Recent Updates

Sunday, September 29th
3:15 p.m.

Campus Status

After extensive impacts from Hurricane Helene, recovery efforts on campus are continuing. The University will remain at Condition 3 (Closure) through October 7. Classes are suspended until October 9.

For Students in Asheville
Students remaining on campus are safe. Our students’ safety and well-being remain our highest priority. Although the University remains without power, water, cellular communications, and internet, students residing on campus are housed, have access to bottled water, and are receiving regular meals.

UNC Asheville students residing off-campus in the surrounding community and in need of meals are permitted to return to campus for food and drinking water. Students are directed to bring their RockyCard.

Any students who need support, whether meals or other care support, may access University staff at the Bulldog Support Tent located on Reed Plaza in front of the Highsmith Student Union daily from 9:00am-5:00pm.

Daily Student Meals are available to All Students in Brown Hall. This includes both on-campus and off-campus students:

Breakfast: 9-10:30 a.m.
Lunch: 12-1:30 p.m.
Dinner: 5-6:30 p.m.

For Students Outside of Asheville
UNC Asheville students who have relocated may visit any constituent UNC institution to seek health and counseling services and other support. Students are directed to bring their RockyCard. For a list of UNC institutions and their locations, please visit https://www.northcarolina.edu/institutions/

Additional resources are being developed to aid recovery efforts. More information on these resources will be forthcoming.

To Our Entire UNC Asheville Community
Our hearts are with the entire Bulldog family and greater Western North Carolina community during this unprecedented generational event. Please stay safe. UNC Asheville will recover, and we look forward to when we can all be together again. #BulldogStrong

Saturday, September 28th
4:49 p.m.

UNC Asheville is operating under Condition 3 (Closure) effective immediately. The University will remain in Condition 3 (Closure) until Monday, October 7, 2024. All classes are suspended until Wednesday, October 9, 2024.

A MESSAGE FROM CHANCELLOR VAN NOORT:

“Conditions at UNC Asheville are difficult. Significant tree damage has occurred and parts of campus are inaccessible. Everyone is safe. Cell and internet coverage is nonexistent at this point. Classes will be suspended until October 9. We are providing security, food, water, and comfort to the students remaining on campus.”

STUDENTS AND FAMILIES: Our immediate attention is on supporting the safety and well-being of our students. Due to emergency response efforts throughout the region, city and county communication and services are strained. Students on campus are safe in residence halls, and they have food and drinking water. They do not have the ability to make calls or text. Communications across Buncombe County are nearly impossible.

NON-MANDATORY EMPLOYEES: Non-mandatory employees are instructed to seek safety and avoid campus until Monday, October 7, 2024.

MANDATORY EMPLOYEES: All mandatory employees are instructed to report to campus to communicate directly with their supervisor, likely in Weizenblatt, Sam Miller, or Governors Hall.

GENERAL PUBLIC: Due to unsafe conditions and significant recovery operations, members of the public are instructed to please avoid campus.

Stay Safe

We urge all members of our campus community to prioritize safety. For further updates, please continue to monitor Bulldog Alerts and your campus email.

Friday, September 27th
9:28 p.m.

Weather impacts have created multiple hazards on campus and significantly compromised university infrastructure. Conditions surrounding the campus present extreme and unprecedented safety hazards and have severely impaired emergency response capacity.

North Carolina is in a State of Emergency.

The City of Asheville is issuing a curfew effective 7:30 p.m.-7:30 a.m. The university is currently experiencing:

• No electricity
• No water
• No cellular service or ability to send or receive texts
• Dangerous conditions due to fallen trees and limbs
• Damaged trees
• Downed powerlines
• Unstable saturated soil

Our immediate attention is on supporting the life and safety of our students. We will provide an update on campus operations by tomorrow morning, Saturday, September 28 so that students that can travel home can do so when it is safe and in the daylight.

Friday, September 27th
12:44 p.m.

Utilize 828-251-6710 to contact University Police until further notice. Please share with UNC Asheville campus community.

Friday, September 27th
11:30 a.m.

This is a dangerous situation. Do not go outside or travel. There are downed power lines, falling trees, roads are blocked.

