FLIP FLOPPERS! Students grumble as admin waffles on closure

Is campus closed? Is it opening late? What’s going on?

Those were the questions many were asking as Public Safety sent students mixed signals and struggled to decide whether to close campus on Monday as snow and ice blanketed New York City.

Public Safety told students on Sunday night that the Rose Hill and Lincoln Center campuses would delay opening until 11:30 am due to impending weather.
Then early Monday morning, Public Safety said that because of worsened road conditions, Rose Hill would be closed all day — Lincoln Center would remain set to open at 11:30 am.
At 9:30 am: Lincoln Center would push its opening back to 2:30 pm.
At 12:15 pm, yet another announcement: All Fordham campuses would be closed on Monday. (And Ram Van service would be suspended for the rest of the day.)

New York City public schools, NYU and Columbia University operated on normal schedules Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Fordham students — many commuters — took to social media to complain about the administration’s confusing back-and-forth.

Fordham starting with a delayed opening, then another delayed opening, then was like fuck it we are canceling.

— Ali (@AliPfleg) February 2, 2015

WHY DO U CLOSE ROSE HILL BUT NOT LINCOLN CENTER? Fordham. I believe in you. You don't have to do this.

— Laura Hetherington (@_lauragolightly) February 2, 2015

Lol thanks Fordham 😑 I'm glad I don't have class until 2:30 but couldn't you tell me earlier? #CommuterProbs

— Mara (@Mara_Elizabeth) February 2, 2015

Fordham Rose Hill-closed. Fordham Westchester- closed. Fordham Lincoln Center- OPEN. #classic #bye

— Gaelle Romain (@GaelleMaryse) February 2, 2015

they cancelled the rose hill campus but not lincoln center this is a joke right

— İrem (@roguesharkss) February 2, 2015

John Carroll, director of Public Safety, told Fordham Daily that quickly changing weather conditions contributed to the numerous changes in Monday’s campus opening.

Lincoln Center delayed its opening until 11:30 am, and then until 2:30 pm and then completely closed “because of hazardous pedestrian conditions when temperatures stayed at levels lower than predicted, causing ice conditions,” Carroll said.

The factors that Public Safety consider before making schedule changes include: “class schedules, road and sidewalk conditions, public transportation across NYC and regional transportation,” Carroll said.

Public Safety also works with the New York City’s Office of Emergency Management, who gives them up-to-date information that is passed on to the campus community.

The latest winter storm impacted transit throughout the city. Subways and Metro-North ran with service changes and/or delays on Monday.

Snow is expected to taper off in the Bronx around 8 PM, but wind chill values will make it feel like zero to five degrees outside. Tuesday’s forecast calls for a mostly sunny day, with wind chill values between zero and 10 degrees.

Fordham campuses are scheduled to open on a normal schedule on Tuesday, Public Safety said Monday night.

Connor Ryan contributed reporting.