Winter Weather Update for February 15-23

Winter Weather Update, Saturday 4:00 p.m. Given the significant impacts to our students, faculty and staff, all instruction and non-essential operations will be remote for Monday, Feb. 22 and Tuesday, Feb. 23. Supervisors should work directly with faculty and staff who may be experiencing situations that impact the ability to instruct/work remotely and students should work directly with their faculty member. No graded activities will be due before Thursday, Feb. 25 at 8 a.m.

• All CORPS activities are suspended through Tuesday and will resume Wednesday morning.
• Conditions on campus continue to remain stable, however some facilities are still experiencing limited water service. Affected students have been contacted via their university emails with temporary alternate options.
• Students and non-essential personnel may return to campus if needed starting Sunday.
• Information on instructional activities, including adjusted exam and assessment schedules, will be posted here when available.
• Dining services continues to serve brunch and dinner from Captain’s Landing with alternate options for those with food allergies. Normal operations and locations will resume on Monday.
• The library and recreation facilities are open with regular hours.
• The bookstore, copy center, mail center will resume normal operations and hours on Monday.
• Portable toilets, bottled water and potable water are still being provided throughout campus. Please bring your own individual water bottle and save disposable bottles as they are in short supply.
• Drinking water should be picked up at the fresh water locations on campus. A boil water advisory is in place for the City of Galveston and several surrounding areas. All water for consumption should be boiled and cooled prior to use; water does not need to be boiled for other purposes.
• The Galveston Campus will be doing campus community COVID-19 testing on campus next week. Details on dates, locations and times will be communicated on Monday after 3 p.m.
• Individuals and business owners who sustained losses in the designated area can begin applying for assistance by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-3362 or 1-800-462-7585 TTY.

Winter Weather Update, Friday 5:00 p.m. Campus conditions remain stable. All previously communicated resources remain on campus. Instructions for next week’s instruction and operational activities, including CORPS activities, will be communicated on Saturday after 3 p.m. or sooner. Students who are off campus, are comfortable and can stay in their current location should continue to do so until instructions are provided Saturday to allow us to continue to support the City of Galveston in stabilizing services. Drinking water should be picked up at the fresh water locations on campus. A boil water advisory is in place for the City of Galveston and several surrounding areas. All water for consumption should be boiled and cooled prior to use; water does not have to be boiled for other purposes. Information on instructional activities, including adjusted exam and assessment schedules, will be posted here when available. Winter Weather Update, Friday 1:00 p.m. Conditions on campus remain stable. Power, heat and water has been restored throughout most of campus. All previously communicated resources remain on campus. The mail center has resumed normal hours and students are encouraged to pick up packages. A boil water advisory remains in effect for the City of Galveston and surrounding areas and we strongly encourage you to pick up drinking water from the fresh water stations on campus. Water for consumption – drinking, washing hands/face, making ice and brushing teeth – must be boiled and cooled. This includes filtered water. Water does not have to be boiled for all other purposes. We continue to monitor conditions and will provide instructions for next week’s instruction and operational activities no later than Saturday, Feb. 20 after 3 p.m. if not sooner. Texas A&M in College Station has provided information on the impacts of this week’s cancelation that is also applicable to the Galveston Campus:

• No changes will be made to the end date of the semester and all planned reading days and holidays will remain as scheduled. Your faculty member will determine how to deliver the content missed this week.
• No graded activities or exams will be due before Feb. 25 at 8 a.m. for all instructional activities originally scheduled for Monday, Feb. 15 – Wednesday, Feb. 24.
• To accommodate delayed scheduled exams, common exams will be rescheduled and faculty now have the option to administer exams during the last week of classes.
• Faculty will be revising and posting their syllabi no later than 8 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 25.
• The midterm grading period has been extended until Monday, Mar. 15.
• The Q-drop and withdraw deadlines have been extended to 5 p.m. on April 30

Winter Weather Update, Thursday 4:15 p.m. The Houston/Galveston region continues to experience long-term service outages caused by the winter weather systems that have impacted much of the state. Weather and road conditions along the immediate coast are expected to remain improved, however much of the state will experience extended temperatures below freezing that will cause life-threatening travel conditions. Staff continues to take extraordinary measures to ensure our remaining on-campus population have their basic needs met. We know you are all frustrated and tired with the loss of basic services – hang in there! We are working closely with state, county and city officials for relief. Please let us know if you need assistance by emailing [email protected]. The following information contains updated resources and community information; please read in its entirety. Our next campus update will be after 10 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 19. Immediate on-campus impacts will be communicated via text through the Sea Aggie Alert system.

