Clark experienced its first snow day in two years Jan. 4 due to the icy conditions. After a conference call at 5 a.m., officials made the decision to cancel all classes at the main and CTC campuses before noon.
Chato Hazelbaker, chief information and communication officer, sent out the message in more ways than one. Using the front page of the website, emails to students and faculty, twitter and facebook, TV stations, radio and more, Hazelbaker made sure all students could find the information they were looking for.
Vice President of Administrative Services Bob Williamson explained the multiple factors that went into making the difficult call.
Along with the weather forecast, Clark College Facilities conducted an assessment based on “their ability to keep the main campus and CTC clear of snow and ice in the parking lots and walkways,” Williamson said. Officials also considered “the impact of cancelling classes on the first day.”
In addition, officials looked at the road conditions around the campus. “While we understand that faculty, staff and students come from various locations in our service area, most live near and around the main campus in downtown Vancouver,” Williamson said.
Finally, the officials look at the decisions local school districts are making. Both Williamson and Hazelbaker made it clear that Clark does not always follow what public schools are doing, but it does get taken into consideration.
