Classes Resume on Tuesday, Oct. 15

Cory Lancaster October 14, 2024
Graphic says Weather Alert, Hurricane Milton
Graphic says Weather Alert, Hurricane Milton

Final Update for Hurricane Milton on Sunday, Oct. 13

Stetson’s Emergency Management Team met Sunday at 1 p.m. and is issuing this final update to the community. The University will resume normal campus operations on Monday, Oct. 14. 

Campus Utilities 

Power has been fully restored to the DeLand campus, and Internet and Wi-Fi are working.  

Residential Facilities 

All residential facilities have reopened. 

Classes and Other Academic Information 

Classes will resume on Tuesday, Oct. 15. 

While faculty are encouraged to submit midterm grades by 10 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 14 if possible, the official deadline for submitting midterm grades has been moved to 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct.15. 

A plan for hurricane make-up days for classes will be determined and communicated to students at a later date.   

Stetson Dining  

Students without meal plans can eat for free in the Lynn Dining Commons through dinner on Monday, Oct. 14. All students must swipe prior to entering Lynn Dining Commons. See hours for all dining locations on the Stetson Dining website.  

The Cross-Cultural Center has reopened. The Hatter Pantry has food items available and will be fully restocked on Monday. 

Employees  
Employees who face challenges returning to work on Monday or if they need to work remotely due to storm damage at home, travel or other issues associated with Milton should communicate with their supervisor. Supervisors should use flexibility as their guiding principle.    

Campus Resources 

If you need support through this difficult time, you can reach out to the following resources:   

  • Student Counseling Services provides confidential counseling services to Stetson students. In-person and virtual service options are available. Call 386-822-8900 for an appointment or more information. For after-hours support, please contact the Volusia County Crisis Response Team any time from any location at 386-822-8740. (For thoughts of harming yourself or others, press 1; for other mental health needs, press 9.)    
  • Students who have been adversely impacted by Hurricane Milton are asked to contact the Dean of Students Office at 386-822-7473 or Dean Schoenberg directly at [email protected].   
  • The Stetson University Chaplain offers confidential spiritual support to Stetson students, faculty and staff. Contact  the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life at 386-822-7523 or make an appointment with the chaplain by emailing [email protected]. In addition, interfaith prayer and meditation rooms are available in the CUB and the Cross-Cultural Center for private reflection. They are accessible by key card between 8 a.m. – 12 a.m.  
  • Stetson offers independent, confidential counseling services for all Stetson employees and their dependents through USAble Life. Services are available at no cost. The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) can be reached at 800-624-5544 or visit  eap.ndbh.com, code: Stetson.  

Volunteer with the Stetson Ready Team   

As Mister Rogers once said, during challenging times we should “look for the helpers.”   

If you wish to help our community recover after natural disasters like hurricanes, tornadoes or wildfires, join the Stetson Ready Team to learn about opportunities to help. No experience is required. (Of course, these opportunities are voluntary and should only be pursued once you have ensured the safety of yourself and your loved ones.)   

Stetson students, faculty, staff and alumni can join the Ready Team by completing our  Interest Form.   

This is the final update from Stetson’s Emergency Management Team for Hurricane Milton. 

Update for Hurricane Milton on Saturday, Oct. 12, at 12:15 p.m.

Stetson’s Emergency Management Team met Saturday at 11 a.m. and is issuing this update to the community. 

Campus Utilities 

Power has been restored to the DeLand campus, except for two residential facilities, and Duke Energy expects to fully restore power by midnight Sunday.  Internet and Wi-Fi are working. 

Stetson will resume normal campus operations on Monday, Oct. 14, at 8 a.m., and classes will resume on Tuesday, Oct. 15. 

The CUB is open for students, faculty and staff. All other academic buildings will remain closed until Monday morning. 

Stetson Dining 

Students without meal plans can eat for free in the Lynn Dining Commons, effective immediately and continuing through dinner on Monday, Oct. 14. See hours for all dining locations on the Stetson Dining website. 

