NEWS
Students grumble, UW eventually cancels classes
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by Ken Harris
Thursday, February 7, 2008
On the two-year anniversary of the last time the University of Wisconsin cancelled late afternoon and evening classes, UW officials decided Wednesday to cancel late classes again.
The decision was “too little, too late” for many UW students who said they had to suffer through the blizzard all morning.
Around 3:30 p.m., UW Provost Pat Farrell announced all afternoon and evening classes were cancelled. Both the Memorial Union and Union South closed at 5 p.m, and Memorial Library closed at 6 p.m.
UW spokesperson John Lucas said recreational sports would try to stay open because they typically see a lot of students when there are no classes. College Library was also expected to remain open.
Throughout the day, students on Bascom Hill could be seen grabbing the rails with both hands and using their feet as skis to descend the stairs. Many failed to make the trip without ending up on their backsides.
As they trudged, shuffled and slipped their way to classes Wednesday morning, many students wondered what it takes to get classes cancelled. Some, however, said they did not expect to get the day off despite the weather.
UW freshman Jonah Bromwich said he was not surprised classes were not cancelled, but was still very disappointed.
“It’s kind of ridiculous,” Bromwich said. “I can hardly see.”
Tyler Riefke, another freshman, said he stayed in front of his computer checking for the e-mail canceling classes until about 10 minutes before his first class started. The e-mail never came.
“It’s bad for the kids that live really far off campus,” Riefke said.
Lucas said the last time UW cancelled an entire day of classes was Dec. 3, 1990, when Donna Shalala was chancellor and the city received 17 inches of snowfall in 12 hours.
“It is the general policy of the university that, whenever possible to stay open, the university will try to do so,” Lucas said. “We get that people aren’t going to be thrilled with it, but we live in Wisconsin and it’s a lively weather climate. It’s extremely rare this place will ever be closed.”
The official UW statement released around 11:30 a.m. said administration had notified all faculty to be lenient in granting extensions and accommodating students who could not make it to class because of the weather.
At about 2:15 p.m., the university reconsidered, and Farrell officially made the decision to cancel classes.
UW senior Amanda Steward said the later cancellations did not affect her evening plans at all.
“I didn’t really care because I didn’t even try to go to class,” Steward said. “The bus was so late I wouldn’t have gotten to class on time anyway.”
UW freshman Nick Labonte said he was disappointed classes were cancelled so late because all of his classes were over by noon.
“It would have been nice to miss class,” Labonte said. “I saw a plow getting stuck in the road, and then I knew it’s probably not a good idea to make people walk and drive in this weather.”
Lucas said UW had been getting updates from the Madison Police Department and Madison Metro all day long. He added Farrell decided to cancel classes after finding out the plows would be rotated off the road and Metro was going to stop service at 7 p.m.
Lucas said the decision to cancel was based on two important factors. First, was the safety of commuting to and from classes for students and faculty. The second, was the practical concern of transportation.
“It’s in everyone’s best interest,” he said.
Anonymous (February 7, 2008 @ 6:45am):
I left campus around 2:15 and found the roads nearly impassible. Anyone who didn't have four wheel drive was stuck in a snowbank or at an intersection. The UW made a bad decision having class at all yesterday.
Anonymous (February 7, 2008 @ 9:17am):
The students have gone soft. 30 years ago we had REAL winters every year and the U never closed.
Anonymous (February 7, 2008 @ 9:46am):
Did people call it "the U" 30 years ago, too? And did you have to walk uphill 100 miles to get to a lecture hall... WITH NO HEAT? Or did you not have lecture halls back then? Everything was done outdoors, come hell or high water! Those were the days!! 1978!!!
Anonymous (February 7, 2008 @ 9:54am):
absolutely rediculous that classes weren't canceled all day....they dont cancel classes yet they don't bother shoveling or salting sidewalks....shows how much this university reallys cares about its students
Anonymous (February 7, 2008 @ 10:01am):
Who cares if cars get stuck. Students are walking...
Anonymous (February 7, 2008 @ 10:18am):
Hey 9:17am, did all your real winters back then set records for snowfall like we're doing this year? Did you walk to class uphill both ways too? Whatever. You keep on reminiscing for the old days when people were tougher, you old coot.
Anonymous (February 7, 2008 @ 10:41am):
Last year's big blizzard was on a Saturday and they closed Memorial library but didn't make an announcment (or one that I heard on the 7th floor). I got locked in the library! No one around, lights off, big metal gate closed. It was very Night of the Comet.
Anonymous (February 7, 2008 @ 11:06am):
the U? What are you, a mud duck?
Anonymous (February 7, 2008 @ 11:14am):
Yea, "real winters." Because the 2nd largest snowfall to hit Madison (besides the 17 inches that fell in 1990, a mere 18 years ago) is but a trifle compared to all the times it DIDN'T snow 13 inches in a day 30 years ago. Use that great education that you recieved and think before you type.
Anonymous (February 7, 2008 @ 11:31am):
I agree with 9:17am.
When I attended UW 1968-1972 I used to walk 5 miles to class and back many days with 3 feet of snow on the ground up hill both ways.
And it was -25F with 40MPH winds. Yesterday was a walk in the park.
:)
Anonymous (February 7, 2008 @ 12:31pm):
We live in Wisconsin, get over it.
Anonymous (February 7, 2008 @ 1:59pm):
Many students no longer live on campus because the gigantic housing companies have bought up small houses, demolished them, and put up expensive apartment monstrosities. Myself, after classes, I had to walk to my home, which is past the west transfer point since the buses weren't running down Mineral Point after 3pm. I can't afford to live near campus, and I guess I'm not willing to live in some shithole.
Anonymous (February 7, 2008 @ 2:41pm):
It was awful yesterday. UW dropped the ball.
Anonymous (February 7, 2008 @ 3:11pm):
"they dont cancel classes yet they don't bother shoveling or salting sidewalks....shows how much this university reallys cares about its students"
Word.
Anonymous (February 7, 2008 @ 3:23pm):
You don't know what a shithole is if you didn't see what the rooms were like in those "small houses" you moan about being torn down.
I remember being on the bus into town when some old lady commented that the housse looked like a getto - I said "Yeah, it's the student getto".
PS. when class was on the other side of Bascom it really was "uphill both ways".
Anonymous (February 7, 2008 @ 7:06pm):
hey morons making fun of 9:18. yesterday's snowfall was NOT a record snowfall. and they did call it the U back then, love, a 2006 graduate.
ps. grow up, nobody wants to hire a bunch of whiners.
Anonymous (February 7, 2008 @ 7:20pm):
If more students wore Farm and Fleet snow boots instead of Uggs there wouldn't be a problem.
Anonymous (February 8, 2008 @ 5:55pm):
I've been skiing to school the last couple of days. Wish I'd thought of doing it on Wednesday, as it took me an hour to get home at 5:45 after my class (a three hour seminar) was held despite the weather.
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