Closing Time
University officials were wise to cancel class Wednesday morning.
But CMU should have stayed closed for the remainder of the day.
Classes resumed at noon Wednesday, though the conditions outdoors did not improve as the day continued.
Many side streets still were covered with snow; drivers were slipping and sliding across main roads. Some students found the sidewalks to be useless as they too were covered in ice from rainfall the evening before.
Even if the roads were salted, it's doubtful that it could have melted any of the snow because of the frigid temperatures.
Students who live in town had it hard enough. It was near impossible for those students and professors who had to commute from far away places to make it to Mount Pleasant.
Simply put, it was unsafe to be driving Wednesday.
Walkers braved 30 mph winds. Even when students are tightly bundled up in proper protective clothing, the cold still is capable of weakening their immunities.
This makes students more susceptible to sickness. This is a prime concern, especially since a mutated version about the flu recently struck campus, resulting in CMU's Health Services diagnosing 10 to 15 flu cases daily.
It should be noted that the University was quick to notify students of the cancellation. In past years, communication between university officials and the student body has been inadequate, with students often ignorant to closings and cancellations.
The university still is an operating business and shutting down costs money. The decision should be weighed carefully.
It should also be consistent - similar conditions should exist on any given day the university closes.
Snow days have been almost unheard of in the past few years. Officials would close campus later in the day, as opposed to delaying in the morning.
The spring semester so far has had three cancellations because of inclement weather.
Is the weather really that much worse now than it was then?
Credit the university for getting with the program and delaying until noon, instead of waiting until early afternoon to cancel classes for the rest of the day.
It's best to operate according to normal schedules whenever possible and to cancel classes or close offices only when it is extremely difficult for students or employees to commute.
But, that being said, when driving conditions are poor and they do not improve, close the campus for the entire day.