The Cross-Cultural Center has reopened. The Hatter Pantry there will have some items available this evening and will be fully restocked on Monday. 

Residential Facilities 

The following residential facilities do not have power, and students should not return to campus until they receive a message from Residential Living & Learning that power and fire systems are fully functioning: 

  • Stetson Cove   
  • Lambda Chi Alpha  

Resources available for the Stetson Community  

For people who were impacted by Hurricane Milton and need support, please reach out to the following resources:    

  • Student Counseling Services provides confidential counseling services to Stetson students. For support, please contact the Volusia County Crisis Response Team any time from any location at 386-822-8740. (For thoughts of harming yourself or others, press 1; for other mental health needs, press 9.)     
  • Students who have been adversely impacted by Hurricane Milton are asked to contact the Dean of Students Office at 386-822-7473 or Dean Schoenberg directly at [email protected].  
  • Stetson offers independent, confidential counseling services for all Stetson employees and their dependents through USAble Life. Services are available at no cost. The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) can be reached at 800-624-5544 or visit eap.ndbh.com, code: Stetson.   

Volunteer with the Stetson Ready Team  

As Mister Rogers once said, during challenging times we should “look for the helpers.”  

If you wish to help our community recover after natural disasters like hurricanes, tornadoes or wildfires, join the Stetson Ready Team to learn about opportunities to help. No experience is required. (Of course, these opportunities are voluntary and should only be pursued once you have ensured the safety of yourself and your loved ones.)  

Stetson students, faculty, staff, and alumni can join the Ready Team by completing our Interest Form.  

Stetson’s Emergency Management Team will meet again Sunday at 1 p.m. and issue another update after the meeting. Keep up with the latest updates through your Stetson email, on Stetson Today and Stetson’s Facebook  and Instagram  pages.

Hurricane Milton Update for Friday, Oct. 11, at 7 p.m.

Stetson University’s Emergency Management Team met today at 5:30 p.m. and is issuing this update to the community. 

Campus Reopens Monday; Classes Resume Tuesday 

Power has been restored to most of the DeLand campus, and Duke Energy expects all power to be restored by midnight Sunday. Campus offices will reopen for normal operations at 8 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 14. Classes will resume on Tuesday, Oct. 15. 

Students who face challenges in returning to DeLand should communicate with their professors. Professors are encouraged to use flexibility and discretion and to communicate directly with students in their classes to set expectations for the week. 

A plan for hurricane make-up days for classes will be determined and communicated to students at a later date. 

Residential Facilities 

Residential students should monitor their Stetson email for messages from Residential Living & Learning, which has begun notifying students when their residential facility has reopened. Students should not return to campus until they receive a message about their residential facility. Students should know that there will be primary utilities (water, sewer, A/C, and electricity) and security (fire alarms) in reopened buildings. However, some buildings may experience amenities outages like Wi-Fi service, as upstream locations may still be without power. 

The following residential facilities have reopened: 

  • UVA  
  • Nemec  
  • Hatter  
  • Gordis  
  • Smith  
  • Conrad  
  • Chaudoin  
  • Emily 
  • Carson-Hollis 
  • Stetson Palms 
  • Emily 
  • All Sororities 
  • Delta Sigma Phi 
  • Pi Kappa Alpha 
  • Phi Sigma Kappa 
  • Pi Kappa Phi 
  • House 245 – Russian House 

These residential facilities currently are without power, and students may not return at this time:  

  • Stetson Oaks  
  • Sigma Phi Epsilon 
  • Lambda Chi Alpha 
  • Stetson Cove  
  • Alpha Tau Omega 

Students returning to campus should use caution because some traffic lights remain out in DeLand around campus. Storm debris has not been fully removed, and some businesses are still closed. 

Academic and Other Buildings 

Academic buildings will remain closed until Monday morning. Some buildings do not yet have power restored, and many have not been fully assessed for safety.  

However, students, faculty and staff can use the CUB, which will reopen at 8 p.m. on Friday. 

Campus Services  

  • The Lynn Dining Commons will open Saturday and Sunday for brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and for dinner from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.  
  • On Sunday, the Coffee Shop will be open for normal hours from 10 a.m. to midnight. Einstein Bros. Bagels and Hatter StrEats will reopen Monday for normal hours. Check the Stetson Dining website for more details.  
  • The Hollis Center will be open on Monday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. The pool will be open noon – 7 p.m. on Monday. 
  • The duPont-Ball Library will be open on Monday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. 
  • Public Safety is open and can be reached any time at 386-822-7300. 

Employees 

Employees who face challenges returning to work on Monday due to storm damage at home, loss of power, travel, childcare during school closures, and other issues should communicate with their supervisor. Supervisors are asked to use flexibility as their guiding principle.  

If you suffered damage during Hurricane Milton and need assistance, please contact Chela Dufour at [email protected] or a general HR team member at 386-822-8710 or via email at  [email protected].   

Resources Available for the Stetson Community 

For people who were impacted by Hurricane Milton and need support, please reach out to the following resources:   

  • Student Counseling Services  provides confidential counseling services to Stetson students. For support, please contact the Volusia County Crisis Response Team any time from any location at 386-822-8740. (For thoughts of harming yourself or others, press 1; for other mental health needs, press 9.)    
  • Students who have been adversely impacted by Hurricane Milton are asked to contact the Dean of Students Office at 386-822-7473 or Dean Schoenberg directly at [email protected]. 
  • Stetson offers independent, confidential counseling services for all Stetson employees and their dependents through USAble Life. Services are available at no cost. The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) can be reached at 800-624-5544 or visit  eap.ndbh.com, code: Stetson.  

Volunteer with the Stetson Ready Team 

As Mister Rogers once said, during challenging times we should “look for the helpers.” 

If you wish to help our community recover after natural disasters like hurricanes, tornadoes or wildfires, join the Stetson Ready Team to learn about opportunities to help. No experience is required. (Of course, these opportunities are voluntary and should only be pursued once you have ensured the safety of yourself and your loved ones.) 

Stetson students, faculty, staff, and alumni can join the Ready Team by completing our Interest Form. 

College of Law Update 

Recovery efforts are underway at the College of Law, and both the Gulfport and Tampa campuses appear to have avoided major damage. Power continues to be out on the Gulfport campus. College of Law classes have been canceled for Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 14 and Oct. 15, and the Law campus will switch to remote classes next Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday if it is feasible to do so. We will keep the College of Law community—students, faculty, staff, and alumni—in our thoughts as they continue their recovery. 

Next Update 

Stetson’s Emergency Management Team will meet again Saturday, Oct. 12, at 11 a.m. and issue another update after the meeting. Keep up with the latest updates through your Stetson email,  on  Stetson Today  and Stetson’s  Facebook  and  Instagram  pages.  

Hurricane Milton Update for Friday, Oct. 11, at 1:30 p.m.

Stetson University’s Emergency Management Team met today at noon and is issuing this update to the community. 

What’s New 

The campus does not have power at this time. Utility crews are working in the area, and we are hopeful that power will be restored soon.  

The campus must have electricity and functioning fire systems before we can allow students to return to the residential facilities, re-open for normal operations, and resume classes. 

Classes Canceled on Monday, Oct. 14 

Given the challenges with travel and utility services, classes are canceled on Monday, Oct. 14.  Students should use Monday as a transition day for traveling back to campus and studying. At this time, classes are tentatively set to resume on Tuesday, Oct. 15.  

We understand that some students may face delays in returning to DeLand. If you are unable to return to campus for Tuesday classes, please communicate with your professors. Professors are encouraged to use flexibility and discretion and to communicate directly with students in their classes to set expectations for the week if they are able. 

Residential Facilities 

Once power and fire systems are working, for a building, Residential Living & Learning will communicate directly with students when they are able to return to their residential facility. Some residential facilities may regain power and open before others. Students should not travel to campus before they are notified that their residential facility has reopened. Please be aware that residential facilities may reopen before the air conditioning and internet are fully operational.  

Campus Reopening 

Assuming power and fire systems are restored, Stetson is tentatively planning to reopen campus offices for normal operations on Monday, Oct. 14.  

We recognize that employees may face challenges returning to work on Monday due to issues with storm damage at home, loss of power, travel, childcare during school closures, and other issues associated with Milton. If so, please communicate with your supervisor.   

Each situation is case-specific, but we are using flexibility as our guiding principle.  If you suffered damage during Hurricane Milton and need assistance, please contact Chela Dufour at [email protected] or a general HR team member at 386-822-8710 or via email at  [email protected].  

Public Safety Department phones are operational, and you can reach them at any time at 386-822-7300.

Next Update 

Stetson’s Emergency Management Team will meet again at 5:30 p.m. today and will issue further updates to the community following that meeting. Keep up with the latest updates through your Stetson email, on  Stetson Today  and Stetson’s Facebook  and Instagram  pages. 

Hurricane Milton Update for Thursday, Oct. 10, at 6:30 p.m.

Stetson University’s Emergency Management Team met at 5:30 p.m. today and is issuing an update to the community. 

We hope this message finds you safe in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton. We understand two storms back-to-back have been a great challenge to our community. 

The DeLand campus and all residential facilities remain closed to students, faculty and staff. Only essential personnel are allowed on campus at this time.  

Public Safety has re-opened and can be reached at 386-822-7300.  

Assessing Campus Conditions 

In general, the campus appears to have fared well during Hurricane Milton. However, the campus does not have electricity, and a preliminary assessment today showed a few downed trees. 

The Facilities staff are communicating with Duke Energy about when power may be restored. The staff also will inspect campus buildings Friday morning to ensure there are no hazards or leaks. 

DeLand Request to Conserve Water 

The city of DeLand is urging residents to conserve water at this time. The city’s intake structure, which handles liquid waste like toilet water, is completely flooded. Crews are working to create a berm around it after the city received 15 inches of rain since Wednesday evening. 

Curfew 

Volusia County has imposed another curfew from 9 p.m. on Thursday, October 10, until 5 a.m. Friday, October 11. The curfew is to ensure the health, safety and welfare of the community during Volusia County’s Hurricane Milton’s recovery efforts. The curfew does not apply to the following: 

  • Regular members of law enforcement  
  • Regular employees of businesses, industries, or government entities traveling for their jobs 
  • All emergency workers 

Next Update 
Stetson’s Emergency Management Team will meet again at noon Friday, October 11, and issue another update afterward. Keep up with the latest updates through your Stetson email, on  Stetson Today and Stetson’s  Facebook and Instagram  pages.       

Hurricane Milton Update for Wednesday, Oct. 9, at 2 p.m. 

Stetson’s Emergency Management Team met today at 1:30 p.m. and is monitoring the path of Hurricane Milton. The DeLand campus is closed through Friday. Once the storm passes, we will assess campus conditions and send another update on Friday.

Please hunker down and stay safe, Hatters!

Hurricane Milton Update Tuesday at 9:30 a.m.

Stetson University’s Emergency Management Team met at 8:30 a.m. and is issuing an update to the community. Keep up with the latest updates through your Stetson email,  on  Stetson Today  and Stetson’s  Facebook  and  Instagram  pages.      

What’s new 

The EMT continues to monitor the forecast, even as the storm’s timeframe has shifted a little later. Milton is expected to arrive in the local area as a Category 1 hurricane early Thursday morning and exit Thursday afternoon. The storm’s effects could begin to be felt locally as early as Wednesday evening. For the latest information on the storm, visit  the National Hurricane Center.    

Campus closure 

As of 1 p.m. Tuesday, the DeLand campus will be closed. Students, faculty and staff should not return to campus until they receive official notice of its reopening. All campus buildings will be closed and ID card access will be deactivated. 

