Hurricane Dorian message from President Fuchs

Sept. 4, 2019

Dear UF community,

Hurricane Dorian was among the strongest hurricanes in history to make landfall in the Atlantic, and its slow pace has left the Bahamas decimated, with a terrible human toll that is only now emerging.

We share our caring thoughts and support with our Bahamian students at UF and with everyone in our university community who has family, loved ones or friends in that island nation. The Dean of Students Office is in contact with our students from the Bahamas. We also extend our care and concern for UF employees, friends and family on our state’s east coast who remain in the path of Dorian’s high winds and flooding.

In the event any faculty, staff or student experiences unexpected financial hardship due to Dorian, our Aid-a-Gator program offers financial assistance to employees and students. Students may also contact U Matter We Care  and the Counseling and Wellness Center, and employees may call the Employee Assistance Program.

As Dorian heads north, I am very grateful to all UF employees statewide who have worked to keep our facilities and our students, faculty, staff and communities safe, including the UF Emergency Operations Team, UF Health and UF Health Jacksonville, WUFT meteorologists and students who provided storm forecasts, UF/IFAS extension staff, UFPD and UF Facilities Services.

I urge everyone who can do so to please help our neighbors in the Bahamas by contributing to the many agencies and groups mobilizing to provide relief. If you are interested in helping UF students and employees with unforeseen financial hardships, you may donate to the Aid-a-Gator program.

Today, our main campus is open, and classes resume tomorrow. I wish for everyone a smooth transition back to normal university life and a productive, fulfilling fall. For those who are able to attend, the Gators volleyball team is playing Stanford, the defending national champions, at 8 p.m. tonight in the Exactech Arena.  Linda and I will be there, and it should be an exciting match.

Warm regards,

Kent

Kent Fuchs
President
University of Florida

Please see the following links:

• Employee Aid-a-Gator program https://benefits.hr.ufl.edu/gatorperks/aid-a-gator/
• Students Aid-a-Gator program https://www.sfa.ufl.edu/aidagator/
• U Matter We Care https://umatter.ufl.edu
• Counseling and Wellness Center https://counseling.ufl.edu/about/
• Employee Assistance Program: https://eap.ufl.edu
• Donations to the Aid-a-Gator programs https://www.uff.ufl.edu/give-now/?fund_id=022419&appeal=GZAERA14