Dear members of the university community,

There is a strong likelihood that South Florida will be impacted by Hurricane Irma later this week and into the weekend. Irma is a large, category 5 hurricane that should not be underestimated. It is imperative that every member of the community takes this threat seriously and pays attention to updates from the National Hurricane Center.

This message contains important information. Please take a moment to read it completely.

Classes canceled

To allow time for the university community to prepare and be safe, all classes, including online classes, are canceled starting at 11 p.m. tonight through the weekend.

Employees are expected to report to work on Wednesday; university services will take place as usual. The university will be closed starting on Thursday. All special events on campus, including the Saturday football game at FIU, are canceled.

Please make good use of this time to prepare, purchase needed supplies and secure property before we start feeling the effects of the weather ahead of the storm.

Prepare

Hurricane preparation may be a new experience for many members of our university community. For tips on what to do, please visit the FIU Department of Emergency Management website or Miami-Dade County’s Hurricane guide.

FIU employees should consult with supervisors about any campus preparations that need to be made, including securing supplies needed to prepare labs, offices or other work space. Before leaving campus at the end of the day on Wednesday, please take the following steps:

Back up all your data in case we lose power. You may use CrashPlan, an online cloud storage solution or Microsoft OneDrive for Business from Office365.

Please guard against flood damage by raising any sensitive equipment off the floor, especially in ground floor offices.

Cover all electronic equipment to protect it from any water leakage that may occur as a result of the storm.

State vehicles need to be filled with fuel and parked in a designated garage.

Campus residents

We urge all students to leave campus. Local students who live on campus, should make plans to ride out the storm at home with family or friends. Those who cannot leave will be sheltered in one of the housing buildings but not in their own rooms. Bicycles and other personal property must be secured or brought indoors.

Please look for more information from Housing and Residential Life.

Students who live in off-campus housing should plan to shelter in place, go home or go to a Miami-Dade County shelter.

This is the time to gather supplies, medication and personal belongings that you will need to have with you over the next few days.

Evacuations

The Miami Beach Urban Studios, the Jewish Museum of Florida, The Wolfsonian-FIU and FIU Downtown on Brickell employees must evacuate by 5 p.m. on Wednesday.

Please note that the recreation center at MMC is closed to members and will serve as a special needs shelter for Monroe County evacuees only starting on Wednesday.

Please note that FIU is not a general population shelter.

Faculty members should not attempt to ride out the storm in campus labs. Please take the time today and Wednesday to secure research and facilities.

Members of the university community who would like to leave a personal vehicle on campus should park in the Blue Garage (PG2) (levels 2-4), PG5 and PG6 (levels 3-6). Please understand that after the storm, the campus may be closed and you may not have access to your vehicle right away.

After the storm

Please note that FIU has a communication protocol in place to keep the community informed about university operations during and after emergencies, including hurricanes. After the storm, please look for updates from FIU emergency managers on your FIU email account. You may also consult newsarchives.fiu.edu and look for announcements on local media.

Anyone who has lived through a hurricane knows what a storm of Irma’s magnitude can do. Please remember that many injuries and fatalities take place in the aftermath of the storm. Please plan ahead and take no chances with your safety during or after the storm.