When Western officials closed campus until 10 a.m. Tuesday morning, they set a standard they should have held throughout the rest of this week’s snowstorm.
Monday and Tuesday’s weather forecast was more snow intensive, but the frigid cold that followed caused roads and travel to become more dangerous for students, staff and faculty as the week carried on.
On Wednesday, all public schools in Bellingham were closed, as was Whatcom Community College, due to inclement weather conditions. Western cancelled classes held after 5 p.m. but remained open the majority of the day.
Western administrators should have made the decision to also close campus during the morning (when the roads are at their most dangerous and least-plowed) or for the entire day.
Paul Cocke, director of communications at Western, said the majority of students use buses or walk to their classes, making commuting to school easier than commuting to other places.
This is true. But it does not make sense to punish commuter students and faculty, or students who are not picked up by packed busses, for an inability to attend class due to unsafe road conditions.
This editorial board recognizes the importance of classes being held to obtain a quality education that we pay for. We also acknowledge that this is especially important in a quarter system where we have fewer opportunities to make up class time.
We do not agree that we should risk our safety to do so.
During storms that incite Gov. Gregoire to deem Washington in “a state of emergency,” Western administrators should not put the responsibility on students, staff and faculty to make the decision to attend classes.
For faculty, the policy for taking and reporting leave during inclement weather acknowledges that personal safety is a priority, but when the university closes in less severe weather and stays open in more dangerous weather the message is mixed.
Faculty members do not always grant amnesty to students who miss class due to snow. It is not fair to force students to choose between their safety or their grade. Other options are available to make up class time: such as holding classes online or assigning alternative or extra assignments.
Western closed in 2005 and 2006 due to snow and icy road conditions. How much worse does the weather have to get before officials are willing to take the responsibility away from those who are put at risk and cancel classes?
Western administrators need to set a standard for closing classes for severe storms and stick to it so students, faculty and staff do not miss unnecessarily cancelled classes during mild weather conditions and are not put unnecessarily at risk during dangerous weather conditions.
The editorial board is comprised of Editor-in-Chief Paige Collins, Managing Editor Marissa Abruzzini and Opinion Editor Sarah Aitchison.
