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Classes at Shippensburg University will be held online on Monday (April 27) and Tuesday (April 28) due to a significant power outage caused by a fire at an electrical substation over the weekend. The outage has affected the entire campus, prompting the university to shift to remote learning for the start of the week.
According to Shippensburg University, residence halls are currently operating on generator power and have functional WiFi, allowing students to attend online classes. However, the university has asked students to conserve power by limiting the use of non-essential electronic devices.
Megan Silverstram, the Communications Director at Shippensburg University, emphasized that the primary focus is on ensuring students have shelter and food. She stated, "Next steps are continuing to make sure that we're providing for students. That's our number one priority here at Shippensburg University."
The Ceddia Union Building is open to provide WiFi access for commuter students, while academic buildings, the campus library, and the recreation center remain closed. The university is working with the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) to address the outage, but there is no timeline for when full power will be restored.
As reported by Local 21 News, the Grace B. Luhrs University Elementary School and the Bartos Child and Family Center will open on Monday. The university has not yet confirmed if in-person classes will resume on Wednesday.