The woes of wintery weather
Written by Deanna Piacente | 
The wintery weather on Jan. 30 had many students looking forward to the cancellation of Monday classes. Instead, classes began at 10 a.m., then it was business as usual.
A few inches of snow may seem like little more than a sledding opportunity, but when it’s covering a few inches of solid ice, the potential for problems becomes significant. Even after classes resumed on Monday morning, campus sidewalks, parking lots, and brick patios were nearly invisible under sheets of ice.
Many students complained that the condition of the walkways was not only unsafe, but a liability to the university.
“Everything is still icy,” said Jarrel McRae, a senior. “Several students have fallen on concrete.”
Some students believe that the campus did not follow proper precautions to maintain the safety of students.
“Salt before snow!” said James Barr, a junior. “Then scrape up the ice and re-salt! If they’re not going to handle this the right way, then the campus should have been closed all day Monday.”
Other students, however, think that all the fuss over the weather was just overreaction.
“I’m upset that they issued a two-hour delay for such mild weather,” said Jordan Aytch, a freshman from Camden, NJ.
For Northerners, the snow, sleet and icy rain may seem ordinary, but Fayetteville does not often experience the sub-freezing temperatures and freezing rain. The city is not equipped with enough snow plows and supplies to accommodate iced-over side streets or small college campuses.
One thing decision-makers seemed to forget was the students with disabilities and those with small children. Few of the students in wheelchairs or on crutches were able to make it to their classes on Monday. Also, with most of the daycares and schools cancelled for the day, many students with children had to stay home with them.
A few inches of snow may seem like little more than a sledding opportunity, but when it’s covering a few inches of solid ice, the potential for problems becomes significant. Even after classes resumed on Monday morning, campus sidewalks, parking lots, and brick patios were nearly invisible under sheets of ice.
Many students complained that the condition of the walkways was not only unsafe, but a liability to the university.
“Everything is still icy,” said Jarrel McRae, a senior. “Several students have fallen on concrete.”
Some students believe that the campus did not follow proper precautions to maintain the safety of students.
“Salt before snow!” said James Barr, a junior. “Then scrape up the ice and re-salt! If they’re not going to handle this the right way, then the campus should have been closed all day Monday.”
Other students, however, think that all the fuss over the weather was just overreaction.
“I’m upset that they issued a two-hour delay for such mild weather,” said Jordan Aytch, a freshman from Camden, NJ.
For Northerners, the snow, sleet and icy rain may seem ordinary, but Fayetteville does not often experience the sub-freezing temperatures and freezing rain. The city is not equipped with enough snow plows and supplies to accommodate iced-over side streets or small college campuses.
One thing decision-makers seemed to forget was the students with disabilities and those with small children. Few of the students in wheelchairs or on crutches were able to make it to their classes on Monday. Also, with most of the daycares and schools cancelled for the day, many students with children had to stay home with them.
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