Deanna Kolell

This email was sent on behalf of Crisis Management Team on Thursday, March 14.

Dear Lawrentians,

Please be reminded about the important utility work that will impact campus power distribution during spring break.

It is important that office equipment and computers are unplugged, and freezers are defrosted by end of day Friday, March 15.

Work is scheduled to begin Saturday, March 16, 2024. Disruptions to electrical service are detailed below.

On Saturday, March 16, power will be down for several hours as we transition from our regular power source to the generators. We will alert you when the campus is on generator power. During this time, the campus will operate normally. At the conclusion of the work, power will be down for several hours as we transition from generator power back to our regular power source. We will communicate with you as early as possible in preparation for the second shutdown.

We are working closely with We Energies and the city of Appleton to minimize disruption and restore full service as soon as possible. Updates will be provided via email, with reminder links on Banner and MyLU to easily find the latest information, including updated FAQs. Please refer to the previous email (below) and current FAQs for additional information.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Sincerely,

Crisis Management Team

This email was sent on behalf of Crisis Management Team on Friday, March 1.

Dear Campus Community, 

Campus leadership is preparing for a planned power outage during spring break that will impact operations for much of campus. The outage, which will last multiple days, comes as We Energies makes repairs to a damaged electrical cable that runs beneath Lawe Street (near SLUG). We Energies, in consultation with the City of Appleton and Lawrence, will conduct the repairs during spring break when campus is mostly empty. Because We Energies must begin the work (i.e., see the damage) to assess the full scope, the exact timeframe for the outage cannot be known in advance. 

Here’s what we do know: 

1. What parts of campus will be affected during the repairs? We Energies will cut power to all facilities on main campus (so, NOT including: 1025 E South River, Alexander Gym, Banta Bowl, Lawrence Community Music School, Wilson House, all buildings north of Washington Street, or Facilities Operations building – all of which are on a different power grid system). However, normal business operations and work schedules on main campus should not be disrupted because buildings will be powered by temporary generators for the duration of the repair period (see Question 2). 

• When will the power be shut off? Power will be shut off for two separate periods: 1) at the beginning of the repairs, and 2) at the end of the repairs. The first outage will occur on Saturday, March 16, from 6am to 4pm. Our team will use this timeframe to connect temporary generators that will power campus systems throughout the repair period. The second outage – for reconnecting to the repaired system – will occur no later than Saturday, March 23 (exact time to be determined). Please note that, on both Saturdays, there will be several hours with no power – in the gap between connection from one power source to another. 

• What buildings on main campus will be powered by generators during the repairs? All campus buildings and facilities will be operational during the repair period because of the temporary generators (see Question 2). 

• Will employees work remotely during the repairs? No. Campus will have temporary generator power; therefore, employees will maintain normal work schedules during the repair period. 

• Will students who remain during spring break be able to stay on campus? Yes. All residence halls will be powered by temporary generators during the repair period, and Kaplan’s Café will be open with an expanded menu. 

• Will door access cards work during the repairs? Buildings that require ID access will continue to operate normally – except potentially during the two outages (see Question 2). Campus Safety will monitor and provide access as needed to buildings. Should you have difficulty accessing your building, please contact Campus Safety: (920) 832-6999 or security@lawrence.edu.  

• Will buildings/facilities on main campus be open to the public during the repairs? No. There will be no public access to buildings on main campus, including Mudd Library, Warch Campus Center, the Wellness Center, Memorial Chapel, and the Music-Drama Center during the repair period. 

We are working closely with We Energies and the City of Appleton to manage this process as efficiently as possible. For additional information, please visit our FAQ page or email us directly: crisismanagement@lawrence.edu.

We will continue to update as information becomes available on MyLU. Thank you for your cooperation and patience.