After last week’s rare Tuscaloosa snowstorm, some students at The University of Alabama were questioning how the University makes decisions regarding the cancellation of class.
The University did not cancel classes until 3:15 p.m. via a UA Emergency Alert.
UA spokeswoman Cathy Andreen said that the decision to cancel classes is made based on weather conditions, weather forecasts, road conditions and other factors. Additionally, the University’s Emergency Policy Group makes the final decision about whether to cancel class.
“The Emergency Preparedness and Response Policy Group includes the Provost, the Vice President for Financial Affairs, the Vice President for Student Affairs, the Assistant Vice President for Public Safety and the Assistant Vice President for University Relations,” Andreen said in an emailed statement.
Andreen said the University’s emergency preparedness office tracks weather information from the National Weather Service, which factors into the final decision on whether to cancel classes.
“Each situation is evaluated based on the information that is available at the time,” Andreen said.
Ellen Meade is a freshman majoring in education from San Diego, Calif.; she had never seen snow before last week’s powdering. With no experience with that type of weather, Meade looked to the University for direction, which she found lacking.
“I think a lot of people were confused because they didn’t know if they should go to their morning classes or not, but most people I know who had earlier classes went anyway,” Meade said.
“I thought it was weird that they cancelled class after 3:15 when the most dangerous time for students driving was before then,” John Connor Dykes, a sophomore majoring in economics and math, said. “It seemed like they waited too long, and then when they cancelled classes it was like, ‘Why are they doing this now? Why not just finish out the day?’”
However, Jordan McMillan, a junior majoring in public relations, thought the University handled the snow day well.
“I think the University just took the precautions they needed to. They don’t see a lot of snow down here, so when they do, they probably expect the worst,” McMillan said. “And honestly, I didn’t mind not going to class on Thursday.”
