Volume 94 • Issue 13
January 30, 2026
FSUgatepost.com
Framingham State calls back-to-back snow days
Junior Tarynn Smith sitting in the snow after sledding down to the Maynard Road Parking lot on Monday, Jan. 26. By Bella Grimaldi News Editor Framingham State called two snow days this week, canceling classes and shutting down campus on Monday, Jan. 26, and Tuesday, Jan. 27. Students were notified on Friday, Jan. 23, by FSU Alert of the Monday snow day. The Tuesday cancellation alert was sent to the FSU community on Monday evening. According to the National Weather Service, Framingham received 18.5 inches of snowfall as of Tuesday, Jan. 27. According to FSUPD Deputy Chief Martin Laughlin, the decision for the snow days was made by the “snow team” made up of several members across campus offices including himself; Robert Totino, vice president of Finance, Technology and Ad-
ministration; Dan Magazu, executive director of Marketing & Communications; Ryan Hacker, associate vice president of Facilities and Capital Projects; and Meg Nowak Borrego, vice president of Student Affairs. According to Totino, the members of the snow team met on Jan. 23 to discuss closing on Monday and on the afternoon of Jan. 26 to discuss calling a snow day on Tuesday. Totino said, “We have a few external, independent, third-party groups we work with, like the bookstore and Sodexo for dining services, so Michael Newmark [Dining Services general manager] was on the call last Friday as well in case we had to shut down, which we did.” Kim Galvani, coordinator of Transportation Services, said she was in the meeting to pro-
vide information about if the shuttle could run in inclement weather. She said the RAM Tram does not run on snow days because it is difficult for the shuttles to get in and out of the parking lots and the snow raises safety concerns for the drivers and passengers of the shuttle. Laughlin said, “We discuss the potential storm, or the incoming storm itself. And then at that time, we come up with a decision like, ‘When should we let students know in a fair amount of time?’” According to Totino, after this group discusses the decision to call a snow day, he brings their recommendation to President Nancy Niemi and Provost Kristen Porter-Utley. Niemi said, “The decision ultimately rests with me and a small team of people.”
Updates to digital accessibility coming this spring By Dylan Pichnarcik Associate Editor Framingham State faculty and librarians are required under federal law to update all digitally accessible content to adhere to ADA laws by April 24, according to Steven Courchesne, Director of Academic Technology and Instructional Design. On April 24, 2025, the Department of Justice updated the requirements of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which requires “state and local governments to make sure that their services, programs, and activities are accessible to people with disabilities.” “Title II applies to all services, programs, or activities of state and local governments, from adoption services to zoning regulation. This includes the
services, programs, and activities that state and local governments offer online and through mobile apps,” according to the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division website. The initiative to bring all Canvas, SharePoint, syllabi, and digitally accessed material into adherence with ADA laws was announced at the fall All University Meeting on Dec. 20 by Courchesne. Faculty members and departments on campus will have until April 24, 2026 to bring all digitally accessed material into compliance with ADA laws and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). The guidelines are requirements established by the Department of Justice to help web designers and individuals create digital content that adheres to ADA guidelines and is
easily accessible, according to Courchesne. Courchesne said accessibility initiatives are not new to campus. “It’s something that my office - the Education Technology Office - has promoted and supported for many years when we provide training to faculty who teach online.” Courchesne said his office has supported faculty in the past with creating digitally accessible courses through workshops that outline general accessibility, and accessibility within platforms such as Canvas and word processing software, and will continue to do so. He said accessibility updates are something the University has handled before, citing a 2018 complaint against the University’s website See DIGITAL ACCESSIBILITY Page 4
Adrien Gobin / THE GATEPOST She said she hopes the decision to cancel shows “that we care deeply about everyone’s safety.” Totino said, “We hope it communicates that their best interest and safety was taken into consideration.” Following the alerts, Nowak Borrego sent emails notifying students about updated parking guidelines, which were in effect during the storm, which resources and centers were open and available, and the extension of the spring semester add/ drop period to Jan. 29. Niemi said it’s not unprecedented for the add/drop period to be moved back since it is a date decided by Framingham State, not the state or federal body. See SNOW DAY Page 5
News GPI pg. 2 CHALLENGER pg. 3
OP/ED AI pg. 7 SHERLOCK pg. 8
Sports WOMEN’S ICE HOCKEY pg. 9 MEN’S ICE HOCKEY pg. 10
Arts & Features FRIMPONG pg. 11 BEST OF 2025 pg. 12 INSIDE: OP/ED 6 • SPORTS 9 • ART & FEATURES 11