The winter storm in February made life difficult for students on campus. Snow and ice piled up on walkways and roads, making it nearly impossible for many students to get to class safely. 

The storm raised big questions about how well campus maintenance crews handled snow removal and accessibility concerns. 

For many, getting around was a struggle.

“The roads and walkways consistently stayed icy and saltless,” one commuter student shared. “They were rarely scraped, shoveled, or salted.”

Another student, an athlete, talked about how bad conditions led to multiple injuries: “I’ve re-sprained the same ankle twice at this point because of falling and landing on it.” 

An employee at Cooper Fitness Center, explained how the storm made simple tasks difficult.

“Once I got inside, it was fine,” they said. “Everyone was bonding over the snow and how crazy it was. But getting there? A nightmare. I got stuck driving because the resident lot was a mess with snow piled up and sidewalks were basically nonexistent.” 

For students with mobility challenges, things were even harder.

Sam Sweikert, a psychology major who uses a cane and wheelchair during multiple sclerosis flare-ups, said the icy conditions were especially dangerous.

“Campus maintenance was okay, but they really needed to do more about the ice,” Sweikert said. “If I slip and fall, I won’t be able to get up and that’s really scary, especially if I’m alone.” 

Other students struggled to even leave their dorms.

Carbon Pierce. described how a lack of plowing made it difficult for him to get to essential spots on campus.

He withdrew from SUNY Oswego as a result.

“For about a week, I could barely make it to the bus stop by my dorm because they didn’t plow it out,” Pierce said. “Same with the dining halls. I was stuck more than once just trying to get food.” 

The campus urges students to keep their own safety in mind and to not travel if circumstances are unsafe. There are resources linked on the SUNY Oswego website that can help determine the weather conditions. 

However, safety is not the only concern. 

On other campuses such as Alfred State College, there were isolated incidents of water damage in the Engineering Technology and Ag Science buildings due to frozen pipes.

The affected areas were secured, and cleanup efforts were initiated to ensure the safety and functionality of the facilities. 

The winter storm put a spotlight on campus maintenance and how colleges handle extreme weather. 

Students have made it clear they want better snow removal and safer conditions during storms, and feel there must be a way to give the campuses resources to do so.

“It’s so important to keep everyone safe during brutal weather,” Sweikert said. “We need to give the staff better resources so they can keep the roads and sidewalks plowed and ice-free.”

Image by Quinn Youngs