The Red and Black

Issue date: 3/4/09 Section: Opinions

Media Credit: WAITES LASETER Students braved ice on campus Tuesday to make it to class after a 6-inch snowfall Sunday. [Click to enlarge]

Slippery safety

The University should have delayed opening Tuesday due to dire conditions.

The blizzard of '09 - everyone has a story.

Several students were stranded without power. Some were unable to leave their apartment complexes because of black ice. Others slipped walking to campus. Many of us fell walking from class to class.

After the biggest snowfall in years hit Athens last weekend, the University - mercifully - canceled classes on Monday. But with Spring Break looming and midterms scheduled this week, the administration chose to go full speed ahead with business as usual on Tuesday.

Never mind that cold temperatures froze the melting snow late Monday night. Never mind that many students and professors still had no power Tuesday morning. Never mind that campus was an icy slip 'n' slide well into Tuesday afternoon.

University President Michael Adams told The Red & Black Tuesday that, although he was concerned about anyone who may have slipped or fallen, he felt the main roads were clear enough Monday afternoon to make a decision that evening about classes.

We're sure the roads were OK Monday afternoon. The temperature hadn't yet dropped to below freezing, and the melting snow hadn't turned into black ice.

By Tuesday morning though, the MLC was a madhouse. Classrooms still had water damage and classes were being moved to other buildings. Professors had their children accompanying them - all counties surrounding the University, including Athens-Clarke County, had canceled school.

The Red & Black has no doubt the Physical Plant staff was working around the clock to make campus hospitable.

However, classes Tuesday should have been delayed until noon due to the icy conditions.

This situation happens once in a blue moon, and we don't fault the University for being unprepared.

But we find it disturbing that the administration felt it was unnecessary to postpone classes for even a few hours to let Athens and campus defrost.

Yes, we realize classes aren't the only happenings at the University. There's always research to be done and athletic events occurring.

But we take issue with the fact that campus was unsafe for students, faculty and staff and we were forced to drive over dangerous ice - a first for many of us - to get to class.

The Physical Plant staff should have made it a priority to create clear and safe routes on campus, rather than simply hanging signs cautioning people to beware of ice. Hurdling trees en route to class is not fun.

Professors must take the weather into account for any students who may have missed classes - especially those earlier in the day. No student should have to risk driving on icy roads or seriously injuring themselves if it's not absolutely critical.

Professors also should be sensitive to those students who were without power for two or more days. Without power and with icy driving conditions, many students were likely unable to complete required assignments or study for tests scheduled this week.

Delaying classes just a few hours would have saved a lot of frustrations for members of the University community.

For many, this was more than mere inconvenience. It was a matter of safety and being unable to drive or walk to campus without the threat of being harmed.

With its rash decision, the administration has shown it places its pursuit of academic excellence ahead of everyone's safety. Its priorities are clearly in the wrong place.

- Shannon Otto for the editorial board

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