Steve Pfost

Starting with a few inches on the ground and more to come in the forecast, it seems as if it’s constantly snowing at RIT. No matter how hard we try, we step in deep slush; our shoes are covered with salt; snowflakes falls in our eyes; and, no matter where we are on campus, the wind gusts in our faces. Another exciting day in a city enduring Lake Effect Snow, due to its proximity to Lake Ontario.

The Lake Effect is a weather phenomenon that occurs when a considerable amount of cold air crosses over a body of warmer water. According to the Weather Channel’s Storm Encyclopedia, this creates an unstable temperature profile that causes clouds to build snow and dump it on land downwind. Due to this excess flurry, RIT must work harder to clear walkways and roads for the safety of its students, faculty and staff.

There are two departments responsible for snow removal and maintenance on campus: Facilities Management Services and Housing Operations Facilities. FMS is in charge of the academic side of campus while the Housing Operations manages the walkways, parking lots and roads around the residence halls, apartments and the current “work in progress,” Global Village. A company contracted by Wilmorite manages Park Point.

Housing Operations does not have the manpower to clear the snow themselves, so they contract the work to Boon & Sons, Inc., which is a property maintenance company based in North Chili located less than 10 miles from campus. Kurt Ingerick, associate director of Facilities in Housing Operations, said their standard has been to eliminate ice on the walkways. So far, their efforts have been successful.

Perkins Green and Colony Manor Apartment complexes have traditionally been the most difficult areas to clear. Perkins is notorious for its small walkways with 90 degree turns, making it an arduous task for small plows to effectively clear them. Colony’s issues are caused by the smaller parking lots making it tricky for plows to navigate and remove snow. Residents have a tendency to park their cars over the sidewalks, allowing less room for the small plows to do their jobs.

“We haven’t had complaints this year. If we see areas that they’re missing, certainly we reinforce it with [Boon & Sons],” said Ingerick. “From a sustainability stand point, we look for excessive salting and reassess so that they don’t dump so much in certain areas.” Ingerick is glad to hear students’ feedback so that snow removal can be improved.

Steve Pfost

For the rest of the campus, FMS clears the parking lots, roads and walkways so that faculty, staff and students safely access the academic side. They do most of the work themselves, but they contract a company to clear the bigger lots on campus, including E, G, S and U lots. There are approximately 14 people on staff who maintain the campus 24/7, and up to 12 students are employed to supplement the work when they are available.

Chris Furnare, the Grounds Foreman at FMS, says that in the morning, they usually start clearing snow at around 4 a.m. He notes that ramps and stairs are the most difficult areas to clear on campus, but they also require the most attention because people run a higher risk of falling them. “The more condensed the area is with buildings and landscaping, the more intricate the job is.”

These condensed areas are especially difficult when the snow is falling during the day and FMS has to compete with foot traffic when clearing. Furnare says that the staff tries to be as courteous as possible, but it is frustrating when students, faculty and staff are walking or standing directly in front of the plows. If people take a minute to step to the side they “would have a clear path and [FMS] could clear the snow effectively,” he says.

Furnare says that RIT is utilizing the best technologies and strategies for snow removal. His objective is to make the campus as safe as possible for people to get around in an effective way. “Since I’ve been here we have been smarter about it [the way we do things]. Instead of salting, we plow ... Salt is very corrosive for metal, concrete and paver stones [small, decorative bricks or stones on walkways].” When possible, FMS now uses an agricultural pot ash that isn’t as harsh on the walkways and the ground surrounding it; it is also more environmentally friendly. He insists that while new technologies can help snow removal, it’s the diligence that makes it effective rather than trying new chemicals that may hurt more than help.

Students’ reactions were mixed when asked how they feel about snow removal on campus. “The walkways don’t seem to be in terrible shape,” said Eric Tripp, a third year Electrical Engineering major. “Sometimes it’s hard for them [to plow] because cars are parked in the way,” said Leah Andrews, a fourth year Mathematics student.

“It makes me mad when they don’t plow in Rochester. They don’t really do much about [snow] on campus either,” according to first year Biomedical Photographic Communications student, Lynne Adams. “They don’t do a good job salting,” said Kylie Madigan, also a first year Biomedical Photographic Communications major. “And when they do salt, they over salt and your shoes get all gross,” Adams added. “They just seem to wait for [the snow] to melt,” said Madigan.

While there is no quick solution to snow removal, it is important to be prepared for what the weather might bring. Things you heard when you were little still ring true whether you are a student, faulty or staff member. Wear warm coats, hats, gloves and boots. Many falls can be attributed to inappropriate footwear since high heels, Vans and leather soled shoes do not provide much traction. “Just wear boots and winter isn’t so bad,” said Furnare.