• Currently power and sporadic water service has been restored on campus, however most of campus remains without heat and water service. We strongly encourage you to conserve water and power. If possible, store water for sanitation and hygienic purposes. While we have not been provided guidance on when power and water services are expected to be fully restored, those remaining on campus should prepare for intermittent outages through the next several days.
• Student residents of Oceans and Hullabaloo who would like to relocate through the weekend may check-in at the Maritime Academy Hall front-desk after 4:30 p.m.
• Off-campus students who are without power and/or water should email [email protected] for assistance.
• Fresh drinking water is available at Captain’s Landing, Student Center, Waterfront Pavilion and in all residence hall lobbies. Bring a refillable water bottle if able. Individual bottles of water are in short supply and should be refilled, not discarded.
• Warming and charging stations have been extended across campus to include the Waterfront Pavilion, Student Center and common areas in Atlantic, Pacific and Maritime Academy residence halls for all on and off-campus students.
• Portable toilets are stationed outside each residence hall and throughout campus.
• Dining services continues to provide brunch and dinner meal service with reduced variety at Captain’s Land for both on and off-campus students. Alternate options are available upon request for those who have food allergies.
• The library and recreational facilities are open as long as power remains on campus. Check the app for details and hours.
• All instruction, including exams and assessments and non-essential operations remain canceled through Sunday and non-essential staff should remain off-campus through the weekend. Assessments includes all tests, homework and assignments.
• CORPS activities remain suspended through Sunday. Additional communications will be provided over the weekend with further instructions.
• The City of Galveston and all surrounding cities have issued a boil water advisory that will remain in effect until further notice. Water should be boiled prior to consumption, including drinking, washing hands/faces, cooking, making ice and brushing teeth. Water may be used for non-consumption purposes without being boiled. If you do not have power to boil water continue to use bottled water.
• Local officials have issued a reminder for residents to track expenses incurred as a result of the winter storm in case individual assistance becomes available from FEMA. Take photos of spoiled food and water damage before being fixed, and track expenses for items such as plumbing repairs, lodging, etc. There is no guarantee of individual assistance at this time, but officials want residents to be aware and prepared.
• All students and staff on-campus should continue to follow COVID-19 community mitigation strategies: wearing masks over the mouth and nose, maintaining physical hygiene practices, maintaining physical distance and staying home if sick.
• State, county and city emergency management officials continue to strongly discourage unnecessary travel as most of the state and surrounding areas will continue to have life threatening travel conditions. If travel is absolutely necessary, road and travel conditions should be monitored via the Texas Department of Transportation at  drivetexas.org  or call toll free at 800-452-9292 prior to departure.

Winter Weather Update, Thursday 11:30 a.m. Power was restored to campus yesterday evening. Please conserve energy where possible and prepare now for possible sporadic outages throughout the day. Water remains out on campus and throughout much of the Galveston region. The City of Galveston and many of the surrounding cities have issued a boil water advisory once water is restored. This means that any water for human consumption must be boiled and cooled before drinking to ensure safety. This includes water used for drinking, washing hands/face, cooking, making ice and brushing teeth. Water may be used for non-consumption purposes without being boiled. If you do not have power to boil water continue to use bottled bottle.

