UCF is actively monitoring Tropical Storm Idalia in conjunction with our local National Weather Service office in Melbourne and the National Hurricane Center. For the latest information and more on hurricane preparations visit UCF’s hurricane website.
The university appreciates the flexibility shown by our community as we adjusted operations due to Hurricane Idalia. UCF will return to standard operations on Thursday, Aug. 31, with previously announced changes for game day
Hurricane Idalia was a major storm whose devastating impact to parts of Florida continues to become known. While we are grateful that our campuses and community faced minimal impact, we recognize that our students, faculty, and staff may be feeling the storm’s impact in other ways.
We encourage compassion and support for those who may have been affected. Resources are available:
- Students: Students with family in hard-hit areas or who need support should fill out the Hurricane Student Support Form. Student Care Services will reach out to students who complete the form directly to connect them with academic accommodations and other resources.
- Faculty and Staff: UCF’s Employee Assistance Program is available to provide work, life, and mental health support for our faculty and staff.
Select campus dining options and services are open today to support students who live on campus. You can view an updated listing of dining options and services here.
Academic and most campus operations are suspended Wednesday, Aug. 30. Students, faculty, and staff should remain indoors and off the roads during periods of possible intermittent tropical winds and weather.
Select campus dining facilities and student services will be open on Wednesday to support students who live on campus.
Dining
- ’63 South: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Starbucks (HPA): 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Chick-fil-A (John T. Washington Center): 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- POD Market Convenience (Academic Village): 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Select Student Union Dining Options: 3 to 8 p.m.
- Barnie’s (Library): 3 to 8 p.m.
- Smoothie King (RWC): 3 to 11 p.m.
Knights Plaza
- Subway: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Knightro’s: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Jimmy John’s: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Burger U: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
- Gringos Locos: 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. Thursday
Student Services
- Knights Pantry: 3 to 6 p.m.
- John C. Hitt Library: 3 p.m. to 1 a.m. Thursday
- Recreation and Wellness Center: 3 p.m. to midnight
- Student Union: 3 p.m. to midnight
- UCF Campus Bookstore (John T. Washington Center): 3 to 8 p.m.
Academic and most campus operations are suspended Wednesday, Aug. 30. Students, faculty, and staff should remain indoors and off the roads during periods of possible intermittent tropical winds and weather.
Standard operations will continue through 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 29, and are planned to resume Thursday, Aug. 31. Select campus dining facilities and student services will be open on Wednesday to support students who live on campus.
Classes: All classes are canceled Wednesday. No in-person, remote, or online classes should be held or any assignments due during the suspension of classes Wednesday.
Employees: Employees should remain home Wednesday. Critical personnel and other staff who support students and operations may be required to work Wednesday and should talk to their supervisors today about expectations. Additional information will be shared today about how to report emergency closure time off in Workday.
Residence Halls: All residence halls will remain open. Residents are not being encouraged to leave campus. To assist students, additional grocery shuttles will run Tuesday at the main and UCF Downtown campuses.
Campus Services: Select campus dining options will be open Wednesday, including ’63 South and Knightro’s, which will open at 10 a.m. Wednesday. The John C. Hitt Library, Recreation and Wellness Center, and Student Union will open at 3 p.m. Wednesday. Shuttles will not run Wednesday. Employees who work in these areas should talk to their supervisor about their schedule Wednesday.
Research: All critical research labs will remain accessible.
Football: UCF Football’s first game of the season against Kent State remains as scheduled to kick off at 7 p.m. Thursday at FBC Mortgage Stadium. Game day operations will be in effect when UCF reopens Thursday
UCF will continue to monitor Hurricane Idalia and will use the UCF Alert text and email message system to communicate any updates. More information about how to prepare for a hurricane and UCF’s hurricane protocols are available at https://www.ucf.edu/hurricane/.
As we communicated earlier today, UCF is closely monitoring the path and potential impact of Tropical Storm Idalia.
While we do not anticipate disruption to normal campus operations, we will continue to monitor the storm and will provide an update by 2 p.m. Tuesday informed by the latest forecasts. An important consideration will be updated projections around tropical storm-force winds on Wednesday, which could impact the ability of UCF shuttles, school buses, public transit, and emergency vehicles to run.
Now is the time to prepare, not panic. Please take time to get your storm preparations in order and review your personal hurricane safety plans before the onset of severe weather.
Supporting our students’ success in all circumstances is an important goal for all of us. While we do not plan to depopulate campus, weather conditions may make it important to demonstrate extra empathy and flexibility with students regarding attendance policies and assignments.
For Researchers
At this time, we do not expect limitations for accessing research labs.
Should weather conditions require us to suspend normal operations, it becomes the responsibility of each department to take protective actions in their own laboratories to safeguard people, research, labs, and buildings. This checklist is a useful but not necessarily comprehensive guide.
Please take care of yourselves, and thank you for your compassion for our students and each other.
Stay safe,
Michael D. Johnson, Ph.D.
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
UCF’s Emergency Management team is actively monitoring Tropical Storm Idalia in conjunction with our local National Weather Service office in Melbourne and the National Hurricane Center.
At this time, we do not anticipate disruption to normal campus operations. We do not plan to depopulate campus. We will continue to monitor the storm and will provide an update by 2 p.m. Tuesday.
Hurricane season lasts through November 30, and it is a good idea to have a well-stocked hurricane kit, including enough water and food for three days, along with any necessary medications. To assist students, additional grocery shuttles will run Tuesday at the main and UCF Downtown campuses.
The UCF Alert text and email message system will be used to keep the university community informed. All students, faculty, and staff automatically are signed up to receive these messages.
More information about how to prepare for a hurricane and UCF’s hurricane protocols are available at ucf.edu/hurricane