Oct. 22, 2024

The big storm! 

Fairbanks woke up Monday morning to a thick blanket of wet, heavy snow. Then it poured rain, drizzled slush, and spat snow off and on all day. 

Sunday night we canceled in-person classes for Monday and many staff opted (after arranging with their supervisor) to work from home. Public schools were canceled and Ft. Wainwright and Eielson AFB closed for all but essential workers. Fairbanks was quiet. 

However, Monday morning, when I went for my weekly walk with the Chancellor, so many people were out and about on the Troth Yeddha’ campus. Despite much of Fairbanks being closed, much of UAF was open. Arctic Java and Dine 49 were busily serving students. I saw one student walking happily to his table with a hearty-looking plate of biscuits, gravy, and fried sausages that looked amazing. We paused in the Wood Center to say hello and share a fist bump with Josh Hovis, Director of CSE, as he staffed the main desk. Music was playing in the large open space and a few students had found places to settle in for the morning.

As we left the Wood Center, we passed a dozen or so players from the UAF Hockey Team on their way to the wonderland of omelets and pancakes. The Chancellor complimented them on their recent victory over Notre Dame(!). The athletes then took a detour from their pilgrimage to push a Toyota Corolla and its driver from the snow-bound Chapman Lot to the more open roadway beyond. The driver was our Wood Center Fuze chef; he enthusiastically promised the players free Sushi tomorrow in return. 

Cutting behind the lower residence halls, we ran into three of our female cross-country athletes running intervals through the wet-snowy mix. They were all smiles and easy laughter. When I congratulated them on running intervals in the snow and slush, they responded with joy and said, ‘Better than on the treadmill’... We were all just happy to be out and about. 

It was a snowy, slushy, wonderland of community. It felt like we should have all been singing the Sesame Street ‘neighborhood’ song… “These are the people in your neighborhood…in your neighborhood…the people that you meet each day.”

What is it about a snow day that frees us to find joy in one another, simply because we are sharing in that moment? There is something to be learned from thinking about why it takes a National Weather Service red alert to more easily find community, connect and share a smile and a laugh.

To all those who stayed in bed a bit later, or worked on the laptop by the fire – congratulations to you as well! I know many of you stayed home with kids, avoided rough and sometimes dangerous roads, and took care of homework and housework – kudos to you too. Keep on keeping on!

UAF is a special place. Rain or shine, slush or extreme cold – it is a great place to weather a snow day, find friends, find yourself, and find your future. 

In terms of where you are in the term – you are solidly past the mid-point of our journey. You are doing so well and keeping such a strong pace. Reflect on how far you’ve come and celebrate your achievements so far. Continue to put in the time – there is no shortcut. Work your routine, and be careful not to fall into a rut. I know it isn’t easy – but you are doing awesome and I am so proud of you!

Welcome to Week 9! 

Things to do:

Stay safe! 

Enjoy your ‘neighborhood.’ 

Take care of yourself and those around you. 

Have a great ninth week of classes here at UAF!

As ever, if you’d care to share your ideas for what we could be doing better, please share! You can find me at obguthrie@alaska.edu.

— Owen Guthrie, vice chancellor for student affairs and enrollment management