Inclement Weather Information

When severe weather occurs, we encourage our campus community to take steps to prepare and stay safe. Students can read below for details related to specific housing locations. In addition to this, students, faculty and staff should check university email and university social media accounts for the most current updates and reports, including dining services, which will continue through any inclement weather. The university will notify students via email about campus-wide class cancellations or delays. The decision on class cancellations or delays will be made by 6:30 a.m. each day.

Updates

Feb. 1

Ouachita will return to in-person instruction, and offices will be open on Monday (2/2). Please be careful moving on campus, as the temperatures often cause spots to melt and then re-freeze. Give yourself more time to walk slowly — some paths and parking lots may not be completely cleared.

Faculty, staff and commuters should use their best judgment regarding travel safety. Employees should communicate with supervisors and students with instructors if travel to campus would pose an unreasonable safety risk.

Tornado Safety

A Tornado Watch means conditions are right for a tornado to develop. A Tornado Warning means an actual tornado has been sighted or indicated on radar.

If a Tornado Warning is issued for the Arkadelphia area, avoid going outside. If you’re outside, move indoors. In general, spaces along interior walls in areas without large expanses of unsupported ceiling are safer in tornados. Avoid areas with windows or other glass and cover your head with a blanket or pillow, if available. Most injuries in tornados are caused by flying debris.

Areas on campus that have been designated for tornado warnings are listed below.

Anthony Hall – First floor hallway

Apartments (all) – Lower-level apartment, bathroom or closet

Berry-Peeples Bible Building – Interior offices or hallway behind Chapel

Blackmon-Benson Field House – Meeting room

Cliff Harris Stadium – Bathrooms and concession area

Cone-Bottoms Hall – Lower level

Crews Athletic Pavilion – Move to fieldhouse, if possible

Elrod Center – First floor hallway and restrooms

Evans Student Center – Basement floor hallway behind post office

Flippen-Perrin Hall – First floor hallway

Frances Crawford Hall – First floor hallway

Georgia Hickingbotham Hall – First floor interior bathroom

Gosser Hall – First floor suite restroom

Haley Hatcher Indoor Soccer Pavilion – Goal areas and restrooms

Hatcher Wrestling Complex – Dressing room

Hickingbotham Hall – Lile first floor classroom

Jones Performing Arts Center (JPAC) – Use right side exit doors to hallway and other interior spaces; or, move underneath balcony seating; avoid the lobby of the building

Jones Science Center – Basement

Lile Hall – First floor classroom

Mabee Fine Arts Center – Basement level hallway

Maddox Hall – First floor hallway

Maintenance – Office area

McClellan Hall – McClellan 100 or move to Mabee basement level hallway

Moses-Provine Hall – Print shop (lowest floor)

Nursing Education Center – Restrooms or other interior rooms away from windows

O.C. Bailey Hall – First floor hallway

Ouachita Commons (The Caf) – Tiger Express, or exit west doors using interior stairs to move to Walker Center, then move to Walker’s rear service hallway

R.A. Lile Hall – First floor classroom

Riley-Hickingbotham Library – Basement

Sturgis Physical Education Center (SPEC) – Ground floor dressing rooms and hallway

Susie Everett Hall – First floor interior bathroom

Tiger Den – Move to Sturgis ground floor dressing room

Tollett Hall – First floor suite restroom

Verser Theatre – Classroom on lower level

Walker Conference Center – Rear service hallway

Ward Tennis Center – Restrooms

Whisenhunt Soccer Field House – Team meeting room

Winter Weather Checklist

Ensure your phone and laptop are fully charged.
Keep windows and doors closed to retain heat.
Have a flashlight available in addition to your phone.
Keep an extra blanket on hand (electric blankets are allowed).
Dress warmly when going outside.
Plan ahead and refill any prescription medications you may need.
The Commons will remain open for meals; however, if you would like snacks to keep in your residence, we encourage you to shop early. As we are a two-university town, stores may become busy.
Be sure to keep the heat on in your room should you leave campus. Check with your Residence Life staff to confirm the preferred temperature setting.
Promptly notify your RA or RD should you experience issues with your heat not working properly.
Watch the communication groups (GroupMe) for your floor and building for any updates or instructions for your specific residence hall.

Extreme temperatures can freeze the water lines in your residence. Frozen water lines can burst pipes and cause water/flood damage to the apartment and your belongings. Please take the following precautions when the temperatures are below freezing:

Open the cabinet doors below your sinks (kitchens and bathrooms) – this allows warm air to circulate around the pipes.
Turn your faucet on to a small, STEADY stream (not a drip). A small, pencil lead size stream of cold water helps prevent water from freezing in the lines.

We also encourage you to:

Charge your phones.
Refill any necessary prescriptions.
Ensure you have enough groceries.
Bundle up & stay warm!

For any apartments that have ice in front of their door or on any stairwells, please notify your ResLife staff immediately so that "ICE MELTS" can be applied to reduce the risk of ice buildup.

Please understand that heat pumps and boilers are working overtime during these cold temps, which may result in them not producing a lot of heat. If you have any issues with your heat, contact your Apartment Manager. If you are planning to leave campus, please leave your heat on to reduce the risk of freezing pipes.

For Caddo & Starlite: Please take a moment to get familiar with your thermostat. You should have an "AUX" or "Emergency Heat" option. When notified by your Apartment Manager, switch your system to this function to allow the heater to continue working during the low temps.

The decision about whether classes will be in session will be made each morning by 6:30 a.m. Students will be notified via email of campus-wide cancellations or delays.
Individual professors will communicate via preferred class methods about changes beyond the campus-wide schedule.
Your safety is important to us. If road conditions prevent you from making it to campus, please communicate with your professors and any needed staff for alternative plans.

NOTE: Ouachita is not responsible for damage to personal property. The university recommends residents have renter’s insurance to cover damages to personal property.