SIU experiences first campus closure since 2009, finals week on schedule

SIU experiences first campus closure since 2009, finals week on schedule

By Luke Nozicka

Winter began earlier than usual at SIU, as campus closed Friday morning due to hazardous weather conditions.

With finals week beginning Monday, University spokesperson Rae Goldsmith said she recommends students get in contact with professors about final projects and exams.

“We do encourage students to reach out to their faculty members if they have concerns and we know a lot of faculty and students have been online by email today, so we hope people will reach out to connect directly with their faculty,” Goldsmith said.

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SIU President Glenn Poshard said it is rare for the SIU campus to close, as is at most universities. The most recent snow day at SIU was in February of 2009.

“We don’t usually get this kind of severe weather this early, in terms of snow and ice and that sort of thing,” he said.

Poshard said deciding if the campus will close is based upon the report given to the chancellor by physical plant services.

“A lot of times it depends upon, is it continuing bad weather, do we have a chance to get the sidewalks and the parking lots cleared without any piling back up right behind us,” he said.

While finals are around the corner, Poshard said it is problematic to close a university, but the shutdown was necessary.

“This close to the end of the session you really want to get in all the classes you can because finals are coming up,” he said. “But I think the risk was too great, I had to be pushed out of my driveway this morning.”

Goldsmith said they are keeping an eye on the weather and at the moment do not see the need to reschedule finals week.

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“Students should assume finals will take place as planned and we’re pretty confident that we will be in good shape on Monday,” she said.

As of now, events such as the men’s basketball game, the track meet and already rescheduled Art Over Easy fundraiser will still take place tomorrow.

Phil Gatton, director of plant and service operations said the initial decision was made this morning around 4:30 a.m., and is a long and complicated process.

“We look at campus conditions, the night before like what our preparation is, what kind of equipment we have available, what the city and the county and the highway roads as far as what they are going to be doing,” he said.

The physical plant services use 13 mowers with plows, two salt trucks with plows, a front-end loader, two tractors and 4-5 pickups with snow blades, along with brine sprayers to clean the sidewalks and roadways.

Gatton said campus is usually not shut down strictly due to snow, as it is fairly easy to remove with the use of salt. Today’s snow was not removable because salt is only effective in temperatures above 25 degrees. Usually, campus can be open within 3 to 4 hours after application of salt.

“It’s never an easy decision closing campus but I think there was no choice today,” Gatton said.

Taylor Ross, an undeclared freshman said it was ideal for SIU to have a snow day, as a lot of students didn’t want to leave their dorms today.

“I would have rather stayed inside, I mean even though I’m from Chicago I didn’t expect Carbondale to have snow like this so I didn’t bring boots or anything, so I would’ve been walking to class in these moccasins.”

Lentz worker Brittny Winston, a sophomore studying biological science said she didn’t mind coming into work today, as it wasn’t much of a commute and it bettered her academic life.

“I’m pretty okay, I only live across the street,” said Winston. “I had a test today so it gave me more time to study.”

Luke Nozicka can be reached at [email protected] or 536-3311 ext 254.

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