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We have been informed by the state’s school and college building regulator, the Division of State Architects (DSA), that in the case of a seismic event, Davies Hall may be vulnerable to catastrophic damage and become a safety risk. With this information from DSA, confirmation from a contracted structural engineer, and keeping the health and safety of our community at the forefront, we have made the difficult decision to close Davies Hall effective the morning of Friday, September 8.
Davies Hall was built to all appropriate standards at the time of construction, but DSA has retroactively changed its safety standards for certain types of construction based on new analysis of previously approved design standards. While DSA has not ordered us to immediately evacuate the building, the information provided and our own due diligence raises concerns and we cannot in good conscience continue to keep the building open.
If you are currently taking a class in Davies Hall with in-person class meetings, please check your Canvas and email in advance of your next class period for instructions from your professor. All classes will be moved temporarily to distance education (online) instruction for the next two weeks, beginning Friday, September 8 while we work to identify available classroom space at other buildings across the campus. We understand that you signed up for a class with an in-person classroom experience, and we will do everything we can to find an alternate space. Given the short amount of time that we expect classes to be fully online, we hope that you will stay enrolled during this temporary period and work with your instructor(s) to access any support services and resources you may need to be successful. We are here to provide direction and resources that you may need to ensure you are successful.
This is, understandably, not how we had hoped to start the school year, but the entire College is here to support you as we make this critical transition that supports the safety of our campus community.
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