As Hurricane Milton barrels toward Florida, four public universities have announced closures, bracing for impact.
The University of South Florida, University of Central Florida, Florida Gulf Coast University, and New College of Florida are shutting down their campuses, mirroring actions taken during Hurricane Helene.
New College announced it would be closed the entire week, with all on-campus students evacuated by noon on Monday. The Sudakoff Conference Center will serve as a shelter for those who have nowhere else to go.
"It is strongly recommended for all students living on the New College campus to leave as soon as possible. If you have already left campus it is highly advised for you not to return to campus,"the school said in a statement.
UCF in Orlando will close all campuses and online classes from Tuesday through Thursday, with normal operations resuming on Friday. USF will shutter in-person classes and offices from Monday to Wednesday, with residence halls in Tampa remaining open, while those in St. Petersburg and Sarasota-Manatee will close by Monday afternoon.
"The University of South Florida continues to monitor Hurricane Milton. The safety of our students, faculty and staff is our highest priority as we track the storm and the possible impacts to the Tampa Bay region," USF's statement read.
Meanwhile, Florida Gulf Coast University will shift to remote learning on Monday, with campus closures following on Tuesday and Wednesday. However, residence halls are expected to stay open.
Decisions on further closures will be made midweek as the region prepares for the major storm.
