Hurricane Matthew
OCTOBER 12, 2016 5:47 PM
BraveNation:
I am pleased to announce we will reopen campus on Sunday and resume classes on Tuesday.
Our community, staff and faculty have worked tirelessly this week to make this campus as beautiful as it was one week ago today. I am proud of their efforts and proud we can serve as a sign of hope and recovery for our community.
To all those whose lives have been affected by the devastating storm, please know this university stands with you during our time of recovery and rebuilding. We are your BraveNation family and we will support one another as we have done all week.
You should know our campus will continue to host emergency operations personnel well into next week. Some facilities may be unavailable as a result of this but we anticipate that impact being minimal. Currently, National Guard and law enforcement officers are staging in our auxiliary gym and a few rooms in Jones Center. We appreciate your support as they continue to address the critical needs of Lumberton.
It has been reported that I-95 will be closed for some time. Campus is accessible by many alternate routes that are safe and clear. To help you plan your routes to campus, we have posted NC DOT’s road closures by county at uncp.edu/askUNCP.
We are looking forward to your return. I hope to see you on Monday.
Sincerely,
Robin Gary Cummings
Chancellor
_________________________________________
OCTOBER 12, 2016 12:42 PM
BraveNation:
We would like to take the opportunity to provide you with an update on the status of our campus as of Wednesday afternoon.
This morning, power was restored to campus and some surrounding communities. This key milestone will enable us to continue our recovery efforts.
While the situation in Lumberton continues to be critical, our campus has rallied around the relief efforts. Alumni, students, faculty and staff have begun volunteer efforts throughout the county. True to the spirit of BraveNation, our campus community has stepped up to help one another. Yesterday, a number of students volunteered at the Purnell Swett emergency shelter. Today, volunteers will be deploying to additional shelters throughout our county. Our campus will continue to be a staging area for emergency operations personnel as needed.
All classes and activities are cancelled at UNC Pembroke through today, including online classes. Our regularly scheduled Fall Break occurs on Thursday and Friday. Students who have left campus should not return until instructed to do so.
We want to remind everyone to be mindful that many of our staff, faculty and students are unable to return to campus safely due to road closures. We only want you to travel if you can do so safely. If you are coming to Pembroke, please check on available routes before leaving. Information is available at the following link: https://www.ncdot.gov/traffictravel/
We know that many of our employees are facing personal challenges. The Office of Human Resources stands ready to assist, connecting you to necessary resources. A detailed list of avenues for support will be emailed to you directly.
This afternoon less than 25 students remain on campus—all of these students are being cared for. I encourage students to leave campus if you can do so safely. If you have challenges preventing you from leaving, contact campus police to connect you with needed resources as available.
Dining services are open today until 4 p.m. ALL STUDENTS ARE BEING FED WITH OR WITHOUT MEAL PLANS. Boxed lunches remain available at any time by contacting campus police.
Thank you for your excellent questions, please continue to send them to askUNCP@uncp.edu and we will post answers at uncp.edu/askUNCP.
We will continue to update the campus community as additional information is available. Safety and security remains our top priority.
Sincerely,
Robin Gary Cummings
Chancellor
_________________________________
OCTOBER 11, 2016 9:28 PM
We want you to know that this evening, members of the National Guard and emergency response personnel will arrive on campus to establish a personnel staging area.
This does not indicate a crisis on campus or that UNCP has set up an emergency shelter. These personnel will deploy to Lumberton and surrounding areas to continue rescue operations.
UNCP remains committed to the ongoing efforts to stabilize individuals in Lumberton and surrounding areas. We will continue to collaborate with emergency management operations in support of our community.
_______________________________________
OCTOBER 11, 2016 4:50 PM
BraveNation:
We would like to take the opportunity to provide you with an update on the status of our campus as of Tuesday afternoon.
All classes and activities are cancelled at UNC Pembroke through Wednesday, including online classes. On Wednesday, UNC Pembroke will remain on a condition 3 closure for employees. Employees will receive an email with detailed status information.
We have received a number of questions from students and families. In an effort to facilitate information sharing, we have created a website to house frequently asked questions pertaining to academic and student affairs questions. You can submit questions to askuncp@uncp.edu. All questions and answers will be posted at uncp.edu/askuncp.
Emergencies should be directed to Campus Police at 910.521.6235 or 911.
At this time, if anyone needs counseling services, please contact campus police and they will be able to connect you with a UNCP CAPS counselor.
This afternoon we have fewer than 80 students remaining on campus. We assure you all students will be taken care of and have access to food and water.
Again, if you are leaving campus, we urge you to be off the road by nightfall as conditions can quickly become dangerous in the dark. Adhere to any local curfews. The Lumber River continues to rise, which presents transportation challenges. Access to campus from I-95 is still limited at best. UNCP is still accessible from the west; please check NC DOT for road closures before leaving. Information is available at the following link: https://www.ncdot.gov/traffictravel/
Remember, ALL UNCP STUDENTS ARE BEING FED ON CAMPUS WITH OR WITHOUT MEAL PLANS. The dining hall will be open Wednesday 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.
