IMPORTANT: Weather Advisory 2 for Thursday, March 18, 2021

Members of the Barton College Community,

The College’s Emergency Response Team has been closely monitoring the weather conditions forecasted for Thursday, March 18, 2021.

The forecasts continue to predict over an inch of rain, severe thunderstorms, damaging winds, and the potential for hail/isolated tornadoes.

As a result, the College has made the following decisions for Thursday, March 18 —

  • All courses offered after 2 p.m. on Thursday will be cancelled.  Work will be made up at a later date.
  • All non-essential on-campus operations, which can cease, should also do so at 2 p.m.  This includes any athletic practices or other co-curricular activities.
  • Employees should consult with their supervisors about variance to this guidance—i.e. working remotely tomorrow, or in the case of essential employees, remaining on campus.

The Culinary Center plans to close at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. Students should plan to eat early so they can be in their residence halls by the time the storms begin.

  • The Culinary Center will be open on Thursday, serving hot food from 7 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and again from 11:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
  • Students are highly encouraged to get their dinner before 4:30 p.m. and to take to-go meals with them so they have plenty to eat. Bags will be available to help carry the containers more easily.
  • Blue’s Late Night will not be offered on Thursday evening.
  • In the event of a Tornado Warning, the Culinary Center will have to temporarily close, regardless of the time.

To prepare for the possibility of severe weather, remember to —

  • Make sure your cell phones are charged.
  • Make sure your family is aware of your location.
  • Make sure your office and residence hall windows are closed and secure.
  • Make sure you have dined or picked up your meal in the Culinary Center by 4:30 p.m., if you are a residential student.
  • Make a concerted effort to park your vehicles on campus away from trees that could be damaged from high winds.

Remember to stay indoors when the severe weather begins.

If a Tornado Warning Alert is issued, immediately move to an interior space of your building with no windows.

  • Hackney Hall Residents should move to their bathrooms.
  • East Campus Suites, Hilley Hall, Waters Hall, and Wenger Hall Residents should move to interior hallways.

Please watch your email for additional updates. And, please use caution and good judgment as you travel on Thursday.

Thank you,

Kathy Daughety

Office of Public Relations