GARY | Classes at Indiana University Northwest will resume Monday, but high floodwaters and backed-up sewers have permanently closed one building on campus.

Chancellor Bruce Bergland said after two weeks of cleaning up, classrooms are ready for students to return Monday morning. Bergland said waters from the Little Calumet River, which runs just north of campus, caused flooding throughout the grounds and in some buildings, namely Tamarack Hall. Built in 1957, it's the oldest building on campus and houses the university's theater and student art studios.

Bergland said the theater's seating was in standing water last week and with the damage the building sustained, he has received permission to permanently close the facility.

"Because of the level of the water table, it has always had difficulty with moisture. We've had to monitor mold growth," Bergland said. "I have a feeling it's been an issue since it was built."

Vice Chancellor for Administration Joe Pellicciotti said the campus has experienced flooding before, but this instance provided crews with unique challenges.

"We started pumping from the start, but for the first few days, we were just recycling water," he said. "It had nowhere to go."

Pellicciotti said the main parking lot wasn't passable until Wednesday evening, more than a week after the waters flowed in. Most of the buildings fared better, Bergland said, but administrators canceled classes until mold risks were gone.

With two weeks off, professors will spend part of class discussing scheduling options with students, so the material planned can be covered before the end of the semester. Some may decide to tack time onto class periods, while others may meet on extra days.

"We've given the faculty different options they can use. If we can not adjust the academic year, that will be best for everybody," Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Kwesi Aggrey said.

Diane Hodges, vice chancellor for student affairs, said officials are trying to create a positive atmosphere for students, and seeing as they were only in class a few weeks before the flooding, Monday will be like a second first day.

A disc jockey will welcome students to campus and tables will be set up with opportunities to apply for flood assistance or offer a hand to others.

"Some of our students will be feeling better if they can help someone else," she said.

Toni Lieteau, assistant vice chancellor for university relations, said work may not have been visible to the public, but it was going on around the clock.

"The staff has worked very hard, very long hours so there is a commitment to getting this campus back on track," she said.

After seeing last week's flooding first-hand, university President Michael McRobbie agreed to conduct a hydrological study to see what can be done to help prevent future flooding, Bergland said.

"Maddeningly, we may find there's nothing we can do," Bergland said. "It could be a city problem."