Winter weather woes aren’t far off, and parking problems are sure to follow.

The Iowa State Department of Public Safety has a whole system for days when the snow comes down faster than the snowplows can clear it away.

Doug Houghton, program coordinator for DPS, said there will be four parking lots designated for parking when the winter weather gets bad.

The lots include: Lot 50, south of the Food Sciences building; Lot 41, north of the General Services Building; Lots 29 and 30, north of Molecular Biology; and the commuter parking lot at the Iowa State Center.

Houghton said these parking spots will be cleared before others to give faculty and staff a place to park. They were picked because they are the biggest lots and are among the easiest to clear.

“Normally during the winter, [Facilities Planning and Management] is able to handle the snow as it comes down,” Houghton said. “It’s only in cases where the snow falls very late at night or so rapidly they can’t keep up.”

Houghton said the best solution is for students to ride the bus to campus.

Designated lots will be cleared by 7:30 a.m. The other lots will be cleared as soon as possible.

“We need to make sure people stay out of those [designated] lots before 7:30 a.m.,” Houghton said.

Houghton said Lot 50 is of particular concern because several residence hall residents park there overnight. He said the lots may be shut down earlier in the evening to keep automobiles out to help facilitate quick snow removal.

“We’re only going to be using this in the most serious of circumstances,” he said.

Officials say students should rest assured that it will take a near-catastrophe to shut down bus services.

Tom Budd, operations assistant for Cy-Ride, said it’s extremely rare for buses to stop running during the winter months. He said the only case where Cy-Ride might not run is during severe ice or snow storms.

“We add a lot of extra service,” Budd said, adding that even during harsh weather buses generally run on schedule.

On icy days extra buses will be added to routes.

Even faculty may need to hop on Cy-Ride during the winter months. When the winter parking plan goes into effect, faculty and staff may have to park in the commuter parking lot and ride the orange route bus to campus.

“It doesn’t affect us a whole lot,” Budd said. “Most of the commuters stay home.”

Because some commuters cannot make it to campus the number of people riding the bus will even out with additional harsh-weather patrons.

WOI and KASI radio broadcast Cy-Ride’s status in the event of a storm. People can also listen to find out if the winter parking plan is in effect.

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Those who have departed

Five members of GSB President Adam Gold’s cabinet have recently resigned. They include:

* Jenni McKinney Director of Human Relations

* Todd Henderson Director of Academic Affairs

* Dan Etler Chief of Staff

* Sarah Brown Director of Legislative Affairs

* David Schoof Director of Traffic and Transportation