• Fresh drinking water is available at Captain’s Landing, Student Center, Waterfront Pavilion and in all residence hall lobbies. Students should bring a refillable water bottle if able. Individual bottles of water are in short supply and should be refilled, not discarded.
• Portable toilets have been delivered to campus and are stationed outside each residence hall and throughout campus.
• Dining services will continue to provide brunch and dinner meal service with reduced variety at Captain’s Landing for both on and off campus students. Alternate options are available upon request for those who have food allergies.
• The library is now open until 8 p.m. as long as power remains on campus. Normal operating hours will resume Friday as long as power remains.
• All students and staff on-campus should continue to follow COVID-19 community mitigation strategies including wearing masks over the mouth and nose, maintaining physical hygiene practices, maintaining physical distance, and staying home if sick.
• The City of Galveston has issued a preemptive boil water advisory that will remain in effect until further notice. Once restored, water will be safe for non-consumption purposes but drinking water should be boiled and cooled prior to consumption to prevent illness. Bottled water should be used if boiling is not an option due to power outages.
• Instruction, including exams and assessments, all CORPS activities and non-essential operations remain canceled through Friday.

Staff across the Houston/Galveston region continue to experience connectivity challenges. If you have questions or need assistance, please email [email protected] . State, county and city emergency management officials continue to strongly discourage unnecessary travel as most of the state and surround areas will continue to have life threatening travel conditions. If travel is absolutely necessary, road and travel conditions should be monitored via the Texas Department of Transportation at  drivetexas.org  or call toll free at 800-452-9292 prior to departure. We will continue to provide daily updates via official university communication channels throughout the entirety of this event. Please monitor university email, social media (@aggiesbythesea), mobile app and Sea Aggie Alerts. Our next update will be after 3 p.m. today. Winter Weather Update, Wednesday 6:45 p.m. Conditions on-campus remain the same as previously communicated in our 4 p.m. update. Power and water may return in the overnight hours. The City of Galveston has issued a boil water advisory, meaning that any water for human consumption must be boiled and cooled before drinking to ensure safety. Water will be safe for non-consumption purposes. Continue to use bottled water if the power is out. Immediate on-campus impacts that require action will be communicated via the Sea Aggie Alert system. Additional information and resources will be communicated after 10 a.m. tomorrow. Stay warm and take care of one another Ags! Winter Weather Update, Wednesday 4:00 p.m. The Galveston Campus continues to experience a water and power outage and has not been provided information on when these services will be restored. All instruction, including exams and assessments, and non-essential operations remain canceled through Friday, Feb. 19. Due to life-threatening travel conditions that remain in surrounding areas and continued supply constraints across the region, on campus services will continue throughout the entirety of this event and we will not be evacuating. Extraordinary measures have been taken by staff over the past several hours to meet basic needs on campus: water, sanitation, food and warmth. In spite of regional shortages and supply delivery challenges, fresh water stations have been established, sanitary systems are being implemented, dining services is providing food and warming/charging stations are operating on campus. These services are available for all on and off campus students. Where possible we have reduced other services to allow our teams to continue to focus on meeting these needs.

• Fresh drinking water is available at Captain’s Landing, Student Center, Waterfront Pavilion and in all residence hall lobbies. Students should bring a refillable water bottle if able. Individual bottles of water are in short supply and should be refilled, not discarded.
• Portable toilets are being delivered to campus and will be stationed outside each residence hall. In the meantime, students may use the General Rudder for restroom needs if necessary; check in at the guard shack near the gangway. Additional sanitary systems are being implemented. Instructions will be provided by your housing coordinator or company commander and through the mobile app.
• Dining services will continue to provide brunch and dinner meal service with reduced variety at Captain’s Landing for both on and off campus students. Alternate options are available upon request for those who have food allergies.
• Warming and charging stations are located on campus at the Student Center and Waterfront Pavilion and are open to both on and off campus students.
• The City of Galveston has issued a preemptive boil water advisory that will remain in effect until further notice. Once restored, water will be safe for non-consumption purposes but drinking water should be boiled and cooled prior to consumption to prevent illness. Bottled water should be used if boiling is not an option due to power outages.

Much like the rest of the Houston/Galveston region, connectivity remains a challenge for all of us at Texas A&M University at Galveston. Please send questions to [email protected] . Decisions are being made and reevaluated as conditions change. The Incident Command Team is meeting every four hours and communicating with state, county and city emergency management officials. Information on campus conditions and additional instructions, if applicable, will be communicated following each of those meetings. Our next update will be at 6 p.m. State, county and city emergency management officials continue to strongly discourage unnecessary travel as most of the state and surrounding areas will continue to have life threatening travel conditions. If travel is absolutely necessary, road and travel conditions should be monitored via the Texas Department of Transportation at  drivetexas.org  or call toll free at 800-452-9292 prior to departure. Winter Weather Update, Wednesday 11:00 a.m. Weather conditions have continued to improve and are expected to remain above freezing in our immediate vicinity. Our primary campus impacts continue to be extended loss of power and loss of water similar to the rest of the Houston/Galveston region. While some areas of campus are experiencing sporadic power and water restoration, we anticipate ongoing impacts from long-term outages on campus. Multiple teams have been activated to assess impacts to campus and establish additional systems to meet the basic needs of our community: water, sanitation, food and warmth. Where possible, we have reduced services to allow our teams to focus on meeting these needs. Please read the following information in its entirety. If you have additional questions or need assistance please email [email protected] .

• Fresh drinking water is available at Captain’s Landing and in the Student Center now. Students should bring a water bottle if able. We are working to add additional locations, starting with residence hall lobbies, as additional supplies are delivered. These locations will be communicated by the mobile app as soon as they are established.
• Portable toilets are being delivered to campus and will be stationed outside each residence hall. In the meantime, students may use the General Rudder if necessary. Check in at the guard shack near the gangway. Additional sanitary systems are being created. Once in place, instructions will be provided by your housing coordinator or company commander.
• Dining services will continue to provide brunch and dinner meal service with reduced variety at Captain’s Landing for both on and off campus students. Alternate options are available upon request for those who have food allergies.
• Warming and charging stations are located on campus at the Student Center and Waterfront Pavilion and are open to both on and off campus students.

Decisions are being made and reevaluated throughout the day as conditions change. The Incident Command Team is meeting every four hours and communicating with state, county and city emergency management officials. Information on campus conditions and additional instructions will be communicated following each of those meetings. Our next update will be communicated after 3 p.m. State, county and city emergency management officials continue to strongly discourage unnecessary travel as most of the state and surrounding areas will continue to have life threatening travel conditions. If travel is absolutely necessary, road and travel conditions should be monitored via the Texas Department of Transportation at  drivetexas.org  or call toll free at 800-452-9292 prior to departure. Winter Weather Update, Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. All instruction and non-essential operations, including exams and assessments, are canceled for Wednesday, Feb. 17 through Friday, Feb. 19. On-campus instruction and operations are expected to resume as normal on Monday, Feb. 22. Please take care of yourselves and one another as we continue to experience unprecedented challenges for our area. The information below contains critical planning information. Please review in its entirety. Power remains off through most of the Houston/Galveston region, including on campus. Officials have not been provided guidance on when we can expect power to return. The Incident Command Team will continue to provide updates daily as information becomes available. At this time, weather conditions in the immediate vicinity continue to improve. A second winter weather system is expected to impact the Houston region within the next 24 hours. Significant weather and life-threatening travel impacts are expected inland from this system through the rest of the week. Impacts on the coast are forecast to be largely from rain and continued power outages caused by this system. Temperatures may be at or approach freezing on Friday morning in coastal areas followed by rapid warming. Our primary on-campus impacts remain loss of power and low water pressure due to city power outage. Water pressure is expected to be fully restored within the hour. While some areas of campus are experiencing sporadic power restoration, we anticipate ongoing impacts from long-term outages across campus similar to the rest of the region. All student needs are being attended to by staff on campus and there is no threat to campus safety and security. Students on campus should communicate with their housing coordinator or company commander for warming and charging station locations. Dining services remains open for brunch and dinner at Captain’s Landing with hot food options. The bookstore, library, copy center, mail center and recreation facilities remain closed through Friday. Information regarding student activities will be communicated via the mobile app. Immediate on-campus impacts that require action will be communicated via the Sea Aggie Alert System. State, county and city emergency management officials continue to strongly discourage unnecessary travel as most of the state and surround areas will continue to have life threatening travel conditions. If travel is absolutely necessary, road and travel conditions should be monitored via the Texas Department of Transportation at  drivetexas.org  or call toll free at 800-452-9292 prior to departure. We will continue to provide daily updates via official university communication channels throughout the entirety of this event. Please monitor university email, social media (@aggiesbythesea), mobile app and Sea Aggie Alerts. Winter Weather Update, Tuesday at 12:30 p.m.  Power remains off through most of the Houston/Galveston region, including on campus. Officials have not been provided guidance on when we can expect power to return. The Incident Command Team is evaluating available information throughout the day and will provide additional information after 3 p.m. this afternoon on campus conditions, and instruction and operations for Wednesday. At this time we anticipate our primary impacts to remain loss of power. Temperatures are forecast to rise above freezing this afternoon and remain above freezing through Wednesday in our immediate vicinity. However, state, county and city emergency management officials continue to strongly discourage unnecessary travel as most of the state and surrounding areas are forecast to have continued life threatening travel impacts from a second winter weather system arriving in the next 24-hours. Students, faculty and staff on and off campus should prepare now for continued power outages extending overnight. Staff is available on-campus to address student needs. Students on campus should contact their community housing coordinator or company commander for information regarding on-campus warming and charging stations. Walkways on campus have been treated for ice, but some areas remain hazardous and caution should be used when traversing campus. Dining services remains open for brunch and dinner at Captain’s Landing with hot food options. The bookstore, library, copy center, mail center and recreation facilities remain closed today. Information regarding student activities will be communicated via the mobile app. Immediate on-campus impacts that require action will be communicated via the Sea Aggie Alert System. All students and staff on-campus should continue to follow COVID-19 community mitigation strategies including wearing masks over the mouth and nose, maintaining physical hygiene practices, maintaining physical distance, and staying home if sick. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION The National Weather Service has issued the following tips for staying warm when the power is out:

