When the winter season rolls around at URI, students are always praying for a snow day. They don’t want to make that commute to campus in the snow, or walk up the slippery hills that haven’t been shoveled. But when classes are still held, some students feel the university didn’t do anything to prepare.

          During the last winter season, there weren’t many snowstorms, leaving the university to still hold classes everyday. But last school year, in 2014-2015, it seemed like every other day was a new storm. Most of the time classes would be canceled because there was just too much snow to prepare the campus and ensure it would be safe.

          This set the expectations high for students because from that winter season, students were expecting snow days each time it snowed after. They didn’t think URI was prepared to hold classes most days because sidewalks were left unshoveled, and parking lots were left unplowed.

          This put students at risk because when the parking lots are just covered in snow, no one can see the spots on the ground and it leaves students to create their own spots. The sidewalks are also putting students at risk because the campus is one big hill and makes it that much easier for someone to slip, lose their balance, and fall.

          Junior Brianna Montecalvo talked about the concerns coming from off campus to class when it snows. She said: “while some of the main roads might be plowed and cleaned up, its when I get closer to campus that it looks like they haven’t even been touched.”

          Her concerns about getting to campus safe are always a priority with Facilities Services. Most students don’t know the extent of the cleanup, because it happens all before they arrive to school.

          Facilities Services Director, Jerome Sidio, talked about the protocol his workers have to follow in order to prevent injuries from the lack of clean up. He talked about their first priority being the streets. “We always tackle the streets first to ensure any emergency vehicles can safely make it through.”

          The next step for them is parking lots and sidewalks. Majority of the workers take on the sidewalks by shoveling what they can, and putting salt down to eliminate anyone from slipping.

          The steps that these workers take to make the campus safe for everyone is always done before people arrive to campus. They don’t see all of the hard work the team does to make campus safe.

          Sidio also explains how he gets to be apart of the council meeting with the Provost when they are deciding whether or not to hold classes. As director of Facilities Services, he is able to determine if he believes the campus will be cleaned up in time.

          Although a snow day always sounds like a great day off from school, students don’t realize the hard work that’s being put into making campus safe again.