By Meredith Bryant, Contributor

Keeping Manhattan College’s campus accessible during the winter months is essential to ensuring the safety of students, faculty and staff. This becomes of the most concern when a winter snowstorm occurs.

It is no easy task for MC’s 35 physical plant workers to get the 22-acre campus shoveled and salted after a storm.

The importance of having a plan in place before the winter season even begins is critical.

“The process starts long before the snowstorm,” Victor Schneider, Assistant Director of the Physical Plant, said.

“Ultimately, we secure the resources and make sure we have scheduled personnel covered, which may be staggered,” Schneider said.

According to Schneider, one of the most important resources is the College’s instant alert system. This system is designed to keep communication open between the students and MC regarding school closures and safety.

Students agree that the workers who clean up all of the stairs, sidewalks and parking lots on campus after a snowstorm are extremely efficient.

“I have early classes in the morning, and sometimes if there is a snowstorm overnight I usually anticipate a class getting cancelled but wake up, and everything seems to be cleared. So I think they do a great job,” said senior, Nick Scanga.

Kelsey Thomas, junior at MC, said she thinks the stairs into Alumni Hall are among the most troublesome areas on campus.

Thomas also said that the sidewalk on the way down from the Overlook Manor dorms was not completely cleared after this past snowstorm.

The preparations for winter weather on campus are a result of collaboration between the physical plant, public safety, the Provost and the marketing and branding departments of the College.

Without constant communication, weather forecast checks and preparation, MC’s campus would not be safe after a snowstorm.

“It’s a communal effort,” Schneider said.