From NSU President Dr. Chris Maggio
All classes on Northwestern State University’s main campus in Natchitoches and other sites in Shreveport, Alexandria and Leesville have been cancelled through the Labor Day holiday and will resume on Tuesday, Sept. 8. This includes all in-person and online classes. Anything course-related including, but not limited to, due dates, assignments, and tests, will be adjusted. Please be patient as many instructors are without power or internet service and are unable to update their course due dates at this time.
Power has been restored on the Natchitoches campus, and offices are reopening based on the availability of personnel. A number of employees still do not have power, water and other utilities at their homes and are unable to return to work at this time.
Offices providing essential services on the Natchitoches campus are open, and operations in those areas will be expanded as additional employees return to work.
The Leesville campus is closed because of power outages, and there are curtailed operations and services in Shreveport and Alexandria because of limited personnel.
There has been substantial progress in removing downed trees and other debris from the Natchitoches campus, and those clean-up and recovery efforts are continuing. Damage to buildings on the campus was minimal.
Some internet and telephone operations have been disrupted on all university campuses, and work is progressing on restoring those services to full capacity.
The rapid restoration of power to the main campus has allowed the university to continue most operations, including residential and dining services for students. Northwestern is indebted to Senator Louie Bernard, Senator Jay Luneau, Senator Barry Milligan, Mayor Ronnie Williams and the City of Natchitoches, CLECO, and others for their assistance in restoring power and utilities to the campus.
NSU and the Louisiana School for Math, Science and the Arts are providing housing and food services to SWEPCO personnel and other utility company employees who are in the area restoring power to businesses and residences. SWEPCO officials say being able to remain on-site will result in the accelerated restoration of services.
The Northwestern State University Foundation is establishing a Hurricane Relief Fund to assist students who suffered financial losses as a result of the storm. Additional information on the fund will be available on the university website this week
Students and university personnel who have specific questions or need additional information should check the university’s website, https://www.nsula.edu/hurricane-laura-recovery-updates/, where there is a link to submit questions. University personnel are on site to answer questions.
University personnel who are unable to return to work at this time because of damages to their homes, power outages and similar issues should notify their supervisors.
Thank you for your continued cooperation and assistance as we address these issues. We will continue to keep you update.
