Snow Job

The New York blizzard of 2013 really made an impact. With a range of snow falls that increased from about 6 inches in Manhattan, to 21 inches in my backyard on Long Island, to 30 inches in the eastern part of Long Island, there were areas even two days after the last flake hit the ground that were still impassable.

On Friday, the University closed at 2 PM. Up to that point in time there had been a dusting of snow followed by heavy rain. At closing time, the rain was transitioning to snow. To the credit of the University community, even with a dire weather forecast as of late Friday, Friday classes up to 2 PM were very well staffed and very well attended. It was a regular Friday in terms of participation; not even a phone call asking why we didn’t close earlier in anticipation of blizzard Nemo.

On Saturday night, however, just twelve hours after the snow stopped, my kids and I decided to venture into Manhattan to see a show which, I had learned earlier in the day would be performed as scheduled. My first inclination was to make use of mass transit and go into Manhattan via the Long Island Railroad since my local station was less than a mile from my house. Great idea but there was only one problem: the railroad had suspended operations on the branch that services my area. Mass transit, especially by rail, should be among the most reliable inclement weather providers of transportation. I understand the challenges but if mass transit is to make inroads against using a car, it needs to work that way.

The trip to and from Manhattan was effortless. Less traffic than usual and the famous Long Island Expressway, on the stretch of road from the western part of Long Island to the Queens Mid-town Tunnel to Manhattan was snow free and dry. Manhattan had a moderate amount of snow. The roads were fine and parking on the street was still easy to do. The next morning I drove my older daughter to a play date at a friend’s house and was shocked at the condition of a number of neighborhood roads. I’m not sure that the snow removal crews plowed these roads, and if they did, they certainly didn’t get the level of attention provided to many other neighborhood roads.

If there was quality control for the snow removal, it just didn’t work as it should have. Adjoining roads should not have the variability that these roads had. In thinking about education, K- 12 as well as higher education, we have some of the same variability problems. With differences in the results on standardized tests for the different sections/teachers, or differences in preparation for subsequent classes that impact how a student does in those classes, we know that the cause is often the teacher/faculty member teaching the class. What we don’t know, especially in the first example, is whether the cause of better student performance is teaching to the test or better teaching. As complex as the issue is, quality control and the consistency inherent in good quality control are essential. We should all redouble our quality control efforts, and we should all embrace the outcomes assessment that helps validate the outcome.

The Holiday Break

I really look forward to the December holiday break.  Though the University is always prepared and staffed if any emergency arises, all offices (with the exception of admissions and public safety) are closed from just before Christmas to just after New Year’s Day.  Emails decline precipitously during this time but fortunately I have no trouble adjusting to this change in volume.  I use this time period to just relax and recharge and get ready for the January session and the spring semester. Not unlike so many previous December holiday breaks, we were all set to go to Hawaii where my mother-in-law lives and spend time with her and also with my wife’s sister.  We had our airline tickets, we had rented a beautiful house, and even had restaurant reservations set (including at the same Asian restaurant just frequented by President Obama and his family). We were fully packed and certainly well prepared.   I had multiple books and magazines to read. And then the weather forecast became more ominous.

By Saturday night, it was clear this was no ordinary or minor winter storm.  More and more frequently the weather forecasts mentioned blizzard, gale force winds, heavy accumulation, white out conditions and other terms that hardly seem compatible with a trip to Hawaii.  Not to worry, our flight was scheduled for Monday afternoon and we decided to go to Newark airport on Sunday so that we would be all set for the Monday flight without the concern about getting to Newark immediately after a major storm.    We felt the night at a Newark airport motel was good insurance for a much desired trip to Hawaii.  By early Sunday morning, the snow had stopped, some sun had appeared, and the clean up was well underway.  And by late morning we were also underway to the airport.  We were very optimistic and as I had mentioned earlier, we had prepared well.

It took over two hours for us to check our luggage.  So many flights had been canceled, so many individuals needed to make other arrangements, that the check in line moved at a snail’s pace and even that might be an overly optimistic assessment of the speed.  Our plane was still scheduled to go, but the departure time was changed from 1:30 to 3:30 PM.  Certainly understandable.   And then the departure time was changed to 4:30, then to 5:30, then to 6:30, then to 7:30, then 8, then 9, then 10, then 11PM…and then the flight was canceled.  What now?  Well there are no available seats in any airplanes going to Hawaii until either December 31 or January 1^st.  And since we were scheduled to fly back on January 3^rd, departing on the 31^st or the 1^st on an eleven hour flight for a two day stay is not anyone’s idea of a good time.  So we agreed to be ticketed on standby for the flight on Tuesday.  The flight is again scheduled at 1:30 and postponed to 3:45, and at 3:30 the standby names are called.  As it turns out some of us can get on the flight but not the entire family; we therefore decide not to go.  So after spending 13+ hours at the airport on Monday and 5 hours on Tuesday (and two nights at airport motels) we are heading back home.  Our luggage, by the way, was placed on the flight to Hawaii so at least our clothes are experiencing the aloha feeling.

We stop at a diner on the way home, have our first real meal in two days, and arrive home tired by still determined to make the best out of the remainder of the week.  I turn up the heat (which I turned down when we left) and we settle in.  The temperature slowly rises and then stops rising and stops working.  Not only aren’t we in Hawaii, we are in a very cold house in New York.  We go to sleep and wake up in a chilly 58 degree bedroom.  We call our HVAC contractor immediately; he comes that morning and the heat is back on within 30 minutes.  The contractor leaves, the heat stops working shortly thereafter, and it takes until the next morning for the contractor to make a return visit.  The week between Christmas and New Year’s is 80% over and we are just starting to get comfortable again.

After a good vacation in Hawaii, I am always ready and excited about going back to work.  Interestingly enough,  I certainly have that same feeling after this “vacation.”

A Real Snow Job

My kids love the snow.  They can’t wait to have another snow storm after which they will spend hours snowboarding and just return home for periodic snacks and meals.  My feelings are not quite as positive.  I love the beauty of newly fallen snow; I hate driving in it, walking in it, and I equally hate the after snow clean up of my walkway and driveway.  The more snow, often the greater the beauty and inevitably the greater the hatred.