{
  "id": "2019-09-01-clemson-university-hurricane-dorian-charleston-closures",
  "slug": "clemson-university-hurricane-dorian-charleston-closures-2019-09-01",
  "institution": {
    "name": "Clemson University",
    "shortName": "Clemson",
    "state": "SC",
    "type": "public-r1",
    "alertSystemName": "CU Alert",
    "enrollment": 28000
  },
  "incident": {
    "date": "2019-09-01",
    "endDate": "2019-09-09",
    "type": "hurricane",
    "cleryCategory": "emergency-notification",
    "resolution": "confirmed-threat",
    "headline": "Hurricane Dorian closes Charleston sites; Upstate remains open",
    "headlinePublic": "Hurricane Dorian closes Charleston sites; Upstate remains open",
    "summary": "Clemson [cancelled Charleston-area classes and closed facilities in eight coastal counties under the governor’s Hurricane Dorian order](https://alerts.clemson.edu/2019/09/01/charleston-area-classes-cancelled-facilities-closed-upstate-campuses-remain-open-as-scheduled/) while Upstate campuses remained open, then [announced Charleston operations would resume Monday, Sept. 9](https://alerts.clemson.edu/2019/09/06/charleston-area-classes-and-university-activities-to-resume-normal-operations-monday-sept-9/).",
    "outcome": "Coastal locations closed under state order for Dorian; normal Charleston operations resumed Sept. 9.",
    "casualties": {
      "killed": 0,
      "injured": 0
    }
  },
  "alerts": [
    {
      "sequence": 1,
      "type": "initial",
      "timestampApprox": "2019-09-01 ~21:39 (CU Alerts)",
      "channel": "email",
      "verbatimText": "Clemson University classes and all university sponsored activities in the Charleston area have been cancelled and all university facilities in eight South Carolina counties will be closed beginning Monday, Sept. 2. Gov. Henry McMaster ordered the closures due to projected impact from Hurricane Dorian. Closures will remain until further notice from the governor. The affected counties are Beaufort, Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester, Georgetown, Horry and Jasper.\n\nClasses and offices in the Upstate are not affected by the order. University officials continue to monitor weather conditions and potential impact as Hurricane Dorian approaches. The path and timing of the storm is still uncertain at this point. Gov. McMaster has declared a State of Emergency for the State of South Carolina in order to maximize available resources if needed.\n\nStudents\n\nStudents who attend classes in Charleston or from Charleston-based faculty should contact their faculty for guidance in making up the classes.\n\nEmployees\n\nClemson personnel with a work location in an affected county should not report to work tomorrow unless they have been deemed “essential” to maintain vital operations. Check with your supervisor for instructions.\n\nThings to know\n\n-Lane reversal will go into effect to westbound on Interstate 26 (from Charleston to Columbia, beginning at the I-26 and I-526 interchange) beginning at noon on Monday, Sept. 2\n\n-Lane reversal will go into effect to create three westbound lanes on US 278 from Hilton Head Island at the intersection of Spanish Wells Drive and Moss Creek Village Drive (an approximate two-mile stretch) beginning at noon on Monday, Sept. 2\n\n-Shelters will be opening on an as-needed basis. Check with your county and the visit the South Carolina Emergency Management Division webpage for details and more information.\n\n-Follow local officials’ guidance.\n\nIssued by University Relations",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceUrl": "https://alerts.clemson.edu/2019/09/01/charleston-area-classes-cancelled-facilities-closed-upstate-campuses-remain-open-as-scheduled/",
      "sourceDescription": "CU Alerts official archive",
      "annotations": [
        "Complete text from alerts.clemson.edu"
      ],
      "characterCount": 1915
    },
    {
      "sequence": 2,
      "type": "update",
      "timestampApprox": "2019-09-06 ~16:24 (CU Alerts)",
      "channel": "email",
      "verbatimText": "Gov. Henry McMaster has lifted evacuation orders for residents in all evacuated South Carolina counties effective immediately, including Berkeley, Charleston, Dorchester, Georgetown and Horry. Clemson University employees in those counties should refer to their respective county government office on the SCEMD website or their supervisor’s guidance on when to report back to work.\n\nClemson University classes and all university sponsored activities in the Charleston area will reopen under a normal operating schedule on Monday, Sept. 9. If you are deemed an “essential” employee to maintain vital operations, you should have been contacted by your supervisor regarding your work schedule.\n\nReturning residents from the counties listed above are encouraged to exercise patience and expect lengthy travel times, blocked roadways or detours back to evacuated areas. While weather conditions have improved in these counties, be cautious of fallen trees, downed power lines and standing water in or around roadways. Power outages continue to affect coastal areas as well.\n\nEmployees with a work location impacted by Hurricane Dorian\n\nThe Office of Human Resources awaits instruction from the governor’s office regarding forgiven time. All leave-eligible, hourly personnel should not submit paid leave accruals in Kronos until advised how the closure will affect compensable hours. All leave-eligible, salaried personnel may submit an emergency closing time-off request as a placeholder to account for missed time until additional guidance is provided.",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceUrl": "https://alerts.clemson.edu/2019/09/06/charleston-area-classes-and-university-activities-to-resume-normal-operations-monday-sept-9/",
      "sourceDescription": "CU Alerts update",
      "annotations": [
        "Complete text from alerts.clemson.edu"
      ],
      "characterCount": 1548
    }
  ],
  "context": "Official full text from [alerts.clemson.edu](https://alerts.clemson.edu/2019/09/01/charleston-area-classes-cancelled-facilities-closed-upstate-campuses-remain-open-as-scheduled/).",
  "keyFindings": [
    "Official CU Alerts archive full-text recovery"
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "title": "CU Alerts official archive",
      "url": "https://alerts.clemson.edu/2019/09/01/charleston-area-classes-cancelled-facilities-closed-upstate-campuses-remain-open-as-scheduled/",
      "type": "official-archive"
    },
    {
      "title": "CU Alerts update",
      "url": "https://alerts.clemson.edu/2019/09/06/charleston-area-classes-and-university-activities-to-resume-normal-operations-monday-sept-9/",
      "type": "official-archive"
    },
    {
      "title": "CU Alerts index",
      "url": "https://alerts.clemson.edu/",
      "type": "official-archive"
    }
  ],
  "confidence": "high",
  "tags": [
    "clemson",
    "cu-alerts"
  ],
  "dateAdded": "2026-07-21",
  "lastUpdated": "2026-07-21",
  "addedBy": "ingestion"
}