A report on ice and snow removal efforts kicked off this week’s SGA assembly.

Vice President for Operations Mike Gardner explained the difficulty maintenance had keeping the sidewalks, parking lots and streets clean during the recent ice storm.

The grounds grew only has 11 employees, four plows, one salt plow, a tractor and a small plow to handle the snow. The department also had to order 75,000 pounds of ice melt, rock salt and calcium chloride to treat sidewalks.

Gardner said the department logged approximately 800 hours between the Sunday before the storm and last Saturday. He said workers focused on routes used by students with disabilities first, which accounted for why certain sidewalks were clean while others were not.

Even with their effort, he said he was aware of many slip and fall injuries.

“These things happen when a community of 5,000 people, students, faculty and staff, experience what we experienced,” he said.

He said that efforts are ongoing, but the temperatures have prevented the ice melting salt and chemicals from working effectively.

When an SGA student representative asked about parking lots, Gardner said they are working to clear them, but it can be difficult because of how the city of Indianapolis plows streets and the fear of plowing in cars.

After Gardner’s presentation, assembly passed amended election regulations and listened to a presentation by Archives, a new student organization that publishes a comedy and entertainment magazine.