Severe weather ripped through campus Tuesday evening with high winds and multiple tornado warnings, forcing students and visitors on campus to take cover.
Torrential rainfall flooded several buildings, including the basement of Richardson Towers and the first-floor bathrooms of Meeman Journalism, where students and faculty were taking cover.
Administrators canceled classes and closed The University at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday due to the severe weather in the forecast.
Text-message alerts and e-mails were sent out to students and faculty in addition to an announcement over the campus-wide warning loudspeakers.
But, a computer glitch caused the outdoor warning system on the Park Avenue Campus to announce "an armed intruder on campus" in addition to the intended severe weather warning.
Around 3 p.m., some students called a Daily Helmsman reporter asking about the intruder on campus.
Police services quickly learned of the problem
"We shut it down as soon as possible," said Director of Police Services Bruce Harber.
The other messages included warnings about on-campus intruders, tornadoes and campus closings. The original message announced The University's closing due to the potentially severe weather.
The unseasonably warm weather early in the afternoon left many students puzzled over the campus closure.
"I've never seen them close class for nothing," said Rachel Pentz, senior creative writing major, while leaving campus. "I'll at least get to vote earlier now."
Police Services said they closed campus early in the afternoon so students wouldn't be getting out of class during the severe weather.
"Because of a severe weather risk advisory slated for 4 p.m. and storms coming through at 6 p.m., we decided to close The University," Harber said "Shirley Raines and I decided to close down before the 2:40 classes started because they would run late."
The University's decision to close at 2:30 p.m. was the right thing to do, according to some students.
"There's not a threat yet, but it's 70 degrees in February," said Tim Jordan, junior sports leisure management major. "But I'm glad they're closing - better safe than sorry."
Surrounding schools Christian Brothers University and Crichton College also closed their campuses but Rhodes remained opened.
