July 2 update

For the most part, campus operations are back to normal, but Information Systems and Plant Services are still working on equipment issues in some places around campus. The Building Management System is still not entirely working, meaning HVAC in some buildings is continuing to be operated manually.

June 25 update

Over the past several days, Union Adventist University experienced a significant systems disruption following severe weather on Friday, June 20. A partial power outage caused damage to critical infrastructure, including the campus’s Building Management System (BMS), which controls lighting, heating, cooling and security.

Thanks to the around-the-clock efforts of our Plant Services, Information Systems, Residential Life, and campus partners, most systems have now been restored.

Current Status

• Cooling and lighting are operational across campus.
• Elevators are functional except in Krueger Center, pending a replacement part.
• Some systems are being operated manually while we test a recovered BMS component.
• Dorms and classrooms are back online and operating normally.

What Happened

• Friday's windstorm caused a partial loss of power, which was more damaging than a total outage.
• Our aging BMS was unable to respond safely, forcing many systems into manual control.
• Follow-up outages on Saturday and Sunday further complicated recovery.

A breakthrough came with the help of a remote BMS expert, allowing progress toward full restoration.

Looking Forward

Thanks to the generosity of donors, we are now working to:

• Upgrade the Building Management System (BMS) and test updated components for long-term reliability.
• Maintain temporary operations of the BMS to support ongoing campus needs during the transition.
• Implement improved power-loss response tools, including surge protection and automated safety shutoff systems.
• Develop a campus-wide infrastructure modernization plan.
• Transition long-term BMS oversight to our Information Systems team.

We are deeply grateful to our staff and partners for their incredible work under pressure — and to our community for your patience as we strengthen the systems that support Union.

June 24 update

There’s something powerful about the way the Union family comes together in times of need. Today, we’re calling on that strength — your strength.

On Friday, high winds and falling tree limbs caused a major power outage on campus. But this time, the damage was deeper — it knocked out Union’s Building Management System, the decades-old "brain" behind all campus HVAC operations. The teams in Plant Services and Information Systems, alongside the caring Residential Life leaders, worked through the weekend to fix what they can and mitigate the issues they can't. However, the system hasn't been supported for a long time, and replacement parts are only occasionally available on Ebay from scavenged systems.

Right now:

• Don Love Building is completely without HVAC.
• Ortner Center is partially affected.
• Elevators in Dick, Krueger, and Ortner are currently out of service.
• Summer classes have moved online until further notice.

We urgently need $200,000 to address the top priority issues and prevent this from happening in the future. That's a big undertaking.

A modern, supported system is no longer a wish list item — it’s critical to prevent these situations from becoming an ongoing occurrence. Your emergency gift will go directly toward replacing our failed Building Management System.

We’re so grateful for our heroes behind the scenes and for friends like you who never fail to show up when it counts. Together, we’ll bring Union’s infrastructure back stronger than ever.

Weathering the storm together,