I am pleased to announce our reopening plans.  I know everyone is anxious to return to normal campus operations and activities, but Hurricane Ida significantly impacted our campus as well as many of our faculty, staff and students.

While significant progress has been made, campus recovery work will continue and access to some locations will be limited for a period of time.  As a result, faculty, staff and students should not return to campus until the appropriate date identified below.

Accordingly, Southeastern facilities, classes and activities will follow a phased reopening plan beginning next week.  Please note the important dates below:

• Monday, September 13:  Baton Rouge Nursing Center & Livingston Center reopen for faculty and staff, but classes will resume on Friday, September 17 as per below.
• Tuesday, September 14 – Thursday, September 16: Residential students will follow a phased return and will receive information from University Housing regarding the specific return dates.  Dining services will reopen as students return.
• Wednesday, September 15 – Thursday, September 16: Sims Memorial Library will be open from 9 AM to 6 PM for those residential students returning to campus.  The Pennington Student Activity Center will partially open for residential students from 9 AM to 6 PM as well.
• Friday, September 17: Campus will reopen. Offices and departments will follow normal operating schedules. Classes will resume via remote delivery.  Faculty will have access to offices, labs, classrooms unless notified otherwise.  All remaining staff return to campus.
• Monday, September 20: All classes and activities resume pre-closure status and schedules.

Students:  Please monitor email for specific instructions from your instructors.

Faculty:  The Provost will communicate additional information regarding the Academic Recovery Plan, including adjustments to the Fall 2021 Semester Academic Calendar.  Faculty will receive more specific instructions from Deans or Department Heads.

Staff:  As noted in my previous email, some staff may be deemed essential and be expected to return earlier.  Please monitor email for communications from your supervisor and/or reach out to your supervisor with questions.

Students, faculty and staff who need internet access before campus fully reopens will be able to do so at the Livingston Center and the Baton Rouge Nursing Center beginning on Monday and Sims Library beginning on Wednesday.

I want to thank everyone for their patience and understanding as we have worked to restore campus.  I ask that everyone continue to exercise patience and understanding as we now work to ensure our faculty, staff and students can successfully resume the semester.

LION UP!

John L. Crain
President