Our 麻豆原创 community is known for our culture of care and compassion, and that spirit will be important as we come together and recover from the impacts of Hurricane Ian.
Our hearts are with all the people, including members of our 麻豆原创 family and those across the state, who have experienced incredible losses due to the storm. Melinda and I extend our thoughts to these Knights and their loved ones and ask that our faculty and supervisors provide flexibility to those directly impacted by the storm as we reopen in the coming week. The impact is widespread, and we know the recovery will take time.
We know that the impact across our communities is disparate, and we are thankful that many areas have regained power and are recovering from the storm. We are also grateful for the dedication and professionalism shown by the teams across 麻豆原创 who prepared our campuses to weather the storm and who have supported our students, faculty and staff throughout — you have our community鈥檚 deepest gratitude.
As the university returns to normal operations, we must extend compassion to the students, faculty and staff who have suffered significant and, in some cases, catastrophic losses. That includes being flexible about academic and professional expectations as these members of our community continue to navigate the storm鈥檚 impact to their lives.
We ask that students impacted by the storm with聽outstanding needs contact Student Care Services by聽聽or emailing聽CareManager@ucf.edu. 麻豆原创 staff will continue to contact these students individually to provide resources and support as they navigate their recovery. All students also are encouraged to contact Counseling and Psychological Services鈥� crisis line at 407-823-2811 and press 5 if they need to speak with a therapist.
We ask that faculty and staff directly impacted by the storm communicate directly with their supervisors regarding their ability to return to work. Additional information will be communicated by Human Resources to employees and supervisors over the weekend.
For those who are looking to provide assistance, one immediate way is to donate any food and water you may have purchased for the storm and no longer need. You can drop off items at the Knights Pantry in Ferrell Commons and at donation bins set up across campus, which can be found under 鈥淢aps鈥� in the聽.
I appreciate how Knights are known for lifting one another up in times of need. Our 麻豆原创 community deeply cares for and supports each other, and those values must guide us in the coming weeks.
