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After predictions of windy weather proved overblown, university administrators defended last Friday's decision to close campus.
UH-M?noa Chancellor Virginia Hinshaw announced the cancellation of classes after consulting with Hawai'i State Civil Defense and National Weather Service officials during a 3 p.m. conference call, Thursday afternoon. At the time, state meteorologists were forecasting winds in excess of 60 mph.
"Chancellor Hinshaw's decision was based on the advice of Civil Defense and state transportation officials that high winds posed travel risks," said UHM Director of Community and Government Relations Gregg Takayama, "as well as the fact the cancellation of Department of Education schools meant that many members of the university community would have to make arrangements to care for their children at home."
Damaging winds were expected to interrupt morning commuter traffic, according to Shelly Ichishita, Civil Defense information specialist. The approaching low pressure system prompted Civil Defense to recommend that non-essential state employees be given administrative leave in order to minimize traffic congestion.
"A high wind warning indicates that a hazardous wind event, with sustained wind speeds of at least 40 mph or gusts of over 58 mph, is expected or occurring," Ichishita said. "Winds at those speeds could cause car accidents, damage from debris or damage to power lines."
Thousands of state workers were given a one-day paid vacation, costing taxpayers millions of dollars. University employees, however, will not lose leave time as a result of the shutdown, according to Takayama.
Despite the financial fallout, Maj. Gen. Robert Lee, head of state Civil Defense, maintained, at a press conference, that the precautionary measures were necessary.
"The important thing is to keep people's families safe," Lee said. "I can't place a price on someone that is injured during a storm, when it could have been prevented."
Lee compared last week's cold front to Hurricane Flossie, a 2007 storm packing winds of 115 mph, triggering the closure of Big Island schools and government offices. Originally threatening the southern part of the state, Flossie eventually lost speed, veered south of Hilo and caused no major damage.
National Weather Service officials had been monitoring last week's front since Tuesday, participating in twice-daily conference calls with all four county civil defense agencies, said Richard Knabb, director of operations for the National Weather Service's Honolulu Forecast Office.
"There was talk of closing schools on Thursday," Knabb said. "That didn't happen, though, since weather reports didn't call for the most forceful winds until the following day."
When the decision to call off school was finalized, UHM Vice Chancellor for Students Francisco Hernandez instructed Student Housing Services to begin emergency preparations, said Takayama, which involved "informing students of the situation, placing all resident advisors on standby, checking emergency supplies and backup generators and implementing a plan for staff to monitor any building damage."
Dining services were also unaffected by the inclement conditions.
"Sodexo is required to continue food service in spite of weather or power outages," said Michael Kaptik, director of the Central Housing Office. "Sodexo kept normal hours and locations open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, for Friday and throughout the weekend."
Some students were comforted by the continuation of essential services.
"I think this was a test of the school's ability to function in the face of a crisis and I think it passed that test," said sophomore Melanie Kupchak, adding that she was particularly reassured by the class cancellation announcement she received through the college's text-message alert system.
Still, other students were dismayed by the timing of the closure, which coincided with the end of the first week of classes.
"People are running around, trying to cement their schedules, needing to get professor's signatures and trying to get acclimated to a new semester," said Kent Fukumoto. "Didn't anyone stop to think of that?"
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