Dear Editor,
Monday, March 16, our campus experienced one of the most significant blizzards in recent history. While many employees understandably stayed home, others reported to campus to ensure essential services remained available to our students.
We owe a sincere thank you to the grounds and facilities teams as well as to the food service employees who worked extended hours and even assisted coworkers with transportation to ensure students had access to meals.
Most departments required to be on campus demonstrated commendable teamwork and flexibility during these extreme conditions. However, one exception was Parking Services.
Before coming to work Monday morning, I emailed Parking Services and Associate Director Lindy Stein with the following request:
“Good morning, any chance that I can have permission to park in the Blackhawk lot today? With the blizzard, it would be nice not to have to walk from Wisconsin Street Let me know. Thanks.”
The response was:
“Good morning, You would need to pay hourly AMP to park at Blackhawk today. We are not able to offer free parking. Lindy.”
When I arrived, the Blackhawk parking lot was completely empty. This lot frequently sits unused, generating no revenue unless someone buys a permit or receives a citation. Yet the request to use it during a blizzard was still denied. Allowing essential employees to park closer on a day with dangerous conditions would not have caused harm and would have demonstrated collaboration and compassion.
This is not the first time Parking Services has upheld this rigid stance. During the extreme cold snap in January — with temperatures reaching -29 degrees and wind chills around -54 degrees — Custodial Services asked whether staff could use the Blackhawk lot so they would not have to make long, unsafe walks. The response again was no, unless employees paid the hourly rate, which totals $14 for an eight-hour shift.
These situations highlight an area that needs improvement. We are one campus, committed to supporting each other and serving our students. When one department is unable or unwilling to extend reasonable accommodations during extreme circumstances, it sends an unfortunate message: employees are expected to show up and give their best, but should not expect flexibility or understanding in return.
Policies exist to provide structure, not to prevent common-sense decisions in extraordinary situations. A campus can only function when every department recognizes its role in supporting the whole. On days when the weather threatens the safety of staff, small acts of flexibility can make a big difference.
Allowing essential employees to use an empty lot does not cost the university anything — but it shows that we value one another. I urge Parking Services to update its policies to allow temporary access to unused lots during extreme conditions. This simple act of cooperation would reflect the campus values we promote and strengthen the community we all rely on.
