CHARLOTTE, N.C. — UNC Asheville students will be resuming classes Monday following a long closure due to Helene. 

The university confirmed all classes will continue online for the remainder of the fall semester. 

What You Need To Know

  • UNC Asheville students will resume classes Monday after a long closure due to Helene

  • All classes will be online for the remainder of the fall semester

  • The campus limitations have left some students, particularly student athletes, in a holding pattern 

  • A Charlotte HBCU has stepped up to help 

"Beginning Friday, October 25, 2024, UNC Asheville will move to Condition 2 (Suspended Operations). Classes will resume on Monday, October 28 in an online format. This change in operating conditions reflects the University’s optimism that limited potable water will be restored to campus next week. During Condition 2, mandatory employees must report to work as directed. All other employees are directed not to report to campus unless specifically directed by their supervisor and should consult with their supervisor regarding remote work. In addition to water restoration, air quality testing and other restoration efforts remain ongoing in all campus facilities. Students’ return to campus is anticipated for some time next week," said a UNC Asheville statement on current operational status. 

The temporary campus closure has left some students, particularly student athletes, in a bit of a holding pattern. But some N.C. neighbors are stepping up to the plate to help. 

Johnson C. Smith University is opening up its gymnasium to the UNC Asheville women's basketball team so the Bulldogs can continue to prepare for their season. 

The partnership happened after JCSU's women's basketball coach Monterika Warren reached out to Asheville's women's basketball coach Tynesha Lewis.

Warren says she's known Lewis for years and was eager to find an opportunity to help out. 

"I knew they were going to need something," Warren said. "[Lewis] is in the middle of her season and first year [coaching] at UNC Asheville. I knew it was something that we could provide. It works perfectly."

Around the same time period, JCSU Director of Athletics Denisha Hendricks was in talks with UNC Asheville's AD about ways to offer assistance. 

"I was like OK, great this is all working at the same time," Hendricks said. "The head coach at UNC Asheville used to be a head coach in the CIAA, so we're going to always help each other. We're showing that today. It does my heart good to be able to [help out] with something simple as a facility and if no one's using our gym [during that time frame] why not make it available for someone who needs it. We want these students to be successful on the court and of course in the classroom. This is just a small way to do what we are called to do which is help others. If you can help someone, help them. It could of been us."

Lewis said thanks to the generosity of so many like JCSU, her Bulldogs now have places to practice around the Queen City.

"Johnson C. Smith led the way," Lewis said. "Spectrum Center with the Hornets, Queens, UNC Charlotte, the Deltas of Charlotte, they've really rolled out the red carpet. We're grateful the community has rallied around not just us but Asheville as well. We've been in Charlotte since Oct 6. This weekend we actually get to go home back to Asheville. We're giving [the players] a couple of days off. We want them to be settled when they start classes on Monday. 

UNC Asheville guard Jordan Tuff says throughout it all, her team is Bulldogs strong. 

"We've been blessed that it's still going, and we have a season," Tuff said. "It's been very difficult for all of us, especially the people of Asheville. I want to send out prayers to them because they've been affected the most."

"If we're going to go through something, I wouldn't want to go through it with another group," Lewis said. 

Anyone interested in helping in the recovery efforts at UNC Asheville can make contributions to the school's disaster relief fund.