Curfew 

A curfew has been announced for Volusia County beginning at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 9., and lasting until 8 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 10, to discourage unnecessary traffic during the height of the storm. The curfew does not apply to: 

  • Regular members of law enforcement bodies 
  • Regular employees of businesses, industries, or government entities while traveling for their jobs 
  • All emergency workers 

 Any person who knowingly violates this ordinance shall, upon conviction, be subject to a fine of up to $500 and/or imprisonment in the county jail for up to 60 days. 

There are no other changes since the last update. Please stay safe. 

Stetson’s Emergency Management Team will meet again Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. and issue another update. 

Hurricane Milton Update for Monday, Oct. 7, at 6:30 p.m.

Stetson University’s Emergency Management Team met at 5 p.m. and is issuing an update to the community. Keep up with the latest updates through your Stetson email, on Stetson Today and Stetson’s Facebook and Instagram pages.     

Campus closing   

Given the storm’s intensity and the need for some employees to evacuate, Stetson will extend the closure of the DeLand campus beginning Tuesday, Oct. 8, at 1 p.m. through Friday, Oct. 11. Employees will not be expected to work during this time. 

A decision on when to reopen residential facilities and campus dining will be made after the storm passes Thursday morning and campus conditions can be assessed. 

All students need to fill out the What’s Your Plan – Hurricane Milton Form, which is available through Housing Central on MyStetson. This will tell Residential Living & Learning that you have secured a place to go (home/family/friends). If you have not yet communicated that you need a place to stay, please do so no later than 8:00 a.m. Tuesday.     

Those who have communicated that they need a place to stay will be contacted by Residential Living & Learning starting at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday to make arrangements.  

At this time, students needing accommodations can all be placed with volunteer hosts, including faculty, staff and alumni. Thank you to the members of our community who have generously agreed to host students who must evacuate. If community members would still like to volunteer to host students, please call the Dean of Students’ Office at 386-822-7473 before noon on Tuesday.  

For students who prefer to stay at a Volusia County emergency shelter, Residential Living & Learning will make arrangements once the public shelters open.  For more information, visit Volusia County Shelter Information.   

Classes are canceled through Saturday 

All classes on the DeLand campus will be canceled on Tuesday and Wednesday, Oct. 8 and Oct. 9, ahead of Fall Break on Thursday and Friday, Oct. 10 and Oct. 11. 

All Educational Leadership classes scheduled to meet on Saturday, Oct. 12, have been canceled.   Students should expect to receive information from their faculty about options for making up missed course material. 

We expect classes to resume on Monday, Oct. 14.  A plan for hurricane make-up days for classes will be determined and communicated to students at a later date.   

Please note the following important changes to academic deadlines:   

The deadline for faculty to submit midterm grades has been moved to 10 a.m. on Monday, October 14.  The deadline to change to pass/fail grading on full-term courses and to drop a full-term course without a grade of X has been moved to Monday, October 21.    

Hurricane Milton   

Hurricane Milton has rapidly intensified and is expected to reach the west coast of Florida as a major hurricane on Wednesday evening.  

On the current forecast track, Milton will move across the local area as a possible Category 1 hurricane with strong winds, possible flooding and other severe weather. The Stetson Emergency Management Team is in close communication with the Volusia County Emergency Operations Center and always uses the National Hurricane Center as the official source of weather information. For the latest information on the storm, visit the National Hurricane Center.   

Stetson’s Emergency Management Team will continue meeting every day and issue updates as needed. 

Tropical Storm Milton Update Monday at 10 a.m.

Stetson University’s Emergency Management Team met at 8:30 a.m. and is issuing an update to the community. Keep up with the latest updates through your Stetson email,  on  Stetson Today  and Stetson’s  Facebook  and  Instagram  pages.    

