Snow challenge comments sent to faculty, staff also meant for students

A lone snowman sits atop Student Union Building II. (Jake McLernon)

A message from senior administrators commenting on last week's snow challenges sent to faculty and staff was intended to be sent to students as well, according to the university's senior vice president.

The message e-mailed on Monday, addressed from Senior Vice President Morrie Scherrens and Provost Peter Stearns, recognizes the "real challenges" faculty, staff and students faced in getting home last Wednesday, saying they are "deeply sorry for the inconvenience and anxiety many faced."  Many Mason community members have criticized the lateness of the decision to cancel classes. Criticism also surrounded the late afternoon Mason Alert notification. Students and faculty questioned the news' first posting on Facebook and called the text alert unhelpful for commuters already on their way to campus and those trying to leave before the rush hour.

According to Scherrens, the message was meant for the entire Mason community, including students.

"It might not have been perfectly composed, but it was intended to be a statement to everyone, definitely students included, that we knew of many of the difficuties that were endured and we hope to be able to assist in avoiding such situations in the future," Scherrens said in an e-mail to Connect2Mason on Wednesday.

Scherrens said he was unsure as to why the message did not reach students. Scherrens told Connect2Mason on Wednesday that he had asked University Relations, but had not yet received a response. 

Some commuters faced hours long delays around campus. 

The full text of the message is posted below.

To the Mason campus community, from Senior Vice President Morrie Scherrens and Provost Peter Stearns:
 

We are keenly aware that many Mason faculty, staff and students faced real challenges getting home on Wednesday and we are deeply sorry for the inconvenience and anxiety many faced.
 

We want to remind the community that we make university closing decisions on the best possible timely information, but obviously this is an art and not a science. We have always attempted to make our decisions with the safety and welfare of our faculty, staff and students as highest priority, and we will continue to do so.