VSU residents were told they will be moved to the Middle Georgia State University campus in Macon, Georgia, due to the effects of Hurricane Helene.
VSU is still without power and residential buildings Patterson, Brown and Read have water damage caused by fallen trees. The students will be transported by two buses and the housing van on Sept. 30 at noon.
Housing will be shut down until further notice, but VSU officials projected that the students will be staying in Macon for one week.
Dr. Jeffery Hooks, the Director of Housing and Residence Life, held a meeting for all residential students in Palms dining hall on Sept. 29 to announce the move.
“We know on the front end that it’s going to be at least a week,” said Dr. Hooks. “We just want the students to be comfortable and we don’t want anybody to get heat stroke or anything like that.”
Due to the power outage, the buildings are without light or air conditioning. Housing prepared for the storm with generators and water tanks to ensure that students still had working showers and toilets.
Students will be staying in available dorms on campus. Some students will be residing in shared rooms with students from GMSU. Housing is offering transportation from the campus into town for students to purchase toiletries and other necessities during their stay.
Romario Ramirez, a health science major and senior resident assistant, was working in the dorms when the hurricane hit. All RAs had a staff meeting in each building to go over protocols for during and after the storm.
“We all lean on each other as a staff when it comes to things like this,” said Ramirez. “We helped the residents as best as we could.”
Ramirez believed that VSU did the best it could in handling this natural disaster.
“I feel like VSU learned from previous events, so we were better off prepared this year,” said Ramirez. “It wasn’t as bad as it might seem. Sometimes I feel like people aren’t grateful for electricity, but you don’t realize how lucky you are until it’s gone.”
Brittany McNulty, a junior biology major, stayed in Georgia Hall when Hurricane Helene traveled through. She could hear the trees falling throughout the night.
“We got the wind warning on our phones and that’s when it got a lot worse,” said McNulty. “We could hear the trees snapping outside. We could hear the trees scraping down the building.”
McNulty’s family lives in an area that also doesn’t have electricity or water, so she can’t go back home.
“I’m really grateful to the housing staff and the dining staff, especially because they are doing everything they can to do the best during this situation,” said McNulty. “I really appreciate having them here.”
Rebecca Moise, a senior psychology major, stayed in Hopper Hall when the storm hit.
“The night of it was really scary because the wind started hitting,” said Moise. “The power went out and then the backup generator kicked in. The power went out again and then it kicked in three different times and then it just went black.”
After the storm hit, she was struck by the sight of the school.
“Walking around it was kind of sad to see because it looked different,” said Moise. “It looked like an unkept building.”
Taegam Tyson, a junior American sign language interpretation major, also lived in Hopper when the storm hit and doesn’t feel comfortable with the move.
“It’s a little frustrating that we have to move,” said Tyson. “On one hand I understand why, on the other, I don’t. I don’t like being in other people’s space. I don’t like the thought of having to share a room with someone who’s already living there.”
Once VSU housing opens back up, there will be a mass email sent out to students inviting them back to campus, according to VSU officials.
Story and photo by Jenna Arnold, Spectator Editor-in-Chief.