Alert Carolina: UPDATE: Due to water emergency, fire safety concerns, campus closed at 1 p.m.
Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:
As previously announced, due to the emergency water shortage declared by the Orange Water and Sewer Authority (OWASA) and serious concerns about the safety implications on campus in the event of a fire, the University has closed effective at 1 p.m. today.
The Town of Chapel Hill also has declared an emergency.
Classes are cancelled; offices and facilities are closed; only mandatory employees must report to or remain at work. Condition 3.
University officials will continue to closely monitor the ongoing OWASA emergency and take appropriate steps to keep students, faculty, staff and visitors safe. OWASA is providing updates at http://www.owasa.org/emergency-do-not-use-owasa-water-until-further-notice.
Employees are reminded of the University’s Adverse Weather and Emergency Event Policy. Refer to https://hr.unc.edu/benefits/leave-holidays/weather-emergency/.
All UNC operations are temporarily suspended, including classes and business in offices.
Chapel Hill Transit is moving to peak rush-hour service levels to accommodate students and employees who are leaving campus.
Campus residence hall officials are encouraging students who live in campus housing to consider leaving campus for the weekend if they are able. Housing officials will directly email residential students with details, including water restrictions in residence hall bathrooms.
Lenoir Dining Hall is currently closed due to the water emergency. Rams Head Dining Hall and Rams Head Market in Chase Hall will remain open at this time. Please check http://menus.dining.unc.edu/ for up to date hours of operation for dinner service, which starts at 5 p.m.
Campus Health Services will be open for acute care services only until 5 p.m. on Friday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Please do not call 9-1-1 with non-emergency calls. Emergency responders need to keep those lines clear to deal with life-threatening situations. Students and employees who want to let their families they are OK and may have trouble accessing cell phone lines are encouraged to use the American Red Cross Safe and Well List.
The University will post updates with more information as details become available at alertcarolina.unc.edu.
Until further notice, all non-essential events and activities are cancelled.
Multiple University support units – including Carolina Dining Services (http://dining.unc.edu/) , Campus Health Services and health-care facilities – are posting updates about the status of their operations on their individual websites and social media accounts.
For Students and Faculty
- Classes are cancelled.
For Non-Faculty (Staff) Employees
- Non-mandatory employees must not report to work and must leave campus.
- These employees are not required to use personal leave time when absent from work in Condition 3.
- Mandatory employees must report to work or remain on the job, unless otherwise directed by supervisors.
UNC uses three main adverse weather and emergency event operating conditions: Condition 1 (open), Condition 2 (classes canceled; offices open) or Condition 3 (classes canceled; offices closed). Reports of state government closings do not apply to the University. The University generally announces adverse weather news on www.unc.edu, the campus information sources listed below, and through the news media. Unless a change is announced, the University always operates under Condition 1 – regular schedule.
Information Sources
If winter weather changes the University’s operating status, campus communications will include:
- An email, website post and, if conditions warrant, a text message from Alert Carolina, http://www.alertcarolina.unc.edu. You must be signed up to receive an Alert Carolina text message.
- Posts on the University’s homepage, www.unc.edu, amplified via official social media accounts including @UNC, @Alert_UNCCH (for parents, family, Chapel Hill residents and friends) and @UNC_HR on Twitter.
- Adverse Weather and Emergency Phone Line: (919) 843-1234. You may call this number to hear recorded announcements about campus operations.
- UNC Transportation and Parking for information including parking lot conditions and the status of Point-to-Point shuttle operations. Refer to http://move.unc.edu.
- Area news media websites.
- Chapel Hill Transit also posts adverse weather news and routes and schedules. Refer to http://www.townofchapelhill.org/government/news-events/emergency/adverse-weather-updates
2017-02-03 1:00 pm
Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:
Due to Orange Water and Sewer Authority emergency water shortage and fire safety concerns, the university is cancelling classes and closing offices effective at 1 p.m. Additional details will follow in another message.
Please DO NOT drink or use water until further notice.