Desk Notes, Nov. 16, 2010: FM Construction News and Gearing up for Winter

Desk Notes – November 16, 2010 The fall is winding to a close with a couple of items notable by their absence rather than their presence. This year we have had fewer calls with regard to Leaf Blowing on campus. Some wags will undoubtedly indicate that this is more a reflection on the relief that the campus feels not having construction noise than it is a reflection on the lower impact of the ‘leaf blowing’. I, however, choose to take the high road and believe that this metric truly does measure the impact of our new quieter blowers coupled with a specific attempt to get the blowing done early or late in the day when there are fewer classes in session. We have also not had this fall (knock on wood) a major flooding incident with either the Residence Halls or the Academic Buildings. Those same wags would undoubtedly say that this is pure chance in that we have not had a really major wind event (brings down leaves which clog drainage basins and gutters) coupled with a major rain event. I would say that this is reflection of the hard work done by our roofers and grounds personnel. However, I would also like to say it doesn’t hurt to light a few sticks of incense at appropriate shrines…like Saint Cajetan, the Patron Saint of Gamblers. (Note: No, I am not proselytizing. I am not even Catholic. I just believe in hedging my bets.) Despite the naysayers, the summer construction push, for the most part, is winding down. We still have the ongoing renovation at Miller Hall. (Again, if you haven’t seen it, give yourself a treat. Visit Woodring College and look at their new offices). The new collaborative area is still under construction but it will be great when it is finished. It will have the first ‘green’ roof on campus. (I am still not sure how the Architects and Office of Sustainability convinced me that was a good idea. However, I believe it involved a large amount of Diet Coke) (Note: a portion of the preceding sentence was edited to reflect my sensitivity to campus concerns over binge drinking.) The interior demolition of the 1940s wing is almost complete. That work gave us some fascinating glimpses at how construction was done in the ‘War’ years (early 40s). We are still on track for building occupancy in the fall of 2011. I am looking forward to it almost as much as the staff and faculty of Woodring College are. We are still working on the Buchanan Towers Addition. I am constrained by prohibitions from foul language from saying anything more. We are also working on some new pathways in the south campus which will substantially facilitate travel from Birnham Wood Apartments and the Happy Valley area into the main campus. Since it is November and since the weather forecasters are making pests of themselves predicting a colder, wetter winter, I thought I might reprise my award winning description of the process we go through when we have a ‘snow’ event. Below is extracted from my December 2009 Desk Notes. Snow may be coming our way some time in the future so I thought I would entertain the campus with how we react to a major snow event prior to an Academic day here at FM (other than various versions of ‘Gracious, I do hope that this will not be too disruptive.’) Our response begins very early in the morning or possibly late at night. Gary Hodge, the Supervisor for Outdoor Maintenance is alerted either by snow forecasts or a phone call from the steam plant indicating snow is falling. Gary then waits until he is sure that I am sound asleep and calls me to consult on whether we should mobilize the crews for campus clearing. (In almost all cases, after some bitter denunciations of weatherpersons and storms gods, I give permission to mobilize the crews very early in the a.m. The exact timing depends on the rate of snow fall, weather projections, etc but it is generally around 5:00 a.m.) Between 4:00 – 4:30 a.m., I will chain up and head into campus to perform an assessment. On arriving at campus, I will drive around all the campus roads and walk the central campus pathway and try to project how much clearing we can accomplish and what it will be like in four or more hours when people arrive in the parking lot and using the walkways. (Note: If anyone would like to volunteer to help make this assessment, your input would be welcome although my appreciation of it will be heavily tempered by my concerns over your sanity for being there in the middle of a snow storm) I then return to my office and, using my computer and telephone, check with the weather forecasts, WTA, Bellingham Schools, and the Campus Police. I then call Vice President for Business and Financial Affairs with a recommendation about 5:30 a.m. on whether we should be operational or not on that day. The V.P. BFA then consults with the President and Provost to make a determination on whether WWU will implement ‘Suspended Operations’ that day. Once that determination is made, I call the Director of the University Communications and wake him up. After the usual disgruntled salutations at that hour, Paul Cocke immediately puts an appropriate message on the Stormline (650-6500). The Western Alert system also will be used to notify students, faculty, and staff through a variety of means, including text messages, e-mail, and messages on the university homepage. Various media, such as KGMI Radio (AM 790) also are notified. Western students, faculty and staff who have not yet registered to receive Western Alerts via text message are asked to update their personal information via the Web4u application at Web4U. If everything works correctly, that notification will get on the Storm Line not later than 6:30 a.m. and possibly as early as 6:00 a.m. All in all I think we are all in agreement that we (I) would rather not go through this whole process so let’s concentrate on preventing snow. Chant together now: No Snow! No Snow! No Snow! (I can’t hear you!) No Snow! Etc. If you will remember, the chant above actually did some good (or at least that’s my opinion not withstanding those same weather forecasters) so give it shot. After all, it can’t hurt. Finally, many of you (some? A few? Okay, at least one) have requested that I send these notes to you directly. If you are interested in receiving Desk Notes directly rather than going to Western Today, please email me (tim.wynn@wwu.edu) and I will start an email distribution list. I promise I won’t sell the list to anyone unless they are willing to part with an awful lot of cash which I will, of course, share with the people on the list. (Hey! I was told to explore alternate sources of revenues.) Goodnight Western, Tim