Noon, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2008

At the 11:00 AM advisory, the center of Hurricane Ike was located about 130 miles East-Northeast of Guantanamo, Cuba and according the National Hurricane Center (NHC), Broward and Miami-Dade Counties are completely outside of their “Cone of Uncertainty.”  Therefore,  all NSU facilities and classes will be open and on regular schedule tomorrow – September 8, 2008.

NSU operations in the Bahamas will be open Monday, September 8th. I am pleased to report that Hurricane Hanna did not damage our facilities there

I am pleased to give this report instead of one of closure and possible damage from this potentially dangerous hurricane.

For the most up to date information affecting NSU please continue to monitor www.nova.edu website or call our emergency phone line 1.800.256.5065

George L. Hanbury II, Ph.D.
Executive Vice President/COO

As you know, the 2008 hurricane season officially began on June 1 and will continue through November 30. Natural disasters are unforeseen and unfortunate events that, as we have seen in the past, may truly impact our lives. As we enter the 2008 hurricane season, we thought it would be helpful to provide basic information on NSU hurricane policies and procedures that will take effect in the event of a storm emergency.

The authority for declaring the closing of the university and NSU properties is the sole responsibility of the University President. In the event of an emergency, the University President may close a part of or all of the university's campuses, regional sites, and/or locations.

One of the lessons we have learned from previous hurricanes is the importance of establishing a comprehensive communications systems to reach students, parents, faculty, staff and the general public. Should a hurricane strike any of NSU’s campuses or sites, critical information will be accessible through the NSU Hotline at (800) 256-5065 or on the university web site at www.nova.edu.

Just prior to, during and in the aftermath of a hurricane, the NSU homepage will list essential information about campus closings, event cancellations and re-openings. New information will be recorded on the NSU telephone hotline and posted on the website as frequently as warranted. Information will also be made available to local television, radio and print news outlets in an effort to reach those do not have access to a telephone or to the Internet.

At this time, we would like to ask that each department update their emergency contact list and provide a copy to the Office of Public Safety, for use in an emergency situation.

While no amount of planning can offer total protection against communication breakdowns, this multi-channel approach will help to keep everyone informed. We encourage you to review the published NSU emergency procedures by visiting the NSU Public Safety web site.

Thank you for your attention.

Sincerely,

George L. Hanbury II, Ph.D.
Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer
Nova Southeastern University

The responsibility for declaring the closing of the university and NSU properties is the authority of the University President. In the event of an emergency, the University President may close a part of, or all of the university's campuses, regional sites, and/or locations. In the event of the announcement of a Hurricane Warning or other severe weather conditions, the University President will decide when, if and which portions of the university will be closed. Information will also be available on the NSU weather hotline: (800) 256-5065. If you need to review the NSU emergency procedures they are available on the NSU Public Safety website

In Case of Emergency System Shutdown

Should the NSU web site (www.nova.edu) become unavailable due to a hurricane, an alternate informational web site will become available at http://blackout.nova.edu. Please bookmark this link in the event it is needed.