What exactly UMBC’s inclement weather policy?
I absolutely without a doubt do not understand UMBC’s inclement weather policy. Apparently a half an inch of ice on the ground is only worth a 2 hour delay in UMBC land but in Morgan State University, Towson University, Coppin College, Baltimore County Public Schools, Howard County Public Schools, the Baltimore County government and just about…well everyone else’s world, that kind of weather is grounds for closing.
This is my 6th semester at UMBC and I can’t recall an occasion in over two years where we’ve closed for bad weather–even when everyone else is closed. Now I understand some school systems and organizations close for absolutely nothing, but 295 was closed this morning, most other major universities were closed today, and it took me over 20 minutes to walk to class without falling. I think that says something, don’t you?
Don’t email me to tell me the sidewalks are treacherous. I’m aware that the sidewalks are treacherous because that’s what happens when ice falls from the sky. Throwing a bunch of salt on it doesn’t solve the problem either. People still can and did fall today and yeah, it was funny but I don’t think it should ever come to that.
When I was in high school, I used to get really irritated when other school systems would close and we’d have an hour delay or something ridiculous like that purely because I didn’t feel like going to school. A few years out, I have a different reason: it’s not safe!!!! People always say “oh well the roads are fine.” Really? All of them? If you can’t guarantee me that no one will have a weather-related accident on ANY road a driver would use to get from point A to point B, don’t say “the roads are fine.” Some professors and students travel great distances to get to work and the roads may not be fine where they’re coming from. Why else is that statement unacceptable in my book? Just because the roads are “fine” does not mean the sidewalks are traversable. Cars only take you from parking spot to parking spot and in most instances–especially at a university–you’ll have to walk a good distance before you’re in the safety of a building which means the sidewalks also need to be safe and they weren’t today nor were they last week when we had those icy conditions and you know what? You can count on that being true all the time.
Classes were pretty empty today, right?
