The University of West Florida remains without power as crews work to clear fallen trees and assess damage from Hurricane Isaias, but President Manny Diaz Jr. says the university appears to have escaped serious structural damage.
In an interview with WUWF on Monday morning, Diaz said crews began clearing roads on the university's Pensacola campus at 3 a.m. Saturday, shortly after the hurricane passed. Since then, workers have been removing fallen trees that blocked roads, building entrances and parking lots.
"As of now, we haven't found a lot of structural damage, thankfully," Diaz said.
He said several trees narrowly missed university buildings, including the WUWF radio station. Initial inspections have found no significant damage to academic buildings or residence halls, although a more complete assessment will have to wait until electricity is restored.
The university has been closed since the hurricane and will remain closed through at least Tuesday. Only essential personnel are permitted on campus.
Diaz said the university is assessing conditions twice daily and expects to announce a decision about Wednesday's operations late Monday afternoon. Administrators plan to provide roughly 48 hours' notice of reopening decisions to give students and employees time to return.
Restoring power to residence halls is an immediate priority. Some students remain in emergency shelter, and Diaz said the university intends to bring students and employees back in stages before resuming classes.
Even after power is restored, portions of campus may need to remain barricaded while crews remove debris and operate heavy machinery.
The storm also disrupted the university's internet service and other technology systems. Diaz said university IT employees have established alternate connections that will allow critical administrative functions, including payroll, to continue.
Inauguration postponed; homecoming uncertain
The hurricane has also disrupted a week of university celebrations, including Diaz's formal inauguration as UWF's seventh president.
Diaz said all inauguration-related activities, including Friday's installation ceremony, have been postponed. New dates have not been announced.
Homecoming activities scheduled for the same week remain uncertain. Diaz said some events could proceed if the campus reopens and normal operations resume in time, but no final decisions have been made.
Saturday's homecoming football game against West Alabama remains a possibility. The game is scheduled for 4 p.m. at PenAir Field.
Diaz said the stadium sustained relatively minor damage, including torn signage on the scoreboard and a damaged play clock. The playing field remains in good condition, but engineers must still confirm that the stands are safe for spectators.
UWF canceled its home game against Northeastern State last Saturday because of the approaching hurricane. Diaz said the university hopes to avoid losing a second game, although restoring campus operations and ensuring the safety of students and employees take precedence.
He also suggested that football could provide a welcome diversion for residents coping with the storm's aftermath.
"So if we can get it done and we can certainly be that rallying point, we will look to do that," Diaz said.
Flexibility for students and employees
Diaz acknowledged that the hurricane has affected university employees, students and their families, even as the campus itself escaped more severe damage.
He said the university intends to provide flexibility as students and employees deal with damaged homes, utility outages and other recovery needs.
University officials will continue issuing daily updates through official communications channels, including email and social media. Students living on campus will receive additional instructions about when they can safely return to their residence halls.
For now, Diaz emphasized that the campus remains closed to the public and that no one will be permitted to return until conditions are safe.
"We won't, we won't return folks onto the campus until we are safe. That is the priority," he said.
