Campus Alert Archive
CCU

Dorms Close at 9 a.m., Buses to Clemson: A Coastal Campus Scrambles, Then Stands Down

SChurricaneemergency notificationmedium confidence

Ahead of Hurricane Irma, Coastal Carolina University cancelled all classes, events and activities starting at 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017 and announced its residence halls would close at 9 a.m. Friday — prompting students near Conway to scramble to evacuate overnight. The university ran airport shuttles and bused 53 residence-hall students to Clemson University. When Irma's track shifted west, CCU announced campus would no longer fully close, though classes stayed cancelled.

Alerts
3
Response
—
Killed
—
Injured
—
Institution
Coastal Carolina University
Public Masters · SC
~10,000 studentsCCU Alert
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

3 messages 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 ALERTSMS
Approximate reconstructionWMBF News — reconstructed from CCU closure announcement325 chars
CCU Alert: All classes, events and activities are cancelled beginning 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 7, due to Hurricane Irma. Residence halls will close at 9 a.m. Friday, Sept. 8. Residential students should initiate their personal evacuation plans now. Shuttle service to the airport runs Thursday 5-8 p.m. and Friday 6 a.m.-5 p.m.

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

Reconstructed from WMBF's reporting; the 8 p.m. Thursday cancellation, 9 a.m. Friday residence-hall closure, and airport-shuttle windows are quoted directly from CCU's announcement.
The 9 a.m. Friday dorm-closure deadline is what drove students to 'scramble' overnight — a tight window that left little time to arrange travel.
Publishing exact shuttle hours is the practical core of the message for students without cars who needed to reach the airport before campus emptied.
UPDATESMS
Approximate reconstructionWMBF News — reconstructed from evacuation reporting272 chars
CCU Alert: For residential students who need transportation and shelter, the University is transporting students to Clemson University. Staff will accompany students. If you have not arranged your own evacuation, report to the designated pickup location for bus transport.

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

Reconstructed from WMBF's report that 53 residence-hall students were transported to Clemson University accompanied by CCU staff.
Bussing students inland to Clemson — well outside the coastal evacuation zone — is the safety net for those with nowhere else to go.
Sending staff with the students reflects an in-loco-parentis duty of care for minors and unaccompanied students during a forced evacuation.
ALL CLEARSMS
Approximate reconstructionWMBF News — reconstructed from forecast-shift announcement293 chars
CCU Alert: Hurricane Irma's forecast track has shifted west, significantly decreasing the likelihood of impact to campus. The University will no longer close as previously planned. Classes remain cancelled. Continue to monitor coastal.edu and official channels for return-to-class information.

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

Reconstructed from WMBF's report that CCU announced campus would no longer close after Irma's track shifted west, with classes still cancelled.
This is a stand-down message rather than a storm-passed all-clear — it cancels the planned full closure because the threat diminished before impact.
Keeping classes cancelled while reversing the closure shows the university hedging: the immediate danger eased, but operations could not snap back instantly after students had already evacuated.
Context

Background

Hurricane Irma threatened the South Carolina coast in early September 2017 before its track shifted west and it weakened to a tropical storm. Coastal Carolina University, in Conway near Myrtle Beach, cancelled classes starting at 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 7, and set its residence halls to close at 9 a.m. Friday. WMBF reported that students scrambled to evacuate after the dorm-closure notice, with most going home and 53 residence-hall students bused to Clemson University accompanied by staff. When Irma's track shifted, CCU announced campus would no longer close though classes stayed cancelled. The university's own Rising Above the Storm account notes that while campus took only minor damage, the disastrous flooding that engulfed Conway in the weeks after Irma cut the roads CCU depended on for food, fuel, and essential services.
Analysis

Key Findings

CCU's 9 a.m. Friday residence-hall closure deadline forced students to scramble to evacuate overnight
The university bused 53 residence-hall students inland to Clemson University, accompanied by CCU staff
When Irma's track shifted west, CCU reversed its full-closure plan but kept classes cancelled
Campus took only minor damage, but later flooding in Conway cut off the roads CCU relied on for supplies
Outcome
Campus suffered only minor damage from leaks and downed limbs, but flooding in Conway and surrounding communities later cut off roads CCU relied on for food and fuel. The university stood down from its full-closure plan as Irma weakened and shifted west.
Provenance

Sources

  1. News
    CCU cancels classes, events ahead of Hurricane Irma - WMBF News
    wmbfnews.com
  2. News
    CCU students scramble to evacuate ahead of Hurricane Irma - WMBF News
    wmbfnews.com
  3. News
    CCU announces campus will no longer close after Irma's forecast shifts; classes still canceled - WMBF News
    wmbfnews.com
  4. Official
    Rising Above the Storm | Coastal Carolina
    coastal.edu
Tags
hurricaneirmasouth-carolinaconwaymyrtle-beachemergency-notificationevacuationevacuation-transportationcampus-closure2017-hurricane-season
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion