In the last year the University of Louisville has been hit by three major disasters—a wind storm, an ice storm and a flash flood.
These resulted in millions of dollars in damage to UofL’s campuses.
In September, the remnants of Hurricane Ike blew into the Ohio Valley, damaging dozens of trees and causing severe damage to much of campus, including breaking windows, tearing down power lines and ripping off part of the roof of our School of Music.
Four months later, the worst ice storm in decades killed dozens of trees and damaged hundreds more. Between these two storms, every tree on Belknap Campus was damaged.
The worst was yet to come.
On Tuesday, Aug. 4, a torrential storm brought a record-breaking six inches of rain in 75 minutes – and UofL was among the hardest-hit institutions in Louisville. Water rose quickly, flooding streets and buildings. Some students, faculty and staff had to be rescued by boat or truck.
In all:
- 29 buildings flooded, including three student dormitories.
- The business, music, education and public health buildings were most severely damaged.
- It will take months for some classrooms, practice rooms, laboratories and offices to become useable.
- Many UofL students and employees lost vehicles and personal property in the flood.
Help us restore the university for our students. It will provide relief for areas not covered by insurance or state or federal disaster relief funds. Give now »
Insurance and state and federal aid will cover only so much of the damage. That means UofL has to pay for the rest. Unfortunately, nine years of state budget cuts have left the university with little money for repairs and restoration.
That is why we need your help to restore our campus to its prior beauty, to help address some of the challenges insurance doesn’t cover, and to give our students the environment they need to make the most of their educational experience.