Snow Days
Ski hats, mittens, and sleds. Yes.Icy sidewalks, stalled cars, mounds of slush. Yes.Winter is here, and a snow storm can make life on campus fun or a real challenge. Making the decision to remain open or to close the university is also a challenge and can be as tricky as the weather. At the first snowflake, students wonder if they should start driving to campus or hunker down with a favorite video game. In spite of the input of campus administrators, facilities employees and weather gurus, the decision to open or close is a tough call. And whatever decision we make, we hear about it! “I was already on my way to campus when you announced the closing.” “I got here for my class, but my professor didn’t!” “Every other college delayed opening but Towson.”
Why aren’t colleges and universities united in their decisions? If one public university closes, shouldn’t all close? It doesn’t work that way. Each institution makes an independent decision based upon its location, student population, and available resources. The decision to close made by another institution has little to do with Towson University’s decision. Safety is the priority, but there are other considerations as well. Cancelling classes puts students behind in their coursework and impacts faculty research projects. So while a day off might be a welcome respite in the short run, the long term implications are less positive. There are also significant financial issues. As a public institution, we are stewards of state resources. When thousands of employees are granted administrative leave, it costs hundreds of thousands of dollars to pay salaries with no in-kind benefits to the university. Our partners in the business world seldom shut down for a snow day, so collaborative projects are put on hold if we close. Remember, you will be part of that business world in a few short semesters.
So how is the decision made? First, Facilities Management employees walk the campus at 3:00 a.m. and determine whether we have the staff and resources to maintain safe conditions of campus parking lots, roads and sidewalks. Parking! That’s the big question. If they come to campus, where will they park? Employees also assess the external roads to and from the campus. Towson University pays for a premium weather service to track a storm’s progress and severity. So we analyze several levels of information. By 5:00 a.m., I have already monitored media and web reports about the weather and am prepared for a recommendation from Jim Sheehan, VP for Administration and Finance. If Towson University closes, we immediately notify the media, post the news on our website and announce it on our telephone line - 410-704-NEWS.
I’m a fan of cross-country skiing, so when there is snow, I’d like nothing better than to close the university and snap on my skis. But I have a responsibility to the campus community, the state, and our business partners. So instead, I get up at 4:00 a.m., make a pot of coffee, surf weather.com, and wait for the phone to ring.
