Last Saturday, a powerful winter storm hit the east coast, leaving Boston with its seventh highest snowfall in recorded history. Blizzard warnings, power outages, and dangerous travel conditions were widespread throughout the area, and the Brandeis campus was closed, with all classes and public activities cancelled for the day. This board would like to commend the University for its handling of the storm and thank all of the staff who worked hard to keep us safe.

The conditions of campus roads and walkways after winter storms of this magnitude can be extremely dangerous — and in some cases, even life threatening. After a snowstorm in 2019, a 19-year-old University of Washington student sustained a head injury and died after slipping and falling on a campus path. 

This board would like to recognize that the facilities workers tasked with shoveling and clearing our campus are putting themselves at risk for our safety. 

We would also like to thank the staff that put themselves at risk to come to work at Upper Usdan and Sherman Dining Hall during the storm, ensuring that students were provided with multiple dining options on Saturday. We are extremely grateful for all of their hard work to keep our campus safe.

In light of the harsh winter we are observing, this board would like to encourage Brandeis community members to take proper precautions for the weather. 

It is important to wear shoes that are warm with good grip on the bottom — leave smooth-bottomed shoes for the warmer weather! It is also a good idea to wear several layers of clothing in order to stay warm outside and still be comfortable when spending time in heated buildings. 

When outdoors, one should try to have a hat or thick headband to cover the ears, gloves or mittens to cover the hands, and a scarf or garter to cover the neck and mouth. 

Lastly, those who drive vehicles should keep an ice scraper and snow brush in their car at all times, and also acquire snow tires if possible.