Feature photo by William Woodson
By William Woodson
Jack Frost has made a fairly rare appearance in Raleigh and brought a bedsheet of snow (not thick enough to be considered a blanket) with him.
Unfortunately, along with this came ice that caused slick roads, making them dangerous for students, faculty, and staff, and preventing people from traveling safely from their homes to the William Peace University campus.
Due to the snow and freezing rain, professors have been advised to set up digital classes or send assignments through email for the time being. This has also led to a couple of on-campus events, such as the Martin Luther King Day of service, that had to be canceled or postponed to a later date.
How peace makes weather related decisions
Peace President Dr. Lynn Morton said she goes through a methodical process to make decisions on behalf of the campus when bad weather occurs.
“The safety and security of our community is always driving our decisions and actions, and we balance a wide variety of needs with maintaining safety and security,” said Morton in an email discussing the process.
First, the Senior Leadership Team (SLT), which includes the President and Vice Presidents, checks weather updates from various sources to determine if the conditions are suitable for such a closure to be implemented.
They are on alert, especially when local meteorologists start talking about inclement weather approaching the Raleigh area.
Next, there is an “inclement weather team” that will provide input. This group includes facilities, academic affairs, student life, public safety, dining, and the Assistant Vice President for Marketing and Communications.
“This group discusses multiple forecasts and possible impacts to campus and our general geographical area,” said Morton. “They begin planning for scenarios (ie, the power goes out, there is more snow and ice than expected, the storm passes without impact, etc.) This group makes a recommendation to the SLT.”
With all the information collected from the “inclement weather team” and the Senior Leadership Team, Morton makes the final decision.
Working with the Marketing and Communications Department, they develop a message that can be sent to students, faculty, and staff about any changes to the schedules. A RAVE alert is distributed and asks that everyone look at their emails and be aware of changes. Information is also posted directly on the Peace website.
For this particular storm, she said the weather and the prediction for more freezing rain and extreme temperatures caused her to change the regular schedule.
“We modified operations so that students and faculty don’t lose instructional time and offices can still get necessary work done to run the campus,” Morton stated in the email. “The decision process is ongoing until the winter storm passes and temperatures rise enough to melt ice on roads.”
Students perspective on weather disruptions
Peace student Mary Gardiner, who lives a few miles off campus in Raleigh, appreciated the fact that the Peace administrators looked at the weather conditions and made changes.
“I value the extra free time,” she said, referencing the extra attention she could pay to her college work.
Gardiner said her mother’s ability to get to medical appointments was affected by travel, but getting there was a necessity.
“My mom, who is in severe health, has a lot of appointments, so driving on an icy road is difficult, but she needs to go to the appointments,” said Gardiner.
Garduber said, “The weather reminds us to be very careful when driving, especially because North Carolina is not used to experiencing snow and ice.”
City and state officials respond
In addition to decisions being made on the Peace campus, city and state officials have recognized the dangers. Raleigh Mayor Janet Cowell declared a state of emergency for the city of Raleigh, and most non-essential county services were cancelled over the weekend and for the first part of the week.
North Carolina Governor Josh Stein was on the news, asking people to stay off the roads if possible. On Wednesday, Jan. 21, the Governor declared a State of Emergency as the state hunkered down and started getting ready for the storm.
In a press release on his website, Stein said that trucks with the N.C. Department of Transportation (NCDOT) were putting down salt and sand throughout the state, especially on bridges where ice might cause slick areas for drivers. The NCDOT has also been working to scrape the ice off of roads and to cut down branches that might have fallen partially because of the weight of the ice. There are also crews on hand that will be able to cut up any fallen trees that might fall into roadways and block traffic.
The article says, “We are not out of the woods yet. Freezing rain today and bitter cold in the coming days will continue to bring dangerous road conditions and power outages.” The article also states that President Donald Trump responded to this, allowing the governor and the state to be provided resources in the case the situation becomes dire.