Student Assembly

As discussed Thursday, 1 March 2007.

Whereas, excessive snowfall is known to occur in Ithaca, New York, and Cornell University should be willing and able to plow any and all roads and sidewalks that students use to make it to classes;

Whereas, recent snowfall during and surrounding the closing of the university on February 14, 2007, was not properly cleared until days after said snowfall occurred, with some walkways being cleared a week or more after the snowfall that obstructed them occurred;

Whereas, fire exits surrounding residence halls on campus are currently still obstructed, more than two weeks after the excessive snowfall that obstructed them;

Whereas, on the morning of the excessive snowfall of February 14, 2007, while the university remained open until 12:30 p.m., many of the walkways in and around on-campus residence halls and campus walkways were not cleared while classes were in session, making it unreasonably difficult for students to get to class, and especially difficult for those students with disabilities and/or physical handicaps;

Whereas, members of the Student Assembly have attempted to contact the Grounds/Facilities Management Department regarding what may have caused such a delinquency in snow removal to no avail; Whereas, the Student Assembly Charter reads: 1.3 Welfare of Student Community The SA will have the authority and the responsibility to examine any matters which involve the interests or concern the welfare of the student community and to make proposals concerning those issues to the appropriate officers or decision-making bodies of the University; Be it therefore resolved that the Student Assembly recommend that the Senior Administration examine the funding and staffing of the Grounds/Facilities Management Department to ensure that there are enough crew members working during hours necessary to appropriately clear snow from all walkways that students would use to get to classes;

Be it further resolved that the Student Assembly recommend that, if an 8:40, 9:05, or 10:10 class is scheduled to continue, that all walkways that students may use to get from on-campus or off-campus residential units to the appropriate class are cleared in a timely manner;

Be it finally resolved that the Student Assembly recognizes that not having the appropriate walkways cleared in time for classes and other student activities puts students at an unnecessary and unreasonable risk.

Respectfully Submitted,

Mazdak Asgary ‘08 Ahmed Salem ‘08 Parliamentarian International Student Representative

		          Fmr. Co-President, Cornell Union for Disabilities Awareness