Campus Alert Archive
TSU

TSU Shelters 500 Students During Harvey's Historic Houston Flooding While Canceling Fall Semester Opening

TXhurricaneadvisorymedium confidence

Texas Southern University in Houston closed its campus at noon on Friday, August 25, 2017, as Hurricane Harvey made landfall as a Category 4 storm on the Texas Gulf Coast. The university -- an HBCU in the heart of Houston -- sheltered and fed approximately 500 students who had already moved into campus housing before the storm, with classes originally scheduled to begin August 28 delayed until September 5. TSU remained closed through Labor Day as historic flooding inundated surrounding neighborhoods.

Alerts
2
Response
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Killed
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Injured
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Institution
Texas Southern University
Hbcu · TX
~9,000 studentsTSU Alert
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

2 messages in sequence

Some alert texts below are approximate reconstructions from news coverage, not confirmed verbatim transcripts. Reconstructed texts are shown in italic with a dashed border. Verified verbatim texts have a solid border and are marked accordingly.

INITIAL ALERTEmail
Approximate reconstruction306 chars
Texas Southern University will close at noon today, Friday, August 25, 2017. All campus events for the weekend are canceled. Students who are already moved into campus housing will be sheltered and fed during the storm. Please monitor official TSU communications for updates as Hurricane Harvey approaches.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Reconstructed from Diverse Education and Texas Tribune reporting; exact TSU alert wording not confirmed from official archive
TSU announced the closure on Saturday morning per Diverse Education coverage; the Texas Tribune noted classes were not scheduled to begin until August 28
Campus closed ahead of Harvey's August 25 landfall near Rockport, TX as a Category 4 hurricane
UPDATEEmail
Approximate reconstruction327 chars
Texas Southern University will remain closed through Labor Day, September 4, 2017. Classes will resume on Tuesday, September 5. Students who are safely off-campus should not attempt to travel to campus. Continue to monitor official TSU communications for updates. Our priority is the safety of all students, faculty, and staff.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Reconstructed from Texas Tribune coverage; exact wording of extended closure notification not confirmed
Extension through Labor Day reflected continued dangerous flooding conditions throughout greater Houston
TSU's campus in Houston's Third Ward neighborhood experienced significant surrounding road flooding
Context

Background

Texas Southern University, the largest HBCU in Texas, sits in Houston's Third Ward neighborhood approximately 3 miles from downtown. When Hurricane Harvey made landfall near Rockport, Texas as a Category 4 storm on August 25, 2017, TSU was in the early days of its fall move-in period. The university closed at noon on August 25 and safely sheltered approximately 500 students who had already moved into campus housing, providing food and accommodations throughout the storm. Harvey would drop a record 60 inches of rain on parts of the Houston metro area, causing catastrophic flooding in surrounding neighborhoods. According to Diverse Education, TSU remained closed through Labor Day with classes resuming September 5 -- one week after they were originally scheduled to begin. The storm's aftermath had lasting enrollment consequences: more than 500 students across the Texas A&M University System (which includes TSU through a separate system) withdrew and never returned. TSU's location in one of Houston's historically underserved neighborhoods meant that many students, faculty, and staff were personally impacted by flooding of their own homes and properties.
Outcome
All 500 on-campus students safely sheltered and fed during the storm. No reported injuries on campus. Classes reopened September 5, 2017, after Labor Day. Some students could not return for weeks due to flooding of off-campus housing. More than 500 students across Texas A&M System campuses (including TSU) withdrew after Harvey and did not return.
Provenance

Sources

  1. News
    Hurricane Harvey Shuts Down Colleges in SE Texas - Diverse Education
    diverseeducation.com
  2. News
    Harvey brings minor damage, class cancellations to Texas universities - Texas Tribune
    texastribune.org
  3. News
    Flooding continues to challenge Houston colleges and universities - Inside Higher Ed
    insidehighered.com
  4. Source
    Hurricane Harvey - NHC Tropical Cyclone Report
    nhc.noaa.gov
Tags
hurricanehurricane-harveyhbcutexashoustonfloodingcampus-closurestudent-shelter2017
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion