Ohio Wesleyan did not cancel classes.
Photo by Jane Suttmeier
By Caleb Dorfman
Transcript Reporter
A cold spell sent temperatures well below zero last week, and raised the question of which weather conditions would lead to cancelled classes.
According to Craig Ullom, vice president of Student Affairs, President Rock Jones consults a group of individuals from various departments.
