I think that any reasonably intelligent person would read September 6th as a "soft date." The point is that it won't reopen this week. If it can't reopen on the 6th because, as is anticipated, power is not yet restored then obviously another announcement delaying the opening would be made.

It's reasonable to set the 6th as a target in the event that power comes back up more quickly than anticipated. Let's not forget that power company spokespeople, like news people, are trying to give people an expectation that they hope to surpass.

Were the university to announce that it would reopen in two weeks, say the 12th, as you seem to suggest would be more appropriate, and if power were restored over the weekend, no doubt someone would be asking why the university couldn't have reopened on the 6th.

This is a tough situation on the friends we have in Hattiesburg. Let's not look for a fight with the administration where none exists. There are plenty of things to beat them up over when order is restored. We don't need to come off mean-spirited in the interim.