{"id":9767,"date":"2013-02-22T11:47:51","date_gmt":"2013-02-22T18:47:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/?p=9767"},"modified":"2018-06-01T10:26:57","modified_gmt":"2018-06-01T16:26:57","slug":"snow-brings-campus-to-halt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/?p=9767","title":{"rendered":"Snow brings campus to halt"},"content":{"rendered":"

After years of drought and mild winters, UCCS faculty, staff and students were brought back to the reality of winter in Colorado on Wednesday and Thursday.<\/p>\n

\"Austin<\/a>
Austin Bluffs Parkway turned into a parking lot Wednesday night.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As a result of snowfall that brought between five and 12 inches of snow to campus, the University Center stayed open Wednesday night for travelers stranded on Austin Bluffs Parkway. On Thursday, campus was initially delayed until 10 a.m. but ultimately closed for the day as Austin Bluffs Parkway and streets leading to campus proved impassable. As late as 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Colorado Springs Police Department officers closed a section of Garden of the Gods Road at the North Nevada intersection because cars were stuck.<\/p>\n

On Wednesday night, a group of CU and UCCS leaders were caught on Austin Bluffs Parkway after attending a meeting at Memorial Hospital. Many CU leaders were in town for Board of Regents Meetings Wednesday and Thursday. The regents conducted their meetings Thursday from the Marriott Hotel where they spent the previous\u00a0night.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve never seen it snow that hard that fast here,\u201d Martin Wood, vice chancellor, University Advancement, said of Wednesday night\u2019s snowfall.<\/p>\n

Eventually, a university van was abandoned after it became stuck on Austin Bluffs Parkway and was eventually closed to traffic. The van\u2019s passengers were transported by University Police and Tim Stoecklein, director of emergency management, Department of Public Safety.<\/p>\n

And while many university employees enjoyed a day off on Thursday, Department of Public Safety and Facilities Services crews were hard at work getting campus ready for Friday classes.<\/p>\n

Facilities crews were on campus as early as 4 a.m. Thursday, according to Rob Dougherty, director, Physical Plant. Throughout the day, working in teams, they cleared snow from sections of campus using tools ranging from front-end loaders to hand shovels.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Department of Public Safety did a wonderful job, particularly Wednesday night,\u201d Dougherty said. \u201cIt was a whole team effort.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"IMG_4665\"<\/a>About 45 Facilities Services staff members worked Thursday and members of the outdoor services crews were on campus until 11:30 p.m. Wednesday night.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverybody participated,\u201d Dougherty said.<\/p>\n

As part of a cross-training initiative within the department, staff who normally might be assigned to electrical or custodial work have snow clearing responsibilities.<\/p>\n

When was the last time that UCCS closed? The question caused some head scratching Friday morning as leaders attempted to remember the last time campus closed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been here five years and I don\u2019t think we have in that time,\u201d Gary Reynolds, executive director, Facilities Services, said.<\/p>\n

Dougherty remembered campus closing once in the last four years but couldn’t remember the date.<\/p>\n

Brian Burnett, vice chancellor, Administration and Finance, was clear in his memory. The last campus closing was in Nov. 201o because of extreme cold and ice.<\/p>\n

Related article:<\/p>\n