UNCP appreciates the outpouring of generosity from fellow universities and state institutions, including NC State University among many others. In addition, we have received offers of support on behalf of UNC President Margaret Spellings and Governor Pat McCrory.
While the safety and security of our students is our top priority, our thoughts and prayers remain with the people of southeastern North Carolina who have been impacted by Hurricane Matthew, particularly those in Lumberton, which has been especially hard hit. The university is engaged in ongoing communication with authorities to determine how we can continue to assist. Last night, the university prepared meals for National Guard and emergency operations personnel. And today I had the opportunity to interact with UNCP students volunteering at an emergency shelter at Purnell Swett High School.
True to UNC Pembroke’s core value of service, many of you have asked how you can help those in need. We encourage you to consider donating to the American Red Cross, UNCP Care Resource Center or directly to the Robeson County Emergency Operations. Detailed information about these giving opportunities was sent in a separate e-mail and will be posted on how you can help.
As for campus operations, at this time, we know utility crews are working to repair main hubs of power to Robeson County. We do not have a definitive estimate at this time on a timetable for restoration.
In addition, many of our faculty and staff continue to face hardships. We have heard many stories of our employees in heavily impacted areas of the region who are facing personal challenges associated with the loss of utilities, downed trees, and flooding at their homes. We want you to know we are fully in support of you and your families.
We will continue to update the campus community as additional information is available.
Sincerely,
Robin Gary Cummings
Chancellor
___________________________________
OCTOBER 11, 2016 3:47 PM
BraveNation:
True to UNC Pembroke’s core value of service, many of you have asked how you can help those in Robeson County and southeastern North Carolina who have been impacted by Hurricane Matthew.
If you are able, we ask you to consider contributing in the following ways:
1. Support the American Red Cross
Click here to donate on the American Red Cross website. Select “Hurricane Matthew” in the drop-down menu.
2. Support the UNCP CARE Resource Center
The UNCP CARE Resource Center includes an on-campus food pantry and clothing closet open to students, faculty, staff, and community members.
Click here to donate on the UNCP website. Type “CARE Resource Center” in the notes field.
3. Contribute to Robeson County Emergency Operations
If you are able to safely travel, we are told donations of food, clothing and other essentials are needed. Please only donate food that does not require refrigeration. Bottled water and baby care items are needed most.
All donations should be delivered to the Robeson County Emergency Operations Center located at the following address:
Robeson County Emergency Operations Center
38 Legend Drive
Lumberton, NC 28358
We know many UNCP students, employees, alumni and friends remain in challenging situations. You are in our thoughts and prayers. For those more fortunate, we appreciate your willingness to support our friends and neighbors in need. The university stands ready to assist in any way possible.
Sincerely,
Robin Gary Cummings
Chancellor
___________________________________________
OCTOBER 10, 2016 5:30 PM
BraveNation:
We would like to take the opportunity to provide you with an update on the status of our campus as of Monday afternoon.
All classes and activities are cancelled at UNC Pembroke through Wednesday, including online classes. On Tuesday, UNC Pembroke will remain on a condition 3 closure for employees. Employees will receive an email with detailed status information.
Since our last update, the situation in Lumberton has become more severe. Robeson County officials have requested emergency assistance from UNCP. The university stands ready and is in communication with authorities to determine how we can assist. Our community is coming together to rally around those affected, and we will provide all assistance possible.
This afternoon we have less than 250 students remaining on campus. We assure you all students will be taken care of and have access to food and water. Supplies continue to come in from partners across the state and our sister institutions. Thank you NC State, NCCU and the University of North Carolina system for your continued support.
Students continue to leave campus this afternoon. We urge you to be off the road by nightfall as conditions can quickly become dangerous in the dark. Access to campus from I-95 is limited, and may not be possible as waters continue to rise in Lumberton. UNCP is still accessible from the west; please check NC DOT for road closures before leaving. Information is available at the following link: https://www.ncdot.gov/traffictravel/
Dining services are open today until 6 p.m. and will open from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. tomorrow to feed students. Remember, ALL STUDENTS ARE BEING FED WITH OR WITHOUT MEAL PLANS. If a student cannot get to the dining hall, please contact the community director to receive a food delivery from Campus Police this evening.
Phone lines have been restored, but we do not have confirmation from AT&T that repairs are complete. You can now reach campus police in the event of emergency at 910.521.6235. In case of an emergency, please call 911.
At this time, we know Duke Energy is working to repair main hubs of power to Robeson County. We do not have a definitive estimate at this time on a timetable to restore power.