Hurricane Milton  

Hurricane Milton continues to strengthen and is expected to reach the west coast of Florida as a major hurricane on Wednesday afternoon. This is a little later than the earlier forecast for the storm to make landfall on Florida’s west coast Wednesday morning. 

On the current forecast track, Milton will move across Central Florida, bringing strong winds, possible flooding and other severe weather to the local area. The Stetson Emergency Management Team is in close communication with the Volusia County Emergency Operations Center and always uses the National Hurricane Center as the official source of weather information. For the latest information on the storm, visit  the National Hurricane Center.  

Campus closing  

Stetson will close the DeLand campus and all residential facilities on Tuesday, Oct. 8, at 1 p.m. through Thursday, Oct. 10.   

With the storm now expected to impact the local area a little later than earlier forecasts, students who need extra time to depart campus can remain in the Carlton Union Building until 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday.   

However, students must leave their residential facilities by 1 p.m. Tuesday, so staff can begin to close down the campus. Students must return home, seek shelter with friends and family, or stay at a local emergency shelter.  

All students  need to fill out the What’s Your Plan – Hurricane Milton Form, which is available through Housing Central on  MyStetson. This will tell Residential Living & Learning whether you have a place to go (home/family/friends) or need a place to stay.   

If you need a place to stay, Residential Living & Learning will get in touch with you and make arrangements for you to stay in a Volusia County emergency shelter once they open. 

These public shelters are hurricane rated, staffed by emergency personnel, and provide food, electricity and other basic necessities for the public during emergencies. More information about available shelters will be provided as it becomes available from Volusia County Government. For more information, visit  Volusia County Shelter Information.  

Volunteer Hosts Needed 
Faculty, staff, and alumni who are willing to provide shelter to residential students needing to evacuate should please call the Dean of Students’ Office at 386-822-7473. 

Classes are canceled Tuesday and Wednesday  

All classes on the DeLand campus will be canceled on Tuesday and Wednesday, Oct. 8 and Oct. 9, ahead of Fall Break on Thursday and Friday, Oct. 10 and Oct. 11.   

We expect classes to resume on Monday, Oct. 14. A plan for hurricane make-up days for classes will be determined and communicated to students at a later date.  

Please note the following important changes to academic deadlines:  

The deadline for faculty to submit midterm grades has been moved to 10 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 14. The deadline to change to pass/fail grading on full-term courses and to drop a full-term course without a grade of X has been moved to Monday, Oct. 21.   

Employees  

Employees are encouraged to switch to remote or hybrid work on Tuesday until 1 p.m., at which time the campus will close through Thursday, Oct. 10.  Employees working normal operations are not expected to work during this time.  

After 1 p.m. Tuesday, only essential personnel will be allowed on campus until further notice.  

Hurricane Milton is currently forecasted to leave the local area Thursday morning. Afterward, Facilities crews will assess campus conditions and we will notify employees about plans to reopen the campus on Friday, Oct. 11.  

Important information for residential students  

  • Make sure to fill your gas tank well before you expect to travel.  
  • Transport your pets (including fish) away from campus. Be sure to have their paperwork, medications and food with you. A pet-friendly shelter will not let you drop off your pet. You will be required to stay at the shelter with your pet.  
  • When you leave your residential building, close and lock all windows. Unplug electrical devices and lift them off the floor.  Empty personal and shared common refrigerators of perishables. Take out the trash. Turn out the lights.  
  • Make sure to bring with you before you leave:  
  • Medications  
  • Special dietary needs  
  • Passports and other documents that are hard to replace  
  • Cash (ATMs may not be working after the storm)  
  • Identification including your student ID  
  • Keys to your car and residence  

Public Safety’s  Severe Weather Guide, starting on page 7, provides more information to help prepare for a hurricane.  

International Students – Important Information!  

International students should be planning their evacuation from campus. Stetson’s WORLD office has actively been searching for volunteers to take in international students and has reached out to many community members for help.  

