Safety and Operation Updates

Status Updates

Oct. 11, 2024

Main Campus
To give the town of Banner Elk more time to repair the infrastructure, main campus classes will continue online via Brightspace through the end of October. In-person classes will resume on Monday, Nov. 4. Details for returning to campus will be shared at a later date. Prior to that time, some employees will return to working from campus as directed by their vice president.

At this time, nearly all eTexts of course materials are loaded into Brightspace, and an announcement has been posted on the course’s Brightspace homepage to alert instructors and students that the text is available. With questions about digital course materials, please submit a Helpdesk ticket online or by emailing helpdesk@lmc.edu.

As they are able, students should check their Brightspace accounts and Lees-McRae email addresses for updates from their professors regarding course expectations until in-person classes resume. Students who have individual concerns regarding power, internet connectivity issues, or other extenuating circumstances that may impact their ability to complete their courses as planned should contact their professors as soon as possible.

Advising and registration for the Spring 2025 semester will begin Wednesday, Oct. 16. More information will be shared via email.

The administration and Board of Trustees have begun working on the best way to address questions concerning refunds or credit for room and board not used during this time of remote learning in a fair and equitable manner. An announcement of the plan will be shared soon.

Online and Distance Learning

The academic calendar for online and distance learning courses has not changed. Fall I term ends Sunday, Oct. 13 and Fall II term begins Monday, Oct. 14.

Students who have individual concerns regarding power, internet connectivity issues, or other extenuating circumstances that may impact their ability to complete their courses as planned should contact their professors as soon as possible.

Oct. 9, 2024

Lees-McRae continues to operate with modified conditions as emergency response personnel in Banner Elk and Avery County work to restore power, water, and sewer services throughout the community. Meanwhile, the college’s Facilities staff—along with teams of external contractors—has been hard at work assessing damage, clearing debris, repairing roofs, and sanitizing residence halls and common spaces.  

Over the weekend and on Monday, students and faculty had the opportunity to return to campus during a brief window to retrieve necessary personal items from their residence halls and offices. 

At this time, in-person classes remain suspended, but as of Monday, Oct. 7, virtual instruction is underway to keep students on track with the academic calendar. Faculty and staff have worked diligently since Hurricane Helene to transition their courses online, working to modify course schedules and acquire more than 300 eTexts.  

In the interim, Lees-McRae College is focused on supporting the local community throughout this period of recovery. While campus itself has sustained moderate damage, the local community is still grappling with the devastation caused by the storm. As such, students should continue to refrain from visiting campus, and in-person classes will not begin until the town has the infrastructure to support the full student population. 

“As we have assessed our critical infrastructure including water and sewer the damages are extensive. Our current priority is the repair and replacement of sewer lines that have been washed out,” Banner Elk Town Manager Rick Owen said in a message to Town of Banner Elk residents. “In closing I would like to thank, as I will do many times, all the businesses and volunteers that are helping in so many ways to hold our community tight.” 

As the largest employer in Avery County, Lees-McRae plays a vital role in the strength of Banner Elk and the surrounding community, and in the area’s economic health. The college continues to work with the town to restore power, water, and sewage services to all campus buildings as safely and efficiently as possible. 

Oct. 4, 2024 at 4:45 p.m.

Oct. 2, 2024 at 7:50 p.m.

Oct. 1, 2024 at 7:05 p.m.

Sept. 30, 2024 at 5:20 p.m.

Sept. 30, 2024 at 2:15 p.m.

Sept. 29, 2024 at 7:08 p.m.

Sept. 29, 2024 at 4:40 p.m.

Sept. 29, 2024 at 2:10 p.m.

Sept. 29, 2024 at 9:55 a.m.

Dear Campus Community,

I am writing with a Sunday morning update to keep you informed of things happening at Lees-McRae. The town of Banner Elk and Lees-McRae College lost internet connection overnight and only got it restored at 9:30 a.m. this morning. I apologize that I could’t get this message to you sooner.

I am grateful for how our campus community has rallied together to support and care for our students and each other. Yesterday, I witnessed students being remarkably resilient and supportive of each other in this difficult moment. I witnessed faculty and staff members cooking, cleaning, serving, and washing dishes, and I saw exhausted residence life, security, maintenance staff and police officers still smiling and caring for students despite their personal weariness. This is the best of Lees-McRae, and I am grateful for how everyone is caring for each other.

The last 24 hours have seen great progress in supplies getting to our community and in opening roads so that students can begin to travel away from campus. Samaritan’s Purse and Joe Gibbs Racing each airdropped water supplies to us, and today we will get more water and food drops, weather permitting. Students will be given instructions on safe routes to begin traveling out of the area via car. For international students or those who live too far away to easily travel home, the college will continue to care for those students until we can safely move them to a location where there is more reliable infrastructure. More details about this will be announced as plans materialize.

