods by which these alerts are delivered. If parents would like to receive SEU Alert notifications, they can text #SEUParents to 863-213-3613.
The InformaCast server can be accessed here. The InformaCast Mobile app is also available from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store.
Updates will also be posted to the SEU website and social media channels.
Update: September 25
Tropical Storm Ian
The Southeastern University Emergency Response Team (SERT) is continuing to monitor the path and magnitude of Tropical Storm Ian and consult local, state and national agencies.
Campus Operations
The university will continue normal operations on Monday, September 26, and Tuesday, September 27.
While it is still too early to estimate the exact trajectory of the storm, as a precautionary measure, in order to ensure the safety of Southeastern students, the university will be canceling all classes and student events on Wednesday, September 28, through Friday, September 30.
Student Residents
The university recognizes that this can be a challenging time for students and families as they anticipate the storm. Please know that the university will provide flexibility for students who feel uncomfortable remaining on campus and choose to return home prior to Wednesday.
Student residents will receive further communication about the process to follow if they decide to move off campus to ride out the storm. Additionally, there will be instructions for those students who decide to remain on campus.
As always, the campus will remain open for those students who need accommodations, and campus food services will maintain normal operations. Please know, Southeastern has made all necessary preparations in the event that severe weather is experienced.
Academics
Southeastern will work with students so that they can keep up with their studies, and consideration will be given for assignments and deadlines during this time. Faculty will reach out to students ahead of class cancellations with more detail on revised course schedules, assignments, and deadlines.
Student Athletes
Athletes should consult their coaches regarding schedules for the week.
Employees
University offices will remain open on Monday and Tuesday. Employees can expect further communication regarding the rest of the week as the storm develops.
Further Updates
Please be sure to check the SEU website, email, and social media channels for additional information.
Update: September 24
Tropical Storm Ian
The Southeastern University Emergency Response Team (SERT) is continuing to monitor the path and magnitude of Tropical Storm Ian. The 11 a.m. report from the National Hurricane Center has indicated a shift in the trajectory of the storm to the north. While the storm is expected to intensify over the weekend and develop into a hurricane, it is still too early to anticipate its potential impact to our campus. We will continue to assess the situation over the next 24 hours as the storm develops.
A decision will be announced tomorrow, Sunday, September 25, detailing the university’s plans for classes and operations for the upcoming week in order to allow our students, faculty, and staff adequate time to make preparations.
Please continue to monitor your SEU email account, the Southeastern website, and social media for further updates.
Additionally, if you are interested in more information about the storm, you can sign up for AlertPolk and monitor messaging from PolkCounty Emergency Management, Florida Division of Emergency Management, and the National Hurricane Center.
Update: September 23
Monitoring Tropical Depression Nine
Southeastern University is closely monitoring Tropical Depression Nine and its potential impacts for Florida and possibly our Lakeland campus. The university has a team, known as the Southeastern Emergency Response Team or SERT, that anticipates and plans for emergency events such as this. The team is comprised of multiple departmental leaders who are able to make preparations to secure and prepare the campus should the need arise.
Currently, the team is following the latest weather forecasts, as well as the emergency preparations of local government agencies.
The system is expected to develop into a tropical storm later today and grow to hurricane strength by Monday, September 26.
Currently, classes are planned for Monday, and we will provide updates regarding any potential cancellations or changes to university schedules as more information becomes available.
Please know that the SERT team will continue to regularly monitor and communicate with the SEU community on a daily basis. Be sure to continue to check your email and begin to make your own personal emergency preparedness plan.
Campus communication will be made available via the home page of SEU.edu, via email, and social media.
