Wednesday morning, a Syracuse University committee comprised of administrators and department chairpersons decided to cancel all classes and student activities beginning at 12:45 p.m.

The last time classes were canceled due to snow was Monday, March 15, 1993, after the Syracuse area received more than 43 inches of snow that weekend, Kevin Morrow, director of SU News Services said in an e-mail. It was the first day of scheduled classes after Spring Break. Administrative offices reopened and classes began the next day.

Syracuse University’s Logistics Committee convened via conference call at 8:45 a.m., Morrow said. Chief Financial Officer Louis Marcoccia, who chairs the committee, initiated the call.

The basic factor behind the decision was the forecast that the weather was going to worsen, Marcoccia said.

The Weather Channel predicts 6 to 10 additional inches of snow today and another 4 to 6 inches tonight, according to its Web site.

SU Physical Plant had been preparing for last night’s storm for two days, Marcoccia said. Though the campus was in good condition this morning, the committee decided that it was in the university’s best interest to cancel afternoon classes and activities.

‘University roadways and sidewalks have been cleared several times since the storm began,’ Morrow said. ‘Road conditions in the city and county have been difficult.’

Centro bus services are still running, but are slowed due to the weather.

University residence and dining halls, Public Safety and Physical Plant will remain operational today, according to SU News Services.

Supervisors were asked to stagger the release of employees with the intent to have all appropriate staff released by 1 p.m.

The SU women’s basketball game against Rutgers in the Carrier Dome will be played at 4 p.m., instead of its originally scheduled time of 7 p.m. The University Senate meeting scheduled for 4 p.m. was cancelled.

Another conference call will take place tonight to discuss today’s response to the weather and tomorrow’s activities, Morrow said. It’s currently too early to predict SU’s status for tomorrow.

Published on February 13, 2007 at 12:00 pm