Before, during and after Hurricane Beryl blew through Houston July 8, several Rice University departments went above and beyond to keep students, faculty and staff safe, fed and housed. More than two million people in the Houston area lost power during the Category 1 hurricane — some are still in the dark.
From the first warnings that the storm’s trajectory might include Houston, Rice immediately started making preparations for the potential impact. The campus sustained minor rain and wind damage, including downed trees. While the university shifted to modified operations for two days following the storm, essential personnel were hard at work on campus.
“The Rice community extends its deepest gratitude to all the essential personnel who worked tirelessly today to clean up debris from Hurricane Beryl,” President Reginald DesRoches posted on X. “Thank you for your unwavering commitment and exceptional service.”
Kelly Fox, executive vice president for finance and administration who oversees many of the departments directly involved in the recovery, said last week’s call to action embodies the university’s values.
“We are proud of the Rice Emergency Management team members whose early activation and monitoring of the storm kept our campus safe. Our facilities team members quickly deployed after Beryl hit to assess all buildings and remove debris. Our Housing and Dining team worked overtime to serve thousands of meals over the past week, and RUPD kept our people and property safe,” Fox said. “This while many of those essential personnel were dealing with damage to their own homes. Our culture of care will extend beyond the storm as we assess the needs of the campus community.”
The needs assessment survey under the Rice Cares initiative was sent to all employees and students to better understand how the campus population was impacted and what resources were needed for recovery.
“Rice cares about you and wants to be sure you have access to the resources you need to recover,” the July 9 email said.
Rice’s Department of Housing and Dining, one of the first teams to respond, has successfully managed numerous challenges in recent years, including the COVID-19 pandemic, Hurricane Harvey and significant flooding. Its experience equipped it with the skills to effectively address the situation when Beryl hit Houston.
A 45-person team from Housing and Dining handed out more than 3,600 meals to members of the Rice community as well as external community groups. Summer program groups that were cared for during the storm included: International Space University, Envision Roll-Stride, Tapia Camps, Tri-Engineering, Summer Health Professional’s Education Program, Rice Emerging Scholars Program, iD Tech and the Rice Experience for Undergraduates.
“During Hurricane Beryl and previous crises such as Hurricane Harvey and the COVID-19 pandemic, Housing and Dining has consistently played a crucial role,” said David McDonald, assistant vice president of housing and dining. “Our team stays on campus, providing support to students and many of our employees around the clock.”
That forethought has proven to be vital. For some families who are without power, the campus has become a temporary safe haven as some residential colleges and serveries were made available as temporary housing.
Recovery efforts extended beyond the campus and into the surrounding community thanks to the Rice University Police Department (RUPD) and Rice Emergency Medical Services (REMS).
Police Chief Clemente Rodriguez reported that RUPD officers assisted several stranded motorists during the storm by transporting them from their vehicles to safe spaces.
“An officer in our large pickup truck patrol vehicle assisted nurses who were experiencing difficulties making it to work at the hospitals in the Texas Medical Center, and REMS continued to see patients including a staff member who had a fall during the storm recovery time,” Rodriguez said.
For those experiencing emotional issues following the storm, the Rice Employee Assistance Program is providing free counseling for faculty and staff.
For Owls who are still recovering from the devastation of Beryl, visit emergency.rice.edu for a list of resources and campus updates.