Students, faculty and staff kicked off this semester while exposed to extremely hot weather. According to the National Weather Service, August had over 25 days reaching 90 degrees or more across Miami. Constant exposure to extreme heat can threaten student health considering it can worsen episodes of stress and tension — a far too common occurrence as a result of schoolwork and balancing extracurriculars.
The University sparsely advises students to avoid the negative effects of extreme heat by sharing educational content on its wellness center website, but it is not enough to ensure safety and comfort across campus. In addition, the University needs to mandate certain heat precautions and improve the management of water refilling stations on campus.
First, executive administrators should create a heat stress policy similar to University of Florida’s.
Managed by the UF Department of Environmental Health and Safety, this heat stress policy holds every department accountable for implementing heat precautions, training for heat stress symptoms, providing easy access to clean drinking water and adjusting work schedules to reduce heat exposure during extreme events. Most importantly, UM has a similar organizational structure as UF and also has an Environmental Health and Safety department suggesting the introduction of such a policy would certainly be feasible.
In addition to updating the rulebook, the University needs to make physical changes on campus. On hot days, open spaces with unshaded pavement heat up the air around it, becoming dreaded parts of a walk to class. Comfortable lounge and study areas, such as Lakeside Patio or the court yard in front of Cox Science, become toaster ovens due to the large amounts of the unshaded heat-radiating concrete.
Temporary canvas shadings or tented walkways around campus during hotter months could be a legitimate solution. This temporary shading could be in school colors, adding to campus spirit especially during an exciting football season. Innovative installments like solar powered cooling fans should also be considered — these could even provide an eye-catching stop on a campus tour.
Most importantly, hot days require hydration. Yet, many fill-bottle stations on campus either don’t work, are extremely slow or show a red light indicating the need for a filter change. These obstacles become a nuisance, disincentivizing students from using these stations which lead to purchasing plastic water bottles instead.
The Miami Hurricane reached out to the University’s administration for an official statement regarding their efforts for heat precaution.
“Drinking water refilling stations can be found in many buildings on campus, providing easy access for the community to remain hydrated throughout the day,” said the University in a statement to The Miami Hurricane.
However, it is clear that these essential stations are not monitored. This situation is a simple fix that university administrators and student government should be on top of.
While there seems to be a lack of common ground, the University has demonstrated consistency for certain vital services which help deal with the heat. Primarily, these services are air cooling systems within university buildings and the Hurry ‘Canes shuttle buses.
Additionally, the University does well planting and maintaining trees — earning its 11th designation as a ‘Tree Campus’ by the Arbor Day Foundation this past year. Trees can protect us against the heat by shading walkways and the cooling effect of evapotranspiration, pulling water through their roots and evaporating it through their leaves. Lastly, the University’s Student Health Department has contributed to heat precautions by featuring an extreme heat precautionary guide on its home page.
“On campus, every effort is made to provide a safe and comfortable environment maximizing shady areas for the University community to enjoy and seek out during hot weather, which is very much a part of the South Florida experience,” the University said.
The attitude that students chose Miami knowing its climate is shared by many, including the University. However, not every student or staff member has the same ability to tolerate high heat frequently.
Weight, age and medical conditions can affect tolerance and risk of experiencing an extreme heat illness. UM has a responsibility to ensure campus is a safe space for everyone who is either a student, employee or volunteer.
These solutions are not all encompassing, but important proposals the University should consider.