Friday, September 27th
10:40 a.m.

Continue to shelter. Roads are impassable and travel is dangerous.

Friday, September 27th
8:30 a.m.

Dining delayed. Shelter in buildings. Do not go outside. Updates will be provided when it is safe to go outside.

Friday, September 27th
7:00 a.m.

Hurricane Helene has reached Western North Carolina and begun to impact campus. We anticipate a significant weather impact this morning.

Campus Updates
Our campus Emergency Operations Center has been open and actively monitoring the storm and campus impacts throughout the night.

Campus is currently without power and internet. Impacts on cellular networks have caused data instability. This means cellular and text services are failing.

At this time, water and other utilities are still intact. We will continue to monitor and update the campus community as needed.

Stay Safe
Please make every effort to stay protected during the storm:

• Stay inside and avoid travel.
• Have a way to get weather alerts and forecast updates, and stay informed through the entire event. A great resource is weather.gov.

Please continue to monitor Bulldog Alerts and your campus email. If you need University Police, contact, (828) 251-6710.

Thursday, September 26th
7:35 p.m.

As we prepare for Hurricane Helene to impact Western North Carolina and campus, please make every effort to stay protected during the storm:

• Stay inside after 8pm and avoid travel.
• Have a way to get weather alerts and forecast updates, and stay informed through the entire event. A great resource is weather.gov.
• Charge phones and electronic devices while power is available.
• Follow all Bulldog Alerts.

Evacuation Order Guidance
Buncombe County may issue an Evacuation Order to all county residents living within proximity to the French Broad River. Please review the following guidance on Evacuation Orders:

• Students Living In Campus Residence Halls – General evacuation orders may not apply to residence halls. If evacuation of any campus residence hall becomes necessary, then a Bulldog Alert will be issued, and students will be notified directly by Campus Officials. Students should continue to monitor Bulldog Alerts closely and follow all requests and orders made by Campus Officials.
• Students Living Off Campus – Follow all evacuation orders and listen to local officials.

Stay Safe
Please continue to monitor Bulldog Alerts and your campus email. If you need University Police, contact (828) 251-6710.

Thursday, September 26th
8:30 a.m.

Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff,

Due to the continued severe weather and worsening conditions, UNC Asheville will move to suspended operations (Condition 2) and suspend all classes and campus activities effective at 9:30 a.m. today, Thursday, September 26. The University will remain in Condition 2 and all classes and campus activities will remain suspended through 11:59 p.m on Friday, September 27.

For Students and Faculty:
Classes scheduled before 9:30 a.m. will proceed remotely, but all classes and activities after 9:30 a.m. are canceled for the remainder of the day.

For Students:
While it is currently raining on campus, Hurricane Helene is not slated to reach the region until Thursday evening. Given the change in storm forecast overnight and the high likelihood of quickly deteriorating conditions on campus, we are encouraging students who can travel home or to another safe location to do so for the remainder of the weekend. For students who are unable to travel home, Residence Halls and dining services will remain open, although with limited and likely impaired services and operations. Students will receive a follow-up email with additional information and a required Storm Check-In Form.

Students who are able to travel to a safe location should check their route before traveling and then communicate with friends and family, letting them know you’re traveling and your estimated time of arrival. Contact emergency services if necessary.

For All Employees:
Non-mandatory employees are directed NOT to report to campus. Non-mandatory employees are permitted to work remotely, as authorized by their supervisors. Employees should code leave if not working or may make up the time within 90 days.

Mandatory employees should continue to follow instructions from their supervisors and report to work unless otherwise notified.

Stay Safe

We urge all members of our campus community to prioritize safety and avoid travel if possible. If you must travel, please monitor local conditions and proceed with extreme caution.

For further updates, please continue to monitor Bulldog Alerts and your campus email. Stay informed by visiting weather.gov for the most up-to-date information on weather conditions in our area.

Thank you for your cooperation, and please stay safe.

In case of an emergency on campus, contact Campus Police at 828-232-5000.

In the event of an alert on campus, this website will be updated frequently with instructions and information about the incident, campus services and resources available to the campus community.