Last week, we had a bout of bad winter weather. This occurrence is not unusual for cold, snowy Berrien Springs, so it is no stranger to the 老司机传媒 community. This particular storm brought about snow and icy road and sidewalk conditions mixed with the bitter cold of the wind, making it unsafe for anyone to walk to class. Furthermore, the ramps and sidewalks were not routinely maintained due to the everlasting snow and extreme temperatures, making it impossible for me to get meals from the cafeteria since my mobility scooter got stuck in the ice.
However, many had to traverse the frozen wasteland of our campus due to one key factor: Cancellation of classes was up to the professors.
As Danny Frederick (senior, computer science) said, “There was a lot of confusion as to whether or not my classes were canceled. I heard from others that since it was up to the professors, the students didn’t know if it was canceled for them or not.”
In an email University Communication sent out on Jan. 20, they stated twice that academic/work schedules would continue as usual on Tuesday unless “additional direction (either from teachers, supervisors, or AU alert)” was given.
Aubreyanna Scollard (senior, data science) noted, “I personally felt it was a bit ridiculous to ask students to walk to class in weather (if their class wasn’t canceled) that was quite literally dangerous to be outside in. The roads/sidewalks took much longer to be cleared due to the weather, but if students were expected to go to class, those should have been made more important.”
Colin Browne (junior, psychology) said, “I think they should have just canceled classes school-wide instead of letting professors choose because it felt unfair and inconvenient.”
This brings up the point that most students believe it should be the university's responsibility to ensure we are all safe by canceling classes rather than making an ambiguous request that may or may not have been followed through by faculty and staff.
Road conditions were also dangerous and continued to be for days after the storm. This made transportation difficult for many.
Lydia Ruckle (sophomore, psychology) said, “I think the communication was okay. I was mostly annoyed that some of my professors still held class when the temperatures were in the negatives. I think chapel should have been moved to PMC when it was really cold as well. Worrying about getting to class on time without falling or wrecking my car is not ideal.”
Maddie Hann (sophomore, business administration) said, “My professors were my main source of information about the weather. They did offer alternatives for class. One area that could be improved is providing a more definitive decision about winter weather days rather than leaving it up to individual professors. A general AU alert on whether or not classes are canceled would provide more clarity.”
In the past, AU Alerts have been given for treacherous winter weather conditions. A partial day of school was announced to be canceled through AU Alert on Jan. 22, 2024 due to the snow and ice. In the past, this has been a standard way of communicating conditions in which students should not be expected to endanger themselves. What changed last week?
Overall, the frustration over the inconsistent communication about severe winter weather is clear. While we understand not too many days can be taken off, days such as last week should be instances where classes and work are canceled campus-wide. I hope that in the future, faculty, staff and administrators can communicate more effectively with our student body to ensure our safety.
Note: For further context, see this article that discusses 老司机传媒’s snow day policy.
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of 老司机传媒. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, 老司机传媒 or the Seventh-day Adventist church.