We have seen over the last several days UNCP students helping one another, alumni rescuing each other, and an outpouring of support from our community. We thank you all for everything you are doing to assist. In the days ahead, we will continue these efforts, exemplifying the spirit of BraveNation.
We expect that a number of our faculty and staff in heavily impacted areas of the region are facing personal challenges associated with the loss of utilities, downed trees, and flooding at their personal residences. We want you to know we are fully in support of you and your families.
We will continue to update the campus community as additional information is available. Safety and security remains our top priority.
Sincerely,
Robin Gary Cummings
Chancellor
_______________________________________________________________
OCTOBER 10, 2016 12:05 PM
BraveNation:
We would like to take the opportunity to provide you with an update on the status of our campus.
First, thank you all for your continued support throughout this situation and your patience as we continue to provide updates as quickly as possible.
Today, Monday, all classes and activities are cancelled at UNC Pembroke through Wednesday. This includes online classes. Mid-term grades were due today; however, that deadline has been extended to Wednesday, October 19. A determination will be made on a revised drop date as soon as possible.
UNC Pembroke remains on a condition 3 closure for employees. An update will be announced to all faculty and staff by 6 p.m. today regarding tomorrow’s status. Our thoughts and prayers are with our employees and all residents of our region who have suffered loss and continue to experience hardships. Currently, there is a critical situation along I-95, and broken levees have flooded many areas of Lumberton.
On campus, water continues to recede in many areas, and cleanup efforts have begun. We are happy to report there is no major flooding damage to campus buildings. Additionally, telephone service has been restored. Campus Police can be reached at (910) 521-6235. AT&T has notified us that repairs remain underway so if there is interruption in service, please continue to dial 911 for emergencies.
We want you to know ALL STUDENTS REMAIN SAFE. We are impressed by the resiliency of BraveNation as they have truly come together to help one another. Spirits remain high on campus. Students who cannot leave campus or have nowhere to go are being well taken care of and will remain safe on campus.
We are pleased many students have been able to leave campus safely. We continue to encourage all students to leave campus today during daylight hours. I-95 remains impassable in many areas; however, at last check UNCP was accessible from the west via Highway 74. Please check NC DOT for road closures before leaving.
Dining services remain open today to feed students on campus. Special thanks to North Carolina Central University for delivering a truck of food yesterday. We also appreciate Piggly Wiggly in Pembroke for opening its doors to help us restock necessities. All students are being fed in our dining hall, regardless of whether they have a meal plan or live on campus.
Student Health Services is open today until 1 p.m. and on-call until 5 p.m. after that they can call the nurse Hotline at 1.888.267.3675. Student Health will be open tomorrow from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.
At this time, lack of power on campus remains an obstacle. We know Duke Energy is working to repair main hubs of power to Robeson County. We do not have a definitive estimate at this time on a timetable to restore power.
We will continue to update the campus community as additional information is available. Safety and security remains our top priority.
Sincerely,
Robin Gary Cummings
Chancellor
__________________________________________________________________________________
OCTOBER 9, 2016
BraveNation:
We wanted to take the opportunity to update you on the status of campus.
Like the rest of Robeson County, power remains out; however, water is operating in Pembroke at this time.
We strongly encourage students to return home or leave campus if possible for their comfort. Please only travel if it is safe and roads are clear.
Phone lines remain down. AT&T has been notified and as soon as they are able to restore service all campus phones will be operational. Please call 911 if you have an emergency.
Volunteers have been on campus distributing food packages from the CARE Resource Center to students in need.
Cafeteria will be open until 6 p.m. tonight and will reopen tomorrow at 9 a.m. ALL STUDENTS CAN ACCESS FOOD WITH OR WITHOUT A MEAL PLAN.
If students have challenges getting to the cafeteria, please let your community director know so snacks can be delivered to the residence halls.
Officers will be in residence halls and patrolling campus for the safety of all students. While power and communication remains challenging, we want to ensure if any student has needs, there are resources available through campus police.
Safety will remain a top priority. Our officers, staff, faculty and community members are taking great care of our students.
Sincerely,
Robin Gary Cummings
Chancellor
_________________________________________________________________________
OCTOBER 9, 2016
BraveNation,
Due to the effects of Hurricane Matthew all UNC Pembroke classes and campus activities have been suspended effective immediately and continuing through Wednesday. Fall Break is Thursday and Friday.
Emergency shelter, food and water will be provided to students who are unable to leave campus.
Phone service for the UNCP Police Department has not been restored. Students should call 911 in case of an emergency. The university has activated its personal address speakers to communicate with students.
UNCP Employees:
The university is operating under condition #3 Closure, in accordance with the UNC system adverse weather and emergency events policy, January 1, 2016.
All employees will receive a detailed email with further instructions.
We are grateful for the dedication UNCP employees have exhibited to ensure the safety and security of our students and employees, which is our top priority.