• Close blinds or curtains to keep in some heat.
• Close off rooms to avoid wasting heat.
• Wear layers of loose-fitting, lightweight, warm clothing.
• Eat and drink. Food provides energy to warm the body. Avoid caffeine and alcohol.
• Stuff towels or rags in cracks under the doors

If travel is absolutely necessary, road and travel conditions should be monitored via the Texas Department of Transportation at  drivetexas.org  or call toll free at 800-452-9292 prior to departure. Winter Weather Update, Monday at 4:30 p.m.  All instruction and non-essential activities are canceled for Tuesday, Feb. 16. Weather conditions are expected to continue to impact travel and create power outages throughout the Houston/Galveston region through Tuesday according to state, county and city emergency management officials. Road conditions are expected to deteriorate rapidly this evening and remain hazardous through tomorrow. All students, faculty and staff are strongly encouraged to remain in their current location and to avoid travel. All students and staff on campus should prepare for continued power outages through the overnight hours and take precautions now to remain warm. Staff with Campus Living & Learning are on campus to support student needs. Students should contact their community leader or company commander for assistance.

• Dining services remains open for brunch and dinner service at Captain’s Landing
• Recreational facilities are closed
• The library is closed

We will continue to provide updates as information becomes available. Any immediate on-campus impacts that require action will be communicated via the Sea Aggie Alert system. At this time all instructional and on-campus operations are expected to resume as normal on Wednesday, Feb. 17. However, an additional winter weather system is expected to pass through the region on Wednesday, Feb. 17. At this time, it is too early to determine potential impacts to on-campus activities from this system. More information will be provided as details become available. Stay weather aware, warm and safe Ags! ADDITIONAL INFORMATION The National Weather Service has issued the following tips for staying warm when the power is out:

• Close blinds or curtains to keep in some heat.
• Close off rooms to avoid wasting heat.
• Wear layers of loose-fitting, lightweight, warm clothing.
• Eat and drink. Food provides energy to warm the body. Avoid caffeine and alcohol.
• Stuff towels or rags in cracks under the doors

