Over the weekend of Jan. 24-26, Winter Storm Fern swept across Swarthmore and the Greater Philadelphia area, delivering over nine inches of snow, along with a prolonged stretch of freezing rain, heavy snowfall, and record low temperatures. In response, Swarthmore College transitioned to dramatically reduced operations, canceling events, moving classes online, and relying on the steadfast efforts of essential Facilities, Dining, Environmental Services, and Public Safety staff to keep campus operational.
Andy Feick, Associate Vice President for Sustainable Facilities Operations & Capital Planning, said that many Facilities staff worked 14 consecutive days, including over Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, to ensure paths and roads remained clear. Some staff members remained on campus overnight, temporarily residing at the Swarthmore Inn and in vacant residence halls.
“The College’s essential service staff step up to serve the community in all kinds of exceptional situations,” Feick said, “This winter’s snow events, especially the last winter storm, “really brought out the best in the college’s horticulture and maintenance staff who cleared the campus of snow and ice and kept the campus passable for emergency vehicles throughout the storm, the EVS staff who made it to campus to clean the crowded residence halls and social spaces, dining staff who kept the resident community fed and the public safety staff who are always on the job 24/7.”
Despite these coordinated efforts, the storm’s prolonged severity strained campus operations. The Phoenix heard from several staff members who described their experience.
According to dining staff who worked throughout the storm, several employees were housed in residence halls beginning Saturday night, Jan. 24, and worked modified schedules during the heaviest snowfall. One dining staff member, who wished to remain anonymous, said hours were largely consistent with normal shifts, though dining operations closed slightly earlier on some days due to weather conditions. Dining staff who remained on campus received double pay for hours worked during the storm.
The same staff member said communication expectations were conveyed primarily through in-person meetings and supervisor check-ins, supplemented by email. They described feeling “supported enough to not complain,” citing access to food, shelter, and transportation between housing and work sites. The staff member stayed on campus for two days, in empty student housing.
However, the staff member noted that not all employees were able to report to campus during the storm due to hazardous travel conditions. According to the staff member, some dining workers who could not safely commute were not paid for missed shifts and were reportedly unable to apply sick or vacation time retroactively. This caused frustration among affected employees, given the unpredictable nature of the storm
“I think they are a little bit disgruntled,” the staff member said, adding that several coworkers had reached out to Human Resources afterward to seek clarification or appeal the decision. Whether those concerns had been resolved remains unclear.
Operational impacts extended beyond the storm itself. Dining Services experienced equipment failures following the event, including a malfunction affecting multiple industrial dishwashers.
“You know, you rarely get them both operating for, like, a six-month period together,” the staff member said. The issue necessitated a temporary shift to disposable plates and utensils, as the remaining operational equipment could not handle full service volume alone. The dishwasher malfunction is a developing story.
Environmental Services (EVS) staff also worked extended hours to prepare campus spaces for students returning to normal schedules. An EVS technician said that they and two other technicians came in early on Monday morning to address snow tracking, sanitation needs, and increased foot traffic in residence halls and common areas. With many students remaining on campus throughout the weekend, EVS teams prioritized cleaning high-use spaces despite ongoing icy conditions outdoors.
The Office of Student Engagement (OSE) played a key role in coordinating student-side logistics and communications. Associate Dean of Students & Director of Student Engagement Rachel Head highlighted the collaborative effort to support both students and staff.
“The OSE is appreciative of the hard work of so many of our colleagues who helped ensure continuity of services and safety for students during the winter storm,” Head said. “The OSE worked with EVS, Dining, and Public Safety to make offline residence hall spaces available to essential staff who needed to remain on campus to help care for students during the winter weather.”
OSE staff also worked with student organizations to reschedule events and adjust travel plans affected by the storm.
Despite the disruptions, students adapted to the altered rhythm of campus life. With shuttle services suspended and outdoor time limited due to sub-15-degree temperatures, many took advantage of indoor spaces like the Lamb-Miller Field House, Matchbox, and Ware Pool for recreation.
“We […] had a few spare Sharples trays from the old dining hall that we lent out to students who wanted to experience sledding the way many alumni had, ” Head said. Nearly all sleds were checked out two days before the storm arrived.
Storm Fern lingers on campus with icy conditions persisting on walkways and roads. College officials continued to urge caution and shared updates via email, the Swarthmore website, the emergency hotline, and the SwatSafe app.