As we have previously announced, the college will be closed for the next week and then we will transition to online instruction. We anticipate being online until the Town of Banner Elk can restore water and sewer service and until Mountain Electric can fully restore power to campus. More information will be posted to the college website and all college social media. Please continue to check those sources for regularly updated information.

Again, I am thankful for the patience and resilience of the entire community as we have worked through this natural disaster. Please continue to uplift our region and our campus in your prayers as we recover.

Sincerely,

Lee King
President

Sept. 28, 2024 at 5:40 p.m.

SHELTER IN PLACE: Students should continue to shelter in place until advised that it is safe to leave campus.

State resources started arriving to Banner Elk this afternoon. NCDOT has been hard at work clearing roadways where possible to provide access to Banner Elk. In addition, Samaritan's Purse and Joe Gibbs Racing airlifted water to campus. A food delivery arranged by Genuine Foods Company, the college’s food provider, is expected to be airlifted tomorrow. Thank you to these organizations for their support of our community.

Support staff on campus are ensuring students are fed and have water. Additionally, showers are being made available on South Campus for all students.

Another briefing to provide updates will be held tomorrow morning (Sunday, Sept. 29) at 9 a.m. in The Summit on North Campus and at 9:30 a.m. in the South Campus Dining Room.

As a reminder, main campus classes will be canceled next week, Sept. 30 through Oct. 4.

Sept. 28, 2024 at 12:40 a.m.

Dear Lees-McRae Community,

The last few days have been difficult for the students, faculty, and staff of Lees-McRae College. Tropical Storm Helene has been devasting for our campus, our hometown of Banner Elk, and our surrounding communities of families, friends, and neighbors. The rain and winds associated with Hurricane/Tropical Storm Helene exceeded all predictions, and for many will now be considered the storm of the century. Our residential students are safe, but they are tired. I am so proud of their patience and grace as we battled the storm. We will all need to summon the same spirit in the aftermath of the storm.

As I write this message, the mountains of western North Carolina remain cutoff from the rest of the state. The main roads to campus are impassable due to fallen trees and power lines, and the debris left behind by historic flooding. In many places, the road simply doesn’t exist anymore. In addition to the damage to campus, many of our employees are facing loss at their own residences. Mobile phone service is spotty and all radio communications are down throughout the county.

Due to leaks and other hazards, some students have been displaced from their assigned residence to other buildings on campus. Student Affairs and security staff have been visiting student residences to relay information throughout the storm. This same staff and others have been working diligently to ensure students are fed. It is important for students to stay in or near their assigned building unless otherwise directed. This will help make sure that information is received in a timely fashion. Students should use caution when moving around campus but should NOT attempt any travel at this time. The current conditions of the roads surrounding campus will not allow safe passage.

The college is working with local authorities and Emergency Management Services from the county and state to determine when it will be safe to travel from campus, but students need to remain in place for the time being. Coursework will still be delivered via Brightspace, but to give some transition time to students and faculty, I am canceling main campus classes next week and we will resume classes online on Monday, Oct. 7. We have also made the difficult decision to cancel Homecoming next weekend. We would love nothing more than to welcome our alums back to campus, but our time together will have to wait.

I and other senior staff will be holding an in-person briefing for students on North Campus at 2 p.m. today in The Summit and at 2:30 p.m. in the South Campus Dining Room to share updates. The Bobcat community is incredibly resilient. We will get through this just as we have other catastrophic events. Thank you for your support during the next few days. Please look out for each other.

Sincerely,

Lee King
President

Sept. 28, 2024 at 10:30 a.m.

Dear Lees-McRae Community,

I want to take a moment to update you on the situation regarding our students who have been affected by the recent hurricane.

First and foremost, I want to assure you that all students on campus are physically safe. While the storm has caused significant damage, resulting in washed-away roads, we are actively working to address the challenges ahead. We have food and water supplies on campus, and dedicated professional staff are on-site, providing support and assistance to meet students’ needs.

I understand how difficult it is to be away from your child during this time, especially when communication can be sporadic. Please know that we are doing everything possible to facilitate contact, but the cell service remains spotty, and text messages may not always go through. We encourage students to stay connected with one another and to seek out friends and neighbors in their residence halls for support. Professional staff have been going building by building to check on students.

We are in close contact with multiple state and federal agencies to coordinate relief efforts, and we appreciate your patience as we navigate this challenging situation. Please remember that recovery will take time, and we are committed to keeping you informed as developments unfold. Unfortunately, this isn’t as simple as trees downed in the roadways. There are entire roads that have washed away and areas that are inaccessible via vehicles. Please take comfort in knowing that we are all working together to support our students and ensure their well-being.

Thank you for your understanding and support during this time. We will continue to keep you updated as we receive more information.

Sincerely,
Jason

Dr. Jason A. Jones
Vice President for Student Affairs
Lees-McRae College