Campus Alert Archive
Queens College

'An Abundance of Rainwater': Queens College Closes at 11:15 PM as Ida Floods the Borough

NYfloodingadvisorymedium confidence
Confirmed Threat

At 11:15 PM on September 1, 2021, Queens College President Frank Wu and Provost Elizabeth Hendry notified the campus it would close September 2 and move classes virtual, citing 'an abundance of rainwater on the Queens College campus' as the remnants of Hurricane Ida flooded the borough. The Flushing campus later hosted a FEMA Disaster Recovery Center for storm victims.

Alerts
1
Response
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Killed
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Injured
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Institution
Queens College, City University of New York
Public Masters · NY
~19,000 studentsCUNY Alert
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

1 message 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 reconstructionThe Knight News (student newspaper)163 chars
Due to an abundance of rainwater on the Queens College campus, the College will be closed tomorrow, September 2. All in-person classes will be conducted virtually.

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

The Knight News reported the closure was sent at 11:15 PM on September 1 by President Frank Wu and Provost Elizabeth Hendry, and that 'an abundance of rainwater' was the stated reason — that exact phrase is preserved here.
The late-night send time captures how Ida's rain peaked overnight, forcing a same-night decision rather than a morning closure call.
Context

Background

The remnants of Hurricane Ida reached New York City the evening of September 1, 2021, setting a single-hour rainfall record and triggering the city's first flash-flood emergency. Queens — particularly Flushing and the surrounding neighborhoods — was among the hardest-hit boroughs. At 11:15 PM, Queens College leadership announced a September 2 closure with virtual classes, citing 'an abundance of rainwater' on campus. Days later, FEMA opened a Disaster Recovery Center at the college so borough residents could file storm claims, turning the campus from a closure site into a recovery hub. Ida killed 13 people across the city.
Analysis

Key Findings

Queens College sent its closure at 11:15 PM on September 1, 2021 — an overnight decision driven by Ida's peak rain rates
The stated reason was the plain-language 'an abundance of rainwater on the Queens College campus'
The campus pivoted from closure to recovery hub when FEMA opened a Disaster Recovery Center there for Ida victims
Outcome
Campus closed September 2 with classes moved online; it reopened the following day. Queens College later served as a FEMA Disaster Recovery Center for Ida-affected residents.
Provenance

Sources

  1. Student Paper
    Queens College's response to Hurricane Ida - The Knight News
    theknightnews.com
  2. News
    FEMA opens disaster recovery center at Queens College for residents impacted by Hurricane Ida - QNS.com
    qns.com
  3. Source
    Effects of Hurricane Ida in the Northeastern United States - Wikipedia
    en.wikipedia.org
Tags
floodinghurricane-idanew-yorkcunyqueenscampus-closure2021
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion