• Many of Florida’s public State University System universities have announced closures ahead of Hurricane Ian’s anticipated landfall on Thursday 
• The University of South Florida is in the direct path of the storm and expects to sustain damage to campus buildings 
• The University of Miami has not yet made an announcement regarding campus capacity during the storm’s duration
• Hurricane Ian is now considered a major hurricane, according to Gov. Ron DeSantis, with sustained winds of 125 miles per hour

University leaders across Florida have made the decision to shutter campuses ahead of Hurricane Ian’s anticipated landfall later this week. Some of the state’s largest public universities, including the University of Florida (UF), Florida State University (FSU), and the University of South Florida (USF), can expect to sustain extensive damage, according to state leaders.

USF remains in the direct pathway of the storm and consequentially has the longest closure period. After initially canceling classes and campus activities through Friday, Sept. 30, campus officials decided to prolong the closures until Monday, Oct. 3.

Following Hurricane Ian’s landfall, periods of closure could be extended to encompass several weeks. When Hurricane Irma hit Florida’s west coast in 2017, Florida Gulf Coast University was closed for more than 3 weeks after taking a direct hit.

The University of Florida has canceled classes from Wednesday, Sept. 28 through Friday, Sept. 30, while Florida State University has closed its campus beginning today, Tuesday, Sept. 27th through Friday, Sept. 30th.

“As we continue to monitor Hurricane Ian, the safety of our FSU family remains our top priority,” said FSU President Richard McCullough.

State University System closures:

• Florida A&M University will be closed Tuesday, September 27 through Friday, September 30, 2022.
• Florida Gulf Coast University will be closed Tuesday, September 27 and Wednesday, September 28, 2022.
• Florida Polytechnic University will be closed Tuesday, September 27 through Friday, September 30, 2022.
• Florida State University will be closed Tuesday, September 27 through Friday, September 30, 2022. (Tallahassee & Panama City)
• New College of Florida classes will be canceled Monday, September 26 through Friday, September 30, 2022.
• University of Central Florida will be closed Wednesday, September 28 through Friday, September 30, 2022.
• University of Florida will be closed Wednesday, September 28 through Friday, September 30, 2022.
• University of South Florida classes will be canceled Monday, September 26 through Thursday, September 29, 2022. Campuses will be closed starting Tuesday, September 27, 2022.

The University of Miami, a private university in Coral Gables, has not yet made an announcement regarding its status.

Hurricane Ian is now considered a major hurricane, according to Gov. Ron DeSantis. The storm is located roughly 200 miles southwest of Key West, moving north at 12 miles per hour and expected to make landfall in Cuba shortly.

Sustained winds of 125 miles per hour have been recorded as new models show a new point of impact just south of Tampa Bay, close to the Sarasota metro area, though models are still subject to change as Ian moves closer to the Florida peninsula.