The William Woods University campus in Fulton will be closed to the general public on Monday, officials have announced.
Monday, the first day of fall semester classes at the university, is also the date of a total solar eclipse which could bring possibly thousands of visitors to the area.
"Although we prize our standing as a good neighbor and solid member of the Fulton community, our top priority is the safety and convenience of our students, faculty and staff," University President Jehnae Barnett said. "With hundreds of students on campus for the first day of fall classes, we are unable to safely accommodate the possibility of hundreds of additional individuals coming to WWU to view the eclipse, especially in the areas of traffic, parking and facilities."
The partial eclipse will begin Monday at 11:44 a.m., and the total eclipse is expected at 1:13 p.m.
There are plenty of other places for spectators to view the eclipse. Fulton officials will have open space available at city soccer fields near the airport, and at Tanglewood Golf Course. For more information, go to: visitfulton.com/eclipse.html.
Westminster College will close campus offices between 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday and will observe the eclipse at Priest Field. West 7th Street will be closed between Westminster Avenue and the field for pedestrians. Viewers are encouraged to bring blankets and chairs so they can watch the phenomenon comfortably.
Kent Palmer, emeritus professor of physics, and Leah Criswell, visiting assistant professor of physics, will host a mini-lecture and educational discussion regarding the eclipse, its significance and the science behind it at 11 a.m. Monday in Champ Auditorium. Palmer will discuss how solar eclipses differ from lunar eclipses, why they are rare and important, what to look for during the eclipse, viewing safety, and a question and answer segment. Special glasses necessary to view the eclipse will be distributed after the lecture.
A livestream of Palmer's lecture can also be viewed at westminster-mo.edu/news/LiveStreaming/default.html.
Following the lecture at 11:30 a.m., there will be a barbecue lunch picnic at both the Backer Dining Hall and Priest Football Field. The cost is $10 at the door. Visitors planning on attending lunch should RSVP at [email protected].
The city of Fulton, Callaway County Public Library and Callaway County courthouse will have limited hours Monday. Other locations may also be affected; check with them for more information.