WM Closing Dorms, Advises Students to Evacuate

WM Closing Dorms, Advises Students to Evacuate

By Amber Lester Kennedy Thursday, August 25, 2011

WM students prepare to leave in Williamsburg. Photo courtesy of Stephen Salpukas.

The College of William and Mary is closing its residence halls at noon Friday and rescheduling its convocation.

The university announced Thursday that classes and activities are canceled for Friday to Monday. Students are advised to implement their personal evacuation plans. Dining services will remain open until 10 a.m. at the Sadler Center, which will remain open until 5 p.m. Friday for students waiting to depart. The Commons Dining Hall will be open until 3 p.m. Friday.

On its website, the university advises students to leave now in hopes of beating westbound traffic. Students needing help should contact the Office of Residence Life (757-221-4314) or the Office of Student Affairs (757-221-1236). International students needing assistance should contact the Reves Center (757-221-3594).

Williamsburg's Oleta Coach Lines offered two charter bus trips from Williamsburg to Northern Virginia for students, paying $25 per person. Owner David Smith said the first bus left at 7:30 p.m. with 95 students on board, and took students to the Franconia/Springfield Metro Station in Alexandria. Reservations can still be made through the company's Facebook page for a bus leaving at 9:30 a.m. Friday.

In Williamsburg, Colonial Williamsburg's Governor's Inn is making rooms available for rent to students. To make a reservation, call 253-2277 or 229-1000.

At this point, the college anticipates residence halls will reopen at 5 p.m. Monday for Tuesday classes.

Although residence halls will close and classes are canceled, staff should report to work Friday. Supervisors are expected to work with employees to grant liberal leave as necessary. All essential personnel should report this weekend. Staff should be at work at noon on Monday unless otherwise notified.

“Postponing Opening Convocation and cancelling classes is a difficult decision, but one we feel is necessary to protect the health and safety of our community,” said Sam Jones, vice chair of the college’s Emergency Management Team. “Based on current information from the National Weather Service, we fully anticipate extended power outages that can affect the campus. Any extended loss of power in campus facilities represents a security and safety issue.”

Comments

+1 #10 Guest 2011-08-27 07:54

like an emergency plan is needed at W&M. Tell us more about a secure electronic entry system that doesn't have some type of manual override. The power can go off due to many other situations than a hurricane. Why can't dorm members volunteer to alternate 15 minute shifts to monitor the doors.

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+2 #9 Guest 2011-08-26 13:05

I agree,

This is poor emergency management on part of William And Mary. How can they pack students for a fee to Northern Virginia , in the middle of night. This nothing but outrageous. Just was wondering how to register the complaint known to the management. Is there somebody who really asks these questions? or just digest it. There a bunch of students who are not even from Virginia , just out of state , where do they expect them to go, in the middle of night.

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0 #8 Guest 2011-08-26 10:16

I was here. The students can leave AFTER the storm passes if it is necessary. You don't turn people out in the face of a major storm.

Quoting JWM:

Kbar - and suppose the power is off for all next week? When Isabell came through, W&M sent students home. Smart move because the college was closed because the power was off FOR A WEEK.

You must not have been around then or you would realize there is some rational to W&M planning.

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-1 #7 Guest 2011-08-26 09:50

Kbar - and suppose the power is off for all next week? When Isabell came through, W&M sent students home. Smart move because the college was closed because the power was off FOR A WEEK.

You must not have been around then or you would realize there is some rational to W&M planning.

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+5 #6 Guest 2011-08-26 08:56

I agree with kbar . . . . booting these kids out into the streets is a bad decision and makes me wonder just how concerned these administrators are for our young adults who are ultimately someone's son or daughter!

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0 #5 Guest 2011-08-26 08:45

It is a safety issue. Without power, there is no way to secure the dorms as the electronic entry will be disabled. Also, fire suppression will be compromised and dining halls will not be in operation. The students are expected to have an evacuation plan in place when they arrive on campus.

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+6 #4 Guest 2011-08-26 08:32

And what about those who can't run home?!? $100 goes a long way in College, much better spent than on a hotel room.

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+6 #3 Guest 2011-08-26 08:02

Are you kidding me? These kids pay for room and board and many are from far out of town. So you kick them out, yet, for a fee, you will bus them to NoVa (which, by the way, will also be affected by the storm) and drop them off at a Metro station?! This is outrageous. I hope Wm&Mary has the capacity for a lot of angry calls and emails from parents. I know I would be highly upset that my son or daughter was being literally kicked out of what is their HOME away from home.

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+1 #2 Guest 2011-08-26 07:47

I completely agree with the decision. The threat doesn't lie just in the structure of the building. You are dealing with a transition to adulthood where you don't always have the resources and money at college or the forethought to prepare for a hurricane. The college cannot suddenly prepare to give thousands of students water and food and an inner dorm location. The staff all has families (I am not affiliated with any college, but I am a mother of 4 whose oldest is 16 and in 2 years if this situation occurs, I would want him to concern himself with safety and family NOT classes and staying at his school). It is absolutely an appropriate decision. If we are without power for over a week like we were with Isabel, there are just too many without families here to help them.

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+8 #1 Guest 2011-08-26 07:00

This is a mistake. The dorm buildings are among the most safe and solid structures in the region. W&M is going to boot these kids out of a steel and concrete building, many with Fallout Shelters, so that they may join the gridlock on I-64 and/or stay in some Motel 6 built out of 2x4s and chip board.

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