This alert is for all St. Augustine campus students and those students undertaking their clinical experiences in Florida

 October 9, 2024

The University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences emergency management team continues to monitor developments in Florida due to Hurricane Milton. As the impact of the storm is expected to be widespread across the region, the safety of our students and employees remains a top concern. With this in mind, we have made the decision to extend the closure of the St. Augustine campus facilities through Sunday, October 13. Summarized is an update on the plan for resuming campus operations on the St. Augustine campus:

Wednesday, October 9 through Friday, October 11

• The St. Augustine, FL campus facilities are closed, and on-campus activities are canceled. Please do not attempt to access campus.
• All classes will transition to asynchronous format, and campus-based labs will be rescheduled. Lab schedules will be communicated by faculty.

Saturday, October 12 and Sunday, October 13

• The St. Augustine, FL campus facilities are closed, and on-campus activities are canceled. Please do not attempt to access campus.
• All Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy classes and labs are cancelled this weekend. Your Program Director will communicate with you directly about the revised schedules and plans for the make-up of this weekend’s classes and labs.

Once we can survey the campus and grounds, we will provide the all-clear for return. The campus is expected to open under normal operating hours for all students, faculty and staff Monday, October 14, with on-campus classes and labs resuming.

Students undertaking their clinical experiences in the Gulf Coast, North-Central Florida, Northeast Florida region and other impacted areas should check directly with their onsite clinical supervisor as to operations and closure information and follow local government guidance. Any absences should be coordinated with their clinical supervisor and clinical faculty for make-up arrangements.

Checking In after Hurricane Milton Passes

Following the impact of the storm, we ask that you contact the Student Services team to let us know that you are okay. You can check in using one of the options below. Please provide your name, student ID and a brief status update. 

• Email us at studentwellness@usa.edu
• Send a text message to 904-723-8964
• Call the USAHS hotline 855-468-7247, after regular business hours; please leave a message 

We understand that widespread power and Wi-Fi disruptions may occur and ask that you reach out and let us know your status as soon as you can safely contact us.

USAHS Student Support and Resources

If you need assistance or additional resources, please complete a Student Wellness Referral Form, or reach out to us at studentwellness@usa.edu. A staff member from the Student Services team will reach out to you within 24 hours to connect and provide assistance.

• Accommodation will be made for students unable to return to campus due to the impact of Hurricane Milton. Please contact your teaching faculty and Program Director to discuss your individual status.
• Our student assistance program provider, ComPsych, is available to assist with hurricane support and resources. You and the people in your household can call 800-697-0353 to be connected for free, 24/7, to a licensed counselor. You can also access online resources at guidanceresources.com by creating a free account with the Web ID “USAHS.” 
• Links to local resources can be found on the home page of MyUSA.

Below is additional information regarding available shelters and information in St. Augustine area:

Storm Shelters: Three storm shelters will open at 8 a.m.  Wednesday, October 9, to accommodate evacuees:

• General Population—Pedro Menendez High School, 600 State Road 206 West, St. Augustine
• Special Medical Needs—Freedom Crossing Academy, 1365 Shetland Drive, St. Johns
• Pet Friendly—South Woods Elementary School, 4750 State Road 206 West, Elkton

Residents who require transportation to a storm shelter should call the Emergency Management Citizen Information Hotline at 904-824-5550. Transportation will be provided for those in need. More information: Hurricane Evacuation Shelters and Locations—St. Johns County (sjcfl.us)

Storm Safety Tips and to Report an Outage: Florida Power and Light Storm Center

Official details on Milton’s progress, forecast and potential impacts: www.weather.gov/media/jax/briefings/nws-jax-briefing.pdf

St. Johns County Emergency Management and State Resources:

• St. Johns County Emergency Home and Storm Preparation Checklist
• Evacuation Information
• Florida Disaster (Florida Division of Emergency Management): http://www.floridadisaster.org/
• Shelter Information Index: http://floridadisaster.org/shelters/

The Immersion Day event originally scheduled for Saturday, October 12 on the St. Augustine campus is postponed. Incoming students, please watch your email and text for a rescheduled date. 

UPDATE:  The Miami campus facilities will return to normal hours of operations Friday, October 11 as planned, and all in-person classes, labs and operations will resume. Check your usa.edu email for critical updates. 

This alert is for all Miami campus students.

Due to Hurricane Milton, the USAHS Miami campus facilities are closed Wednesday, October 9 through Thursday, October 10 for all employees and students. Classes will continue—transitioning to virtual delivery for Wednesday and Thursday. Please note this critical information:    

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9–THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10 

• The Miami, FL campus facilities are closed, and on-campus activities are canceled. Please do not attempt to access campus. 
• All classes have transitioned to virtual, and campus-based labs will be rescheduled. Lab schedules will be communicated by faculty. 

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11 and WEEKEND
Normal operations and activities are expected to resume at 7 a.m. ET Friday, October 11, and Flex weekend is expected to proceed as planned. If conditions require a change in these operating hours, we will notify our campus community through the University alert system (text message and phone call). Please continue to check your usa.edu email and MyUSA portal regularly for updates. 

Students undertaking their clinical experiences in the Gulf Coast region and other impacted areas should check directly with their onsite clinical supervisor as to operations and closure information and follow local government guidance. Any absences should be coordinated with their clinical supervisor and clinical faculty for make-up arrangements. 

Additional Resources:  

• Accommodation will be made for students unable to return to campus due to the impact of Hurricane Milton. Please contact your teaching faculty and Program Director to discuss your individual status.  
• Please review the storm preparedness tips at MyUSA>Student Services>Safety and Security (must be logged in to access).
• Our student assistance program provider, ComPsych, is available to assist with hurricane support and resources. You and the people in your household can call 800-697-0353 to be connected for free, 24/7, to a licensed counselor. You can also access online resources at guidanceresources.com by creating a free account with the Web ID “USAHS.”