Month: February 2021

Though temperatures have risen today, our area has not seen enough sun to melt all the ice on rural roads in the area and in some of the parking areas on campus.

Therefore, we will hold virtual classes Monday morning and begin in-person classes at 1 p.m. tomorrow.

Employees should come in to work Monday morning if they are able and feel safe doing so. Please use caution walking and driving. De-icing materials are being placed on walkways and bridges as necessary.

If employees are unable to come into work safely or need to stay home because their children’s classes are canceled, please communicate with your supervisor. Special leave will be given in these instances.

If students are unable to drive to campus safely, you should immediately contact your professor to make arrangements for accommodations. We are very close to the end of the quarter, so we are unable to cancel classes completely.

Dining facilities on campus will be open regular hours on Monday for those who are on campus.

Thanks for everyone’s patience and understanding as we have made efforts to meet all of our course hour requirements this quarter while keeping safety and health a primary focus in all decisions.

Please use caution driving into work and walking on campus tomorrow.

This week, our area has experienced severe winter weather. Many areas will see more snow today, and we have decided to close campus through Friday.

Classes will remain virtual through the end of this week. If you are having difficulty because of power outages or connectivity issues, please contact your professors to let them know. I am sure they will be understanding – some of them are experiencing the same challenges as our students.  We have no flexibility for making up missed class time for this quarter, so going virtual with our classes today and tomorrow gives our professors the maximum flexibility to meet class requirements before the quarter ends.

PLEASE avoid driving while ice and snow remains on roadways. Travel at this point is still very dangerous!

COVID-19 is still very much present, so don’t let down your guard!!

Tech Table will be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. today and Friday for students who are currently on campus. The Lambright Center will remain closed.

Essential employees who are needed to work will be notified by their supervisors, and Human Resources will send out special instructions on Monday on how to record time worked and special leave taken.

Lady Techsters basketball games against Middle Tennessee will move to 2 p.m. Saturday and noon Sunday. Our Lady Techsters volleyball games against Southern Miss will be played at 5 p.m. Sunday and 2 p.m. Monday.

Once again, remember to be safe and stay home if possible.

Given the winter storm warning and forecast from the National Weather Service for tonight through Thursday, campus will be closed through Thursday.

As early as possible on Thursday, we will announce whether or not campus will be open on Friday.

Classes will be moved online Thursday and Friday. Faculty should prepare alternative class arrangements for Thursday and Friday classes using Moodle or email to communicate with their classes.

A.E. Phillips School will conduct classes virtually through the end of this week as well.

Essential staff who need to be on campus for work will be notified by their supervisors.

Our area is currently experiencing record low temperatures, and the NWS continues to predict more snow, sleet, and ice starting tonight. Areas in Texas and northwest Louisiana are experiencing rolling outages to deal with the increased demand for power in the extreme cold.

Please continue to stay off the roads unless you must travel. Continue to check in with neighbors and keep your pets safe.

Though the campus is closed, some services will be open for students who remain on campus.

Tech Table will be open from 4-6 p.m. Wednesday for dinner service and then from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday.

The Lambright Center will be open from noon to 7 p.m. today through Thursday. However, TechCare will not be open. We will announce if Friday hours are restored to normal or remain limited.

Registration for the Spring 2021 Quarter continues as scheduled:

• Students with 30 hours or less can register beginning at 9 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 17
• Students with 13 hours or less can register beginning at 9 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 18
• Students with 9 hours or less can register beginning at 2 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 18
• Students with 1 hour or more can register beginning at 9 a.m. Friday, Feb. 19

If you have challenges with registration because of connectivity or power issues, please contact your dean’s office for assistance.

LA Tech Athletics has several events scheduled this weekend. We will notify campus if there is a change in the currently scheduled games.

As announced yesterday, we are currently anticipating severe winter weather this weekend and continuing into next week. The National Weather Service is predicting a winter mix Sunday afternoon and night and another potential round of winter weather with a mix of precipitation Wednesday.  It is almost certain to be extremely cold this weekend and next week.

Extreme Cold + Precipitation = Hazardous Conditions on roads and walkways!  Be Careful!

Classes will not be held Monday through Wednesday for our traditional Mardi Gras break. If severe weather in our area impacts the safety of our students, faculty, and staff, we will move to online class delivery Thursday and Friday if necessary. We will announce our decision to move online Tuesday if possible, and I ask that faculty prepare for the need to conduct courses online next week.

If you are traveling this weekend, take your time and be safe. We will post updates via email and text message, on the ERT.latech.edu website, and on our Louisiana Tech social media channels.

The National Weather Service has issued a forecast of severe winter weather through this weekend and into the beginning of next week. Be careful when traveling.

Tomorrow morning, we may experience thin ice after some freezing rain, so use caution while traveling and using sidewalks and exterior stairs.

More freezing rain and sleet is expected beginning Friday night and into the daytime hours of Saturday. Please monitor weather sources for specific areas you may be headed to this weekend.

We will continue to monitor weather conditions and update the campus community as necessary throughout the next few days. We will also update ERT.latech.edu and issue emergency text alerts as needed.