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Campus Alert
Update on Facilities Emergency

Following the electrical incident originating in Building 42, significant progress has been made in assessing the affected facilities. Power is expected to be restored to Buildings 38, 39, 43 and 47 within the next several hours.

Buildings 32 and 42 will remain closed through the end of this week while additional assessments are completed and necessary repairs are implemented.

Academic Operations

  • SEAS will remain on Emergency Remote Instruction (ERI) through the end of the week.
  • Classes for all non-SEAS students will resume normal operations.
  • Classes at the Law School, Community College, Congress Heights and the DCA Aviation Hangar will continue as scheduled.

Administrative Operations

  • Administrative and support functions at the Van Ness campus will resume normal business operations.

SEAS Faculty, Staff and Students

SEAS staff should contact their supervisors regarding remote work expectations. SEAS faculty should coordinate with their supervisors regarding ERI and may contact CAL for instructional technology support, including Blackboard, Zoom and Webex, at [email protected].

The safety of our students, faculty, staff, and community remains our highest priority. We will continue to provide updates as additional information becomes available.

For safety concerns, contact OPSEM at 202-274-5050. For emergencies, call 911.

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HBCU Students and Alumni Champion UDC President Maurice D. Edington for National Leadership Honor

October 21, 2026 Priscilla Lalisse-Jespersen
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UDC Chief Advancement Officer Richard Lucas accepts the 2026 HBCU Pillar Award on behalf of President Maurice D. Edington during the UnPoliticized Blackness Brunch on Oct. 18 in Baltimore.
UDC Chief Advancement Officer Richard Lucas accepts the 2026 HBCU Pillar Award on behalf of President Maurice D. Edington during the UnPoliticized Blackness Brunch on Oct. 18 in Baltimore.

University of the District of Columbia President Maurice D. Edington received the 2026 HBCU Pillar Award on Sunday, Oct. 18, recognizing his leadership in advancing student success, expanding academic opportunities and strengthening the university's future. 

Edington was nominated by HBCU students and alumni, and the organization's Council of Advisors voted unanimously to select him for the honor. 

The award was presented during UnPoliticized Blackness: A Brunch at the Flag House Museum in Baltimore. UDC’s Senior Vice President and Chief Advancement Officer Richard Lucas accepted the award on Edington's behalf. 

Five people dressed in black formalwear pose in front of a black backdrop with a neon sign reading “UnPoliticized Blackness.”The HBCU Pillar Award recognizes leaders whose vision and stewardship help historically Black colleges and universities remain centers of academic excellence, resilience and student achievement. 

In announcing Edington's selection, organizers highlighted progress made since he became UDC's 10th president in 2023, including enrollment growth, improved student retention and the introduction of academic programs aligned with emerging workforce needs. 

They also pointed to "Delivering on the Promise," the university's five-year strategic plan, which sets a course for positioning UDC as a leading national public urban institution. The plan emphasizes student success, institutional growth and academic programs in high-demand fields, including science, technology, engineering, mathematics, health care and education. 

The recognition comes as UDC celebrates its 175th anniversary, marking a history of expanding educational access and preparing generations of students to contribute to the District and beyond. 

As the nation's only exclusively urban land-grant HBCU and the District's only public university, UDC plays a distinctive role in connecting education, research and workforce development to the needs of the communities it serves. 

Edington succeeds Virginia State University President Makola Abdullah, who received the HBCU Pillar Award in 2025. 

For Edington, the honor carries a particular distinction: It began with students and alumni who saw in his leadership a commitment to the future of historically Black higher education. 

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