Stony Brook University students move on campus after three-day storm delay

Hundreds of Stony Brook University students moved into their dorms Thursday following a three-day delay after a torrential downpour early Monday flooded two residence halls, creating havoc on campus along with millions of dollars in damage in the region.

As they unloaded cars packed with boxes and suitcases, the students arrived with a mix of anxiety, frustration and in many cases resignation. And one group of returning students have been assigned to live temporarily at the Holiday Inn Express on Nesconset Highway in Centereach.

But to some, the delay was no big deal. Classes are still set to start Monday as scheduled.

"I was a little thrown off by it,” said Ariana Gulbrandsen, 18, a freshman from upstate Wappingers Falls. "I just didn’t know what was happening those two days” while she awaited word on what to do.

Students said they received an email Monday around 5 a.m. announcing the move-in delays, and by Tuesday were told to report either Thursday or Friday.

Despite it all, Gulbrandsen said, "It’s not the end of the world.”

Her mother, Genevieve Gulbrandsen, was a little more frustrated. Her daughter was assigned a forced triple room before the floods, even though she had requested a double.

"It’s like chaos,” the mother said, adding she got little response to her emails to the school. "It was not very well organized.”

Adalbelys Polanco, 17, a freshman from Washington Heights in Manhattan, said she was disappointed by the move-in delay. "I was excited to come,” she said.

She was all packed and ready to move first thing Monday morning. Then came the email.

Still, she said, referring to delayed move-in, "I’m glad it got fixed.”

Her mother, Adalgiza Gil, was at peace with the delays. "Things happen because God permits them,” she said in Spanish.

Freshman Nicolas Fonseca, 18, of Whitestone, Queens, pretty much agreed. He said the delay allowed him to hang out with his friends at home for a couple more days.

"It was nice,” he said.

The delay was "an inconvenience, but it’s understandable,” he said. The delay also allowed him to go back to sleep after waking up at 5:30 a.m. Monday to move. 

His mother, Donna Fonseca, noted that this was just the latest obstacle faced by the "COVID generation” of kids, whose school years — and lives — were badly interrupted starting in March 2020. Compared to the pandemic, the three-day delay at Stony Brook was nothing, she said.

"This generation has learned to roll with it,” she said.

Rieve Nydegger, 17, a freshman from Hampton Bays, was busy unloading four trombones, a suitcase full of sheet music, clothes and other items from his parents’ car Thursday morning. "It was annoying, but it gave me some extra time to get ready and mentally prepare,” the music major said of the delay.

His parents, Jami and Rick, said they thought the university did a good job handling the flooding emergency.

"It’s really impressive how quickly Stony Brook got their act together,” Jami said. "They did a great job.”

Her husband said Stony Brook, "hit with a curve thrown that fast and unexpected,” still "rebounded seamlessly.”

"This could have been a whole lot worse,” he said.

Nydegger was also assigned a forced triple before the flooding, but was taking it in stride.

"It doesn’t matter,” he said. "Just another kid.”

Stony Brook officials said Thursday they still did not know the number of students displaced by the flooding. University officials said Wednesday that they are assessing how many students have been displaced from the two storm-damaged dorms — Ammann and Gray.

Administration officials have said that for the 2024-25 academic year, 35% of new first-year residents and 20% of new transfer residents are being housed temporarily in triple rooms that were built to accommodate two students.

Stony Brook said demand for on-campus housing is growing, partly due to increased enrollment. Despite adding 3,000 beds during the last 15 years, they said, some temporary housing like forced triples is still needed. The flooding added to the problem, officials said.

Students get a 15% reduction in their housing fee for living in a forced triple. Students were allowed to cancel their housing reservation by noon Wednesday if they did not want to live in a forced triple. They would get their housing fee refunded, plus a $5,000 "incentive,” university officials said.

With Joie Tyrrell