We will continue to share additional information as it is available.
Sincerely,
Robin Gary Cummings
Chancellor
_______________________________________________________________________
UPDATE October 8, 2016 at 7:38pm
BraveNation:
We want to keep you informed of the impacts of Hurricane Matthew to our campus community.
Here is the current assessment of campus as of Saturday evening:
- There is no power across campus. Duke Energy is currently out assessing the situation but will not begin restoration of services until Sunday.
- There are just over 800 students currently on campus. All residential students have been offered 2 meals today in the cafeteria and food is being delivered to residence halls by campus police this evening.
- Campus police have doubled staffing today to maintain a safe environment. At least one officer has been stationed in each residence hall and officers continue to patrol campus.
Standing water is making many roads on campus impassable by vehicles. Some buildings on campus have sustained minor leaks around doors and windows.
As of now the rain has begun to subside in Pembroke, wind remains strong. We will continue to keep you updated as information becomes available.
UPDATED October 8, 2016 at 3:27pm
#BraveNation:
The following emergency shelters are open in Robeson County:
- South Robeson High School, 3268 South Robeson Road in Rowland
- Gilbert Carroll Middle School, 300 Bailey Road in Lumberton
- St. Pauls High School, 648 N. Old Stage Road in St. Pauls
- Purnell Swett High School, 11344 Deep Branch Road in Pembroke
- Red Springs High School, 509 N. Vance St. in Red Springs
- Lumbee Tribe has designated the Pembroke Boys & Girls Club as an emergency shelter
Please seek shelter and stay indoors.
UPDATED October 8, 2016 at 2:42pm
#BraveNation:
Campus dining will be preparing grab & go items now through 5 p.m. If you do not feel safe getting to the cafeteria, please contact your community director for assistance.
Remain cautious and avoid flooded areas. Please be safe and take care of one another.
UPDATED October 8, 2016 at 1:08pm
#BraveNation:
As Hurricane Matthew has made landfall, a significant amount of rainfall has had some impacts to our campus. For the safety of our students, faculty and staff, some campus services are closing or limiting services today.
Livermore Library—closed
Dining Services—Cafeteria is serving brunch and dinner
Please take all precautions to ensure your safety, avoid flooded areas and parking areas under water.
Continue to pay attention to all safety alerts.
UPDATED October 6, 2016
#BraveNation:
As of this afternoon, the anticipated impacts of Hurricane Matthew will be increased rainfall and wind. Campus will remain open on a normal schedule. We will continue to monitor the progress of the storm and provide necessary updates should the situation change.
Campus Dining has provided an update regarding their schedule this weekend, attached (DOCX). In addition, faculty and staff should take this opportunity to review our adverse weather policy should the situation change unexpectedly.
(original post on October 4, 2016)
#BraveNation:
The University of North Carolina at Pembroke is closely monitoring the potential risks to campus due to Hurricane Matthew in partnership with the National Weather Service and local and state agencies.
Currently, UNCP has not cancelled classes, and the university is operating on a normal schedule. Campus administrators will continue to monitor and evaluate the situation, determining a course of action no later than Thursday by 5 p.m.
Current forecasts indicate Matthew will make landfall early Saturday morning on the NC-SC coastline and have significant impacts to our area. Projections include sustained winds in excess of 60 mph and more than 7 inches of rainfall. Tropical storm conditions are expected to exist beginning late Friday afternoon through Saturday evening.
In an effort to prepare for any impending effects to our campus and community we would like to take the opportunity to briefly inform you of advised preparedness measures.
- Students, faculty and staff should monitor their campus email. This is often the first way the university will communicate a weather update.
- Monitor the UNCP website and the university's social media presence on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
- Note the Emergency Weather Hotline at 910.521.6888. The recorded message will give brief details about weather-related information.
- In the event of an emergency requiring the immediate dissemination of information (e.g., seek shelter, etc.), the university will issue a text alert and automated phone call to all individuals whose information is on file. Please take a few moments to ensure your information is accurate and updated.
- Download the LiveSafe app on your smartphone or device to receive broadcast messages regarding the weather. For more information about LiveSafe, please visit uncp.edu/livesafe.
- Please check university calendars for any activity and athletic event cancellations. As information becomes available and decisions are made, calendars will be updated.
- Residential students may want to consider going home for the weekend; however, residence halls will remain open at this time.
- Some parking areas on campus are prone to flooding. These areas will be barricaded for your safety by campus police, please do not remove barricades.
- Staff and faculty scheduled for university-sponsored travel should consult their immediate supervisors to determine appropriate action.
- Review UNCP policies & protocol regarding emergency operations and adverse weather.
- Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to review emergency preparedness and hurricane-related information below.
Hurricane Matthew Preparedness (PDF)
The university will issue updates on Hurricane Matthew as weather authorities release significant details on its path and expected impact to our area.