Dean of Undergraduates John Hutchinson send this message to students Saturday afternoon.

Dear Rice Students:

The biggest news I have to report is that there has been no big news for the Rice campus. We know that many of you are from South Texas, or have family and friends in South Texas. As we take comfort in our own fortune that Harvey did not make a direct hit on Houston, we should also keep in our thoughts those in our community whose families, friends and homes have been badly affected.

Be aware, however, that the risks from the storm are not all behind us. This system is unstable and unpredictable, and there are two threats which we must continue to be wary of. There are possibilities for 15-25 inches of rain in the next few days. And we continue to be under a tornado watch. As such, we strongly recommend that you remain housed where you are, despite the appearance of a lack of serious conditions at this time. If you are an off-campus student staying on campus, stay on campus. If you are at home in the Houston area, stay at home. Unnecessary travel is unadvisable.

Here are a few updates about facilities, services and dining:

• We have resupplied our food stores, and we are well-stocked for the next several days. However, and this is very important, this assumes that we do not waste food or hoard food. Be mindful that this is a time of emergency, and if we were to run out due to wasting or hoarding, resupply trucks might not be able to reach us. Therefore, please do not take extra food to stock up in your room and please be mindful of the portions you take.
• H&D has asked that students dine with their college in their own serveries, with Sid Rich using South Servery and Baker using Seibel. There are plenty of resources available to all students, but this plan will help keep the available resources distributed evenly. All four large serveries will be open tomorrow.

We will make a decision tomorrow morning about Monday classes. Because the system remains unpredictable, we cannot make decisions far in advance. However, it would be very wise to assume that you will have classes on Monday and to prepare accordingly on reading assignments, problem sets, laboratory preps, etc.

Let me close by thanking everyone for their community-minded spirit in the past 24 hours. This has been Rice at its very finest. Paula and I have enjoyed our visits in all of the colleges, including a rousing game of Cornhole at Brown after lunch today! Please thank your kitchen and custodial staffs and the RUPD officers, all of whom have made significant personal sacrifices to be here to help us all ride out the storm safely and with minimal discomfort.

Now, let’s all cheer on the Owls as they defeat Stanford tonight in Sydney, Australia. Go Owls!

Best wishes,
Dean Hutch