Storm damage forces Shaw University in Raleigh to close

Delilah Badgett was in her dorm room doing work when the storm hit Saturday night.

As the tornado whipped across Shaw University’s campus destroying buildings, Badgett sat in her room scared, waiting for it to pass.

While there were no injuries, administrators have deemed the school unable to operate for the remaining of the semester as a result of the damage.

And many students are upset about the decision because it might hurt their grade point average.

Located in Raleigh, Shaw is a private, historically black university of about 2,400 students.

Badgett, a senior psychology major at Shaw, is not worried about the immediate cancelation of classes affecting her grades, but she said many of her peers are.

“It’s devastating because some people might not graduate because they thought they had time to make their work up,” she said.

Instead students will receive the grade they currently have and will not have a chance to take final exams.

“Shaw has a central quad that has two of our four dorms and a student center, and that’s what sustained the most damage,” said Sherri Fillingham, spokeswoman for Shaw. “Everywhere there are trees down — there were some trees that were 150 years old that are just lying on the ground.”

Students were asked to leave campus immediately after the storm.

“It’s hard because a lot of people don’t have places to go right away because it was so unexpected,” Badgett said.

The cancelation of the eight classes remaining in the semester is still a concern for some students, said Kandace Harris, a spokeswoman for Shaw.

Students have been told to contact their professor if they are concerned about passing their classes and might be given an opportunity to take an exam online or do extra work, Fillingham said.

“Professors have been instructed to be as flexible as possible,” she said.

While Shaw sustained heavy damage, UNC campuses did not, said Joni Worthington, vice president for communications for the UNC system.

“UNCG experienced minor flooding in several buildings, but facilities staff have already resolved those issues,” she said in an email.

As for Shaw, the university has not yet started repairs.

“People are here assessing the damage,” Harris said. “We’re still in the initial aftermath.”

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