Snow and ice has been a major problem both on and near campus in previous years, and people are looking for a better outcome this winter season.
There were many complaints last year regarding the snow and ice removal (or lack thereof) on campus walkways and streets. This year, students, faculty and staff are looking for a response to their complaints so that they can walk easy, knowing they are safe and not apt to fall every step they take.
According to sophomore Brad Klein, the snow was taken care of right away, but the ice was a major problem.
“It seemed as if nothing was salted or sanded which meant that you had to walk slower, at risk of missing class, or you could walk fast and slip and fall on the ice every step you took,” Klein said. “It was sloppy and unsafe to even walk near the sidewalks.”
Junior Jessica Baehman agreed.
“I wished they would have shoveled better,” Baehman said. “It seemed that they would let it go, the snow would turn to ice and it would be too late to salt or sand to make a difference. I want to be able to walk on the sidewalks without breaking my back.”
Students Julie Wein, a sophomore and Kristen Raschka, a junior, both agreed that something, safety-wise, needed to be done.
They said that students sometimes looked out the window and laughed at people falling, but it wasn’t always funny because they could easily be the ones that fall.
Raschka said that slipping isn’t the only annoyance.
“I know not much can be done with a big snowfall and nowhere to go with the snow, but they push it places that make us lose like five parking spots, which can get kind of annoying,” she said.
UW-Oshkosh Director of Facilities Management Steve Arndt has responded to such complaints and is ready to make a difference so that the campus is a much safer place in the winter.
“I have an eight-person grounds crew that is tasked with snow removal for the entire campus,” Arndt said. “While they have generally done a fair job of snow removal, there have been some complaints about the length of time it takes to clear the campus sidewalks, particularly after a heavy snowstorm or blizzard. This is especially important to students with disabilities that require a wheelchair to move about.”
Arndt said he worked with John Palmer, the coordinator of services for students with disabilities on campus, to develop a snow removal plan that prioritizes essential routes that should be cleared first.
The issues with the city streets can also cause many problems around the campus.
“The city streets are for the city of Oshkosh to plow,” Arndt said. “We here at the campus don’t do that, but when they plow snow onto our sidewalks, this becomes challenging for us to clean up right away which can cause issues for people on campus.”
But Arndt said removing snow isn’t always easy.
“Snow removal is often unpredictable and challenging,” he said. “The campus grounds crew is dedicated to cleaning up the campus as fast and as safely as possible, given available resources.”
Knowing that safety is a big concern not only on campus, but also around the surrounding communities, the city of Oshkosh has revised some of the ordinances to make clear that people responsible for the clearing of sidewalks after a 24-hour period is the owner, renter, etc. If the city must clear their property, because snow and ice left not taken care of is a serious safety hazard, the city has the duty of clearing the snow and ice, and then charging the owner of the property.
“New proposals of the snow removal just make it the responsibility of the owner, or in this case the campus, for removing snow or ice from the proximity or charges will accomplice injuries if not taken care of,” David Patek, director of Public Works for the city of Oshkosh, said. “These new provisions were made so that the community would be a safer place and more could be done to prevent injuries.”
With these provisions and the winter season approaching, the city and the Oshkosh campus alike are already preparing for what is to come.
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