Spring classes begin Feb. 20
Nearly one month after an EF3 tornado tore through campus, William Carey University will welcome students back for spring trimester.
Students will return to campus on Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 18 and 19. Spring classes start Feb. 20. Director of Student Services Valerie Bridgeforth toured the dormitories on Thursday and was impressed with the progress that has been made. "It really does look and feel amazing," she said.
Bridgeforth said students should continue to check their emails for updates on moving back to campus. Students will be assigned times for moving back to help alleviate traffic problems and congestion since construction will be ongoing in some areas of campus.
The following dorms will be open: Bass, Braswell, Bryant, Byrd, Davis, Futral, Polk and the Penton Street apartments. Demolition of Johnson Hall began this week, and Ross Hall is slated for demolition. New dorms will be built near the Byrd-Braswell and Futral-Davis dorms.
In order to complete the winter trimester after the tornado, many classes were moved on an online format, and face-to-face classes were held at the University of Southern Mississippi and local churches.
Dr. Garry Breland, vice president for academic affairs, said the goal is to move as many classes as possible back to Carey for the spring trimester. New classroom assignments will be posted on the school website and students will receive an email with updates.
The following classroom buildings will be ready for classes to begin on Feb. 20: Fairchild and Smith halls (School of Education), the School of Nursing, College of Osteopathic Medicine 1, Mary Ross Hall, Thomas Building (physical therapy), Lawrence Hall, the new biology building, a portion of Green Science Hall, the art studio on Cherry Street, and the library. McMillan Hall and Wilkes Hall will be open as well as the Student Center, the new volleyball facility, and Common Grounds (the coffee shop on campus).
The College of Osteopathic Medicine and the doctor of physical therapy program will continue to conduct classes at USM through the spring. Music classes will be held at Hardy Street Baptist Church while repair work continues on the Thomas Fine Arts Building. With the med school and PT programs staying at USM for spring, their spaces on campus will be used temporarily for other classes.
Next week workers will begin moving furniture and equipment back into the dorms, classrooms, and faculty and staff offices. Everyone returning to campus is advised there are many construction zones remaining and these areas will be fenced to ensure safety.
Spring Registration
Spring registration for new students will be held on Thursday, Feb. 16 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the School of Nursing on William Carey Parkway. For more information about registering, call the Admissions Office at (601) 318-6103.
"The key to everything in our recovery is keeping students,"; said WCU President Tommy King.