THE
SWINGING BRIDGE MESSIAH COLLEGE//THE PULSE
Vol. 94 // ED. 7 // February 13, 2014
Social Justice
&
Social Media [page 5]
Flappy Birds and Angry People [page 11]
Sochi
The WAR
Photo Provided By Danielle Gingrich
CAUTION
on
[page 14]
Winter
Messiah’s Grounds Staff Fights to Keep You Safe this Winter By Dan Row EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
G
RANTHAM, Pa. There are few sights more beautiful than the Messiah College campus in the wintertime. All the trees are flocked with snow, the creek babbles gently through the cold, and as the sun sets the campus falls silent. Despite its beauty, a great deal of danger lies in this wintry weather. As we have already experienced several times this year, conditions can shift from calm to chaotic overnight, posing a serious threat for faculty, staff, and commuting students trying to get on campus as well as for any trying to traverse the campus by foot. Luckily, Messiah College’s grounds staff works around the clock in emergencies like this to make sure the campus is as safe as possible. In an interview, Kathie Shafer, Messiah College’s Vice President of Operations explained what goes into keeping campus in top condition for the several thousand individuals who live and work here on a daily basis.
The process begins with vigilant monitoring of the weather conditions when snow, ice, or other inclement weather is predicted. From there, Grounds Manager, Jared Rudy contacts and organizes the campus’s essential group of employees who must come onto campus despite the conditions to help clear the main roadways on campus as well as parking lots, sidewalks, and other areas that may be blocked or hazardous. If conditions are bad enough that a delay or cancellation may be in order, as was the case with last week’s round of storms, Rudy, along with Brad Markley, the Director of Facility Services, will contact Shafer by 5:30 a.m. to apprise her of the situation and advise if any delays or cancellations should be considered. If cancellations or delays are deemed necessary, Shafer discusses it with the Provost and a decision is made which is then announced to students, faculty, and staff. Even if classes are cancelled for students, campus is not entirely closed
and the work for the grounds staff is far from over. Campus Safety, Dining Services, custodial staff, and other essential employees must be able to make it on campus, so the grounds staff must make conditions as safe as possible for these employees to drive onto campus as quickly as they can because the later they clear the campus, the more difficult and dangerous conditions can become. “Once students and people get out on snow and pack it down , it gets harder for us to clean up which leads to more ice issues. More ice issues lead to more falls. It’s that domino effect,” says Shafer. Shafer also noted that the actions of students and others on campus can make a huge difference in the campus staff’s ability to clear campus pathways. One of the first things that is important for students to do is to keep themselves informed by signing up for text alerts, and reading emails sent out regarding these situations.
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O l y m p cs “After that,” Shafer says, “as soon as it’s done snowing, cleaning off cars is really helpful.” It helps the staff clean up the parking lots so that students’ cars do not freeze into place and cause problems days or even weeks after the initial storm. Another helpful thing students can do, is to report areas that need attention. “So often we hear students complain through Facebook and Twitter that the grounds people don’t take care of the facilities,” Shafer says. With a limited staff, the grounds keepers cannot be aware of every area of the campus that needs attention and that is where students can play a role in helping out. During work hours, students can call extension 6011 to let Facility Services know what areas might need more salt or extra attention. After hours contacting dispatch is another helpful alternative. With the difficulty of melting snow, conditions change frequently. Shafer said, “What melts during the day and becomes water on the ground at 5 p.m. will be ice by morning.” Because of this, students should be wary of damp areas that may be treacherous. Shafer wanted to remind everyone on campus that safety is the grounds staff’s top concern and they work long, strenuous hours to make sure that campus is as clean and safe as possible. She also reminded us that the winter is far from over and forecasts predict more potential danger in coming months. Cooperation with the staff is key for ensuring everyone’s safety on campus.
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