Right now, the important thing for all international students to do is to fill out the  Pre-Evacuation Check In Form  as soon as possible, and definitely no later than 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 8. Students who do not have a place to go during the closure can make note of this on the form. WORLD will then reach out to these students to discuss their options with them.  

International students should bring their I-20 or DS-2019 to WORLD if they require a travel signature. Travel signatures are good for one year from the day they are signed.  

  • WORLD staff will be available to sign Forms I-20 and DS-2019 until the university officially closes.  
  • The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) requires a signed I-20 or DS-2019 to allow you to return to the United States in the event that you need to leave the country.  

Stetson University must know the location of international students at any time, so please complete the form with your evacuation plans. International students must take any identification and international paperwork (I-20, DS 2019, passport and visa), as well as cash, medications, cell phones and chargers.  

Campus services / Cancellations  

  • The Lynn Dining Commons and Einstein Bros. Bagels will close starting Tuesday at 1 p.m. The Coffee Shop and Hatter StrEats will be closed starting on Tuesday. 
  • The Hollis Center will be closed starting on Tuesday.  
  • The duPont-Ball Library will be closed starting Tuesday.  Remote reference services will be available from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesday.  
  • All events on the DeLand campus are canceled, beginning Tuesday.  

  Before leaving campus, employees should:  

  • Turn off computers and printers.  
  • Turn off lights.  
  • Empty refrigerators.  
  • If possible, lift equipment up off the floor.  

When the campus is closed, only emergency personnel are allowed on campus (Public Safety, Facilities, some members of the Emergency Management Team, etc.). Students, faculty and staff should not return to campus until they are told it is safe to do so.  

Employees will receive pay for regularly scheduled hours when the campus is closed. Please note that employees who had previously scheduled vacation time should still use vacation hours for that day.    

Non-exempt employees deemed essential and required to physically work on campus will receive emergency pay per our policy. For specific questions, please refer to the Emergency Pay policy or ask Payroll at  [email protected]    

Stetson’s Emergency Management Team will meet again Monday at 5 p.m. and issue another update.  

Tropical Storm Milton Update Sunday At 6:50 p.m.

Stetson University’s Emergency Management Team met at 5 p.m. today and is issuing an update to the community. Keep up with the latest updates through your Stetson email,  on  Stetson Today  and Stetson’s  Facebook and  Instagram  pages.   

Hurricane Milton 

Hurricane Milton is forecasted to strengthen and reach the west coast of Florida as a major hurricane by mid-week. On the current forecast track, Milton will move across Central Florida, bringing strong winds, possible flooding and other severe weather to the local area. For the latest information on the storm, visit the National Hurricane Center. 

Campus closing 

Due to the storm’s projected path, Stetson will close the entire DeLand campus and all residential facilities on Tuesday, Oct. 8, at 1 p.m. through Thursday, Oct. 10.  

Students must return home, seek shelter with friends and family, or stay at a local emergency shelter. 

All students need to fill out the What’s Your Plan – Hurricane Milton Form, which is available through Housing Central on MyStetson. This will tell Residential Living & Learning whether you have a place to go (home/family/friends) or need accommodations.  

If you need accommodations, Residential Living & Learning will get in touch with you and make arrangements for you to stay in a Volusia County emergency shelter once they open. You will find more information about shelters below. 

Classes are canceled Tuesday and Wednesday 

All classes on the DeLand campus will be canceled on Tuesday and Wednesday, Oct. 8 and Oct. 9, ahead of Fall Break on Thursday and Friday, Oct. 10 and Oct. 11.  

We expect classes to resume on Monday, Oct. 14. Information about academic deadlines, including an adjusted deadline for faculty to submit midterm grades, will be communicated early this week. 

A plan for hurricane make-up days for classes will be determined and communicated to students at a later date. 

Employees 

Normal operations exist for Monday. Employees are encouraged to switch to remote or hybrid work on Tuesday until 1 p.m., at which time the campus will close through Thursday, Oct. 10.  Employees working normal operations are not expected to work during this time. 

After 1 p.m. Tuesday, only essential personnel will be allowed on campus until further notice. 

Hurricane Milton is forecasted to leave the local area early Thursday morning. Afterward, Facilities crews will assess campus conditions and we will notify employees about plans to reopen the campus on Friday, Oct. 11. 

Important information for residential students 

  • Make sure to fill your gas tank well before you expect to travel. 
  • Transport your pets (including fish) away from campus. Be sure to have their paperwork, medications and food with you. A pet-friendly shelter will not let you drop off your pet. You will be required to stay at the shelter with your pet. 
  • When you leave your residential building, close and lock all windows. Unplug electrical devices and lift them off the floor. Empty refrigerators. Take out the trash. Turn out the lights. 
  • Make sure to bring with you before you leave: 
  • Medications 
  • Special dietary needs 
  • Passports and other documents that are hard to replace 
  • Cash (ATMs may not be working after the storm) 
  • Identification including your student ID 
  • Keys to your car and residence 

Public Safety’s Severe Weather Guide, starting on page 7, provides more information to help prepare for a hurricane. 

Local Shelters 

We will provide information about Volusia County Government emergency shelters as it becomes available. Students who stay at a shelter with their pets will need to bring necessary pet vet records, items and supplies. For more information, visit Volusia County Shelter Information. 

International Students – Important Information! 

International students should be planning their evacuation from campus. International students should bring their I-20 or DS-2019 to WORLD if they require a travel signature. Travel signatures are good for one year from the day they are signed. 

  • WORLD staff will be available to sign Forms I-20 and DS-2019 until the university officially closes. 
  • The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) requires a signed I-20 or DS-2019 to allow you to return to the United States in the event that you need to leave the country. 

Stetson University must know the location of international students at any time. Therefore, all international students must complete the International Student Hurricane Location Information Form. 

International students must take any identification and international paperwork (I-20, DS 2019, passport and visa), as well as cash, medications, cell phones and chargers. 

Campus services / Cancellations 

  • The Lynn Dining Commons, the Coffee Shop, and Einstein Bros. Bagels will close Tuesday at 1 p.m. 
  • The Hollis Center will be closed starting on Tuesday. 
  • The duPont-Ball Library will be closed starting Tuesday.  Remote reference services will be available from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesday. 
  • All events on the DeLand campus are canceled, beginning Tuesday. 

Before leaving campus, employees should: 

  • Turn off computers and printers. 
  • Turn off lights. 
  • Empty refrigerators. 
  • If possible, lift equipment up off the floor. 

When the campus is closed, only emergency personnel are allowed on campus (Public Safety, Facilities, some members of the Emergency Management Team, etc.). Students, faculty and staff should not return to campus until they are told it is safe to do so. 

Employees will receive pay for regularly scheduled hours when the campus is closed. Please note that employees who had previously scheduled vacation time should still use vacation hours for that day.   

Non-exempt employees deemed essential and required to physically work on campus will receive emergency pay per our policy. For specific questions, please refer to the Emergency Pay policy or ask Payroll at [email protected] 

Stetson’s Emergency Management Team will meet Monday morning, Oct. 7, and issue another update before noon. 

Tropical Storm Milton Update Sunday at 1:38 p.m.

Stetson’s Emergency Management Team is closely monitoring Hurricane Milton, which is forecast to strengthen in the Gulf of Mexico and reach the west coast of Florida by mid-week.

The Emergency Management Team will meet at 5 p.m. Sunday and issue an update after 6 p.m. through your Stetson email. The updates also will be posted on Stetson Today, and on Stetson’s Facebook and Instagram pages.

Please monitor the National Hurricane Center through the weekend.

Now is the time to review personal emergency plans and prepare to launch them if it becomes necessary. Public Safety’s Severe Weather Guide, starting on page 8, provides tips and information to prepare for hurricanes.

If you have questions or concerns, call Public Safety any time at 386-822-7300.

James E. Kurtz
Director of Public Safety and Emergency Management
Stetson University 
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