For those of you who are complaining about Jack Frost being on our doorsteps – bite your tongue. This time last year Gannon waived the white flag and canceled classes.
Temperatures were record setting last year on Feb. 19-20 reaching as low as minus 17 degrees Fahrenheit with wind gusts of 32 mph on the 19th and minus 18 degrees Fahrenheit with wind gusts of 28 mph on the 20th.
The overall health and safety of the students, faculty and staff was considered in the school’s decision last year, and we were very shocked and pleased that they finally caved and let us stay warm.
It’s funny, really. In high school snow days were a regular occurrence for most and then when you arrive at college the words snow day are almost like the name Voldemort – they should never be spoken.
Maybe it is because of the way Gannon has formatted its schedule and doesn’t want to have classes be missed, but the line for whether or not classes should be canceled is questionably placed.
We understand that sometimes it isn’t very cold outside so students should be OK walking to class and the faculty and staff should be OK getting to work, but it isn’t always just the temperatures. Erie gets a lot of snow and the weather can change drastically in just one day.
It was snowing all Tuesday morning and then Tuesday afternoon it was raining and then started to get colder again. Maybe the temperature wasn’t very low overall, but the walking condition of the sidewalks and the driving condition of the roads were not all that safe.
Not everyone in Erie shovels their sidewalks, and the roads do not get plowed very quickly. The line at which classes get canceled due to weather should be raised. It is more important that the students, faculty and staff arrive to campus safely rather than not at all.