By Laura Klotzkin, Managing Editor
As many have noticed, the weather has been unbearably cold in the beginning of this semester.
“Tonight will be in the teens, with Friday, Saturday and Sunday the temperatures are expected to be in the single digits, with Saturday dropping in the negatives,” Reslife stated in an email to campus on Feb. 5.
While making it unpleasant to walk to and from class, there are many other problems the cold weather causes. For example, on Sunday, Jan. 25, the governor announced a state of emergency for the area.
“Due to the weather forecast and the Governor’s announcement, Daemen University will be closed on Monday, Jan. 26,” Student Affairs said in a campus alert email on Jan. 24. “Out of an abundance of caution and for the safety of community members living in the most impacted areas.”
To keep the community safe, all classes were canceled and non-essential offices were closed. Heavy snowfall was expected, which could make travel dangerous for students and faculty.
Facilities have been having their fair share of trouble trying to keep up with the constant barrage of snow in the beginning of the semester.
“On the days when it’s coming down constantly, they do constant snow removal,” said the Assistant Director of Facilities, Kimberly Zukowski.
The extreme weather and cold have generally made it very difficult to keep the walkways and roads clear.
“They can plow or they can salt, but it’s really not doing what it’s intended to do, which is to make the area less slippery and safer for people who are walking in the walkways and driving in the roadways,” said Zukowski.
One thing that facilities want to do better for next year is plowing the overnight lots that tend to host cars belonging to resident students.
“They (Facilities) were getting where the cars weren’t, but because the cars never moved, it just kind of built up.” Said Zukowski.
For the winter months, Facilities brings in an outside landscaping company called Elber’s Landscaping. Daemen has six people who remain on-site consistently to deal with the snow.
Aside from facilities, the roads have generally been a problem for commuters this past semester due to the heavy snow, even when classes haven’t been canceled.
“I’ve definitely heard a lot of Daemen students complaining about the parking situation and classes not being cancelled due to the extreme cold,” said Venera Kalinina, a sophomore psychology major. “There have been other days when the roads were bad, especially on campus.”
Kalinina discussed general negatives that they’ve experienced as a student on campus during this cold.
“I used to be the type of person whose favorite season was winter but now that I have to drive in the snow, I’ve changed my mind,” said Kalinina. “Around February is when we really start to see the bitter cold and it makes me wish Spring would come sooner.”
Residential students don’t have to think about driving or parking, but they do have to worry about staying warm while living on campus.
“It is important to follow tips to stay safe, keep your space comfortable and to know what to do if you are experiencing a heating issue in your residence,” Reslife stated in an email to campus sent Feb. 5.
Some of these Reslife tips include keeping bedroom doors open, keeping the thermostat on to avoid pipes bursting, locking windows, leaving the blinds open when the sun is shining and layering up. Residential students need to follow these tips to keep warm and safe during these months.
Other students have their own problems brought on by the cold weather.
“When I wash my hands in the bathroom, the water’s cold. Very cold,” said Emily Sciolino, a sophomore animation major.
For many weeks, snow has piled up throughout campus. There are huge snow piles throughout and sometimes snow will be left on the sidewalks.
“I think Daemen Facilities should be more proactive about cleaning up the snow, as sometimes the sidewalks and roads are not properly cleared,” said Kalinina.
Though many students have voiced similar concerns, Facilities wants to let students know what they can do when the snow gets bad, and students come across unplowed areas.
“If we miss something, we get tickets through the maintenance form, which I’m not sure is something everybody knows,” said Zukowski.
If you notice a sidewalk hasn’t been plowed or a particular area is filled with snow, you can put in a ticket and facilities will come to take care of it.