At 4:28 p.m. the Office of University Relations [OUR] sent an email to the student body alerting them that at 12 p.m. Monday the university would close and begin a voluntary evacuation of students ahead of Hurricane Florence, which may make landfall at the end of the week.

“In a voluntary evacuation, students are encouraged, but not required, to leave campus for a safer location” explained the email to students and faculty.

The decision to cancel classes and university-sponsored activities comes ahead of Hurricane Florence, which is currently in the Atlantic, and threatening to become a “major hurricane” by Monday afternoon, according to The Weather Channel.

A major hurricane is classified as a hurricane, which is a Category 3, or above. Though the intensity and exact location that the hurricane will make landfall is still unknown, forecasts show that Hurricane Florence could be a very dangerous storm with winds exceeding 150 mph and dangerous coastal flooding.

This story will continue to be updated as information is made available.