If travel is absolutely necessary, road and travel conditions should be monitored via the Texas Department of Transportation at drivetexas.org or call toll free at 800-452-9292 prior to departure. Winter Weather Update, Monday at 12:30 p.m.  Campus is currently experiencing power outages due to winter weather. Based on currently known information provided by Center Point Energy, we expect these outages to continue through the day. In keeping with instructions from state, county and city emergency management officials, we strongly encourage all students and staff on campus to remain in their current location. Campus Living & Learning staff have provided indoor entertainment for student residents and are available to support student needs. Additional information will be communicated after 3 p.m., including decisions regarding campus instruction and operations for Tuesday. Winter Weather Update, Monday 8:30 a.m.  Per the Sea Aggie Alert at 8 a.m., all remote instruction and non-essential operations are canceled for Monday. Rolling power outages are occurring across the state and road travel is expected to remain extremely hazardous, if not impossible, for the remainder of today and into tomorrow. Limited power outages have taken place on campus and are highly likely to continue to occur throughout the day. All students, faculty and staff are encouraged to remain in their current location and not venture out unless absolutely necessary. The library and recreational facilities are closed. Dining services will continue to serve brunch and dinner with modified hours. Decision concerning instruction and operational activities for Tuesday will be made and communicated this afternoon. Any immediate on-campus impacts will be communicated via the Sea Aggie Alert system. Reminder: Sunday, Feb. 14, 3:30 p.m. All on-campus instructional and operational activities remote only Feb. 15-16 All on-campus instructional and operational activities are remote for Monday, Feb. 15 through Tuesday, Feb. 16 due to winter weather that is predicted to cause hazardous road conditions. Only essential employees should be on campus during this time and should carefully monitor road conditions prior to travel. Scattered power outages in the Houston-Galveston region may occur. Any immediate on-campus impacts that require action will be communicated via the Sea Aggie Alert system.

• Students are strongly encouraged to remain on campus and not to venture out unless absolutely necessary.
• Dining services will serve brunch and dinner with modified hours; check  dineoncampus.com/tamug or the mobile app for locations and hours.
• Campus recreation facilities remain open with modified hours; check the mobile app for details.
• The library is open from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday and Tuesday.
• The bookstore, copy center and mail center are closed Monday and Tuesday.

Students, faculty or staff who anticipate or experience difficulties in learning, instructing or working remotely should contact their respective faculty member, department head or supervisor for instructions. At this time all instructional and on-campus operations are expected to resume as normal on Wednesday, Feb. 17. However, an additional winter weather system is expected to pass through the region on Wednesday, Feb. 17. At this time, it is too early to determine potential impacts to on-campus activities from this system. More information will be provided as details become available. Friday, Feb. 12 at 4:30 p.m. On-campus instructional and operational activities remote only Feb. 15-16 Due to winter weather that is predicted to cause hazardous road conditions, all instructional and non-essential operational activities will take place remotely on Monday, Feb. 15 and Tuesday, Feb. 16. Only essential employees should be on campus during this time and should carefully monitor road conditions prior to travel. Sleet and freezing rain are likely Sunday evening through Monday afternoon. Travel Sunday night through Tuesday will be hazardous, including on Galveston Island, which will impact access to and from Pelican Island. Scattered power outages in the Houston-Galveston region may occur. Any immediate on-campus impacts that require action will be communicated via the Sea Aggie Alerts system. Students, faculty or staff who anticipate or experience difficulties in learning, instructing or working remotely should contact their respective faculty member, department head or supervisor for instructions. At this time all instructional and on-campus operations are expected to resume as normal on Wednesday, Feb. 17. However, an additional winter weather system is expected to pass through the region on Wednesday, Feb. 17. At this time, it is too early to determine potential impacts to on-campus activities from this system. More information will be provided as details become available. STUDENTS

• Students living on-campus are encouraged to stay on campus and not to venture out unless absolutely necessary.
• Dining services will serve brunch and dinner on Monday and Tuesday with modified hours. Check  dineoncampus.com/tamug  or the mobile app for locations and hours.
• Activities on campus are canceled.
• Campus recreation facilities will remain open with modified hours. Details will be communicated via the mobile app.

FACULTY

• All courses, including face-to-face courses, should be taught online during this time in order to minimize travel to and from campus.

STAFF

• All non-essential staff should work remotely. Contact your supervisor to determine if you are considered essential personnel.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Road and travel conditions should be monitored via the Texas Department of Transportation at drivetexas.org or call toll free at 800-452-9292 prior to departure.