Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Hurricane Irene Alters University’s Welcome Week Plans

Georgetown is shuffling parts of its Welcome Week timetable in light of the predicted severe weather from Hurricane Irene.

New Student Orientation Convocation, planned for Sunday morning, will be postponed to Tuesday, August 30 at 7 p.m. in preparation for the predicted severe effects of the storm, the university announced in an email this morning.

Students returning to the Georgetown campus for the fall semester will be allowed to move in as early as 3 p.m. on Saturday, and all students will be allowed to delay their arrival as necessary, according to a university email Thursday night.

While the university is prepared to move in all freshmen on Friday and Saturday, upperclassmen will be welcomed on campus a day early in order to avoid extremely inclement weather. The 3 p.m. start time for returning students to move in will help the university avoid overlap between freshman and upperclassman move in, according to a message sent by the Office of Student Housing to returning students Thursday evening.

At this point in time, there are no alterations to the New Student Orientation events on Saturday. The freshmen dean’s assemblies have been postponed until Monday however, and religious services on Sunday have been moved indoors. Tuesday’s Convocation will be webcast live on in the internet for all families who cannot stay on campus through the beginning of the week.

Any student who moves on campus after the previously prescribed dates will receive move-in assistance and be granted academic flexibility.

While it is currently too early in the hurricane’s track to determine the effects it will have on the campus, the university is encouraging students to store emergency supplies, including batteries, flashlights, water, non-perishable foods and a first aid kid, in their rooms.

The Office of Student Housing further warned that the strong winds and rain expected during the hurricane may cause flooding and leaks, because most of the university’s draining systems cannot withstand an extensive amount of heavy rain.

The university is bringing in four additional industrial grade generators that will provide electricity for the dining facilities in O’Donovan Dining Hall and the Leavey Center should power be lost during the hurricane. These generators would provide emergency electricity to power fire alarms and emergency lights, as well as one elevator in every building. The university will also choose areas of the campus to serve as fully-powered gathering spaces.

In preparation for the heavy winds that may accompany Hurricane Irene, three crosses that adorned Healy Hall were removed. It was determined that the crosses could be better secured in an inspection of the campus after Tuesday afternoon’s earthquake.

“To prevent damage and further hazards on campus they were removed today in advance of the projected hurricane. The crosses will be re-installed with new anchors as soon as practical,” Director of Media Relations Rachel Pugh wrote in an email Thursday.

No other physical measures of precaution to ensure the safety and stability of the university’s buildings have been reported at this time.

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