As the snowstorm hit campus last week, Indiana Wesleyan University’s groundskeepers plowed snow to ensure students could continue walking from place to place.
Over the weekend of the 24th and 25th, the groundskeepers worked in several 4-hour shifts to clear snow. Using several tractors, trucks, and Bobcat snow clearers, groundskeepers cleared much of the snow that would pose a problem for commuters and on-campus students.
11 employees are staffed full-time as IWU groundskeepers, and each of them worked in divided sectors on campus to clear as much as possible.
The Director of Grounds and Landscaping on campus, Grant Cerny, helped lead the group in clearing snow. Assigning where to go and making sure everything that needed to be done got done, Cerny continues to work as temperatures stay low and snow refuses to melt.
Those working under him include Harold Coates and Lucas Binkerd, two groundskeepers who have worked at IWU for quite a long time. Coates recounted how the process involved a lot of planning, especially in deciding where to move the snow. Binkerd, on the other hand, is a Plant Care Specialist, which changes his job significantly.
IWU grows all of its own flora on campus. During this time of the year, Binkerd’s job relocated from the wide areas of campus to a greenhouse holding all of the plants that will be planted in the Spring.
While the groundskeepers worked hard, the snow continued to act as a problem for commuters.
Local commuter Conner Dyer recounted his experience with the snowstorm, describing it as “Torture. Torture.” Living only 15 minutes away, most of the time the drive to IWU presents no issue for Dyer, but this local snowstorm has put extra strain on his commute.
Off campus, the city did not plow his neighborhood, leading to difficult maneuvers in order to get out of the driveway. Even on campus, Dyer said he almost fell several times due to the slippery snow underfoot.
Dyer does acknowledge the Groundskeepers did their absolute best, with no salt being able to melt the ice with these cold temperatures. He only wished that classes could have been canceled on that Monday, the 26th.
When asked about the subject of cancellation, Cerny spoke about how several factors went into deciding if classes would be canceled, and that he had very little say in whether they did or did not cancel. Cerny only relayed conditions on campus and let the administration decide from his report.
Cerny and all the Groundskeepers said they are appreciative of the student body during this time.
“We just appreciate the kind words and thanks that we get from random students who are grateful and acknowledge what we do,” Cerny said.
