Opinion

Campus unchained

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Did the snow yesterday make it a little more difficult to get where you were going? Winter weather comes at an inconvenient time for students — with finals around the corner and year-end-assignments piling up, tight and stressful schedules make it that much more important to save time walking to and from home and class buildings.

Why then, does this campus continue to inconvenience students by blocking paths, stairways and entrances?

During the winter, numerous conveyances are cordoned off while snow and ice pile up without interference from salt or shovel. This practice saves the University Physical Plant time and, presumably, money. But these obstructions, such as the chains in Humanities or at the University Square entrance of Vilas Hall, force some students out of their way and create treacherously wet and slick steps for those who challenge the impedance.

We encourage efforts to save money and avoid salt (which damages our shoes and cars, and has a corrosive effect on UW’s grounds, as well), but it should not come at the hindrance of students.

Besides, some of the chains, like those in front of Chamberlin Hall, apparently serve no purpose other than funneling students onto one-third of the steps, thus saving the physical plant the effort of even shoveling the part people walk on.

It would be worth the university’s while to shovel all the walks and give students the chance to tread where they want, whatever the weather.