Dear UMass Boston Community,
Today marked an important milestone in our ongoing response to the East Residence Hall flooding incident. Approximately 80 students whose rooms sustained direct water damage successfully moved into longer-term housing at Emerson College in downtown Boston.
After extensive coordination and planning, these students transitioned to Emerson as their new home for the remainder of the spring semester. Upon arrival, they were welcomed by UMass Boston Student Affairs staff alongside Emerson College Residential Life team members. For students who opted to store belongings or have items professionally laundered, those items were ready and waiting upon move-in, an important step in helping restore a sense of stability.
It was an emotional day filled with anticipation, relief, and hope for many of our most impacted students. We are committed to continuing to provide academic, social, emotional, and community support to ensure they remain fully engaged in their UMass Boston experience throughout the semester.
While the university will be closed to staff on Monday, February 23, due to the forecasted blizzard conditions in the Boston area, this work does not pause. Senior leadership will continue coordinating with Capstone On-Campus Management (COCM), owner Provident, and remediation teams to advance planning, timelines, and ongoing evaluations related to building restoration and service impacts.
We are grateful to the many staff members, faculty, partners, and students who continue to demonstrate flexibility and care for one another during this challenging time. Additional updates will be shared as progress continues and www.umb.edu/reshallsupport continues to be updated with information as it becomes available.
Sincerely,
Karen Ferrer-Muñiz, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
Kathleen Kirleis, Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance
