Aug. 31, 10:40 AM:
According to university communications, USF St. Petersburg will reopen on Friday. Classes are also scheduled to continue on Friday.
Residence halls on the St. Petersburg campus are expected to reopen for students by the end of the day on Thursday.
Aug. 30, 4:44 PM:
USF Tampa and Sarasota-Manatee campuses will reopen on Thursday for regular business hours, according to an email sent by university marketing. The St. Petersburg campus will remain closed due to flooding.
Both online and in-person classes at St. Petersburg are canceled through Thursday.
The university hopes to reopen the campus and continue classes on Friday, “pending a thorough assessment by USF staff and evacuation orders being lifted in Pinellas County,” the email said.
Classes on the Tampa and Sarasota-Manatee campus will continue as normal on Thursday.
Aug. 30, 11:37 AM:
According to an email sent by USF housing, the St. Petersburg campus remains closed indefinitely due to the impact of Idalia.
“There is widespread flooding around the campus. USF staff are currently assessing the conditions on campus,” the email said.
Residents will be notified via their USF email when it is safe to return to residence halls.
A decision on when courses will resume will be announced later this afternoon.
Aug. 28, 5:02 PM:
USF St. Petersburg housing has announced plans to evacuate it’s three residence halls, moving students to the Tampa campus’ Juniper-Poplar Hall. All students are required to be out of the dorms by 8 a.m. on Tuesday.
For residents unable to find alternative housing, USF will provide transportation to the Tampa campus.
Students were advised to bring essential supplies for up to six days, as well as sleeping bags, as air mattresses will be limited.
Emotional support animals will not be permitted evacuation to Tampa, meaning students must make alternative arrangements.
Aug. 28, 4:50 PM:
For the second time in two years, the University of South Florida will shut down all three campuses due to an incoming hurricane.
Tropical Storm Idalia is forecasted to strengthen into a Category 3 hurricane and hit the Tampa Bay area as soon as Tuesday.
All three of USF’s campuses will close starting Tuesday and classes are canceled through at least Wednesday in preparation for Idalia. The university is expected to reopen on Thursday, pending an evaluation after the storm.
The situation is similar to last September’s Hurricane Ian, which was predicted to hit the Tampa Bay area directly as a Category 4 storm. Although the hurricane shifted to the southwest at the last minute, USF closed its campuses for a week and evacuated St. Petersburg residents to the Tampa Campus.
So far, Evacuation orders have been given in Pinellas, Pasco and Hillsborough counties for residents in mobile homes or with homes near coastal areas.
Starting Tuesday at 5 p.m., the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority will shut down all public transportation. Evacuating residents are urged to prepare in advance.
Shelters are available throughout the Tampa Bay area for any evacuating residents. A list of open shelters can be found here.
This is a developing story, keep checking The Crow’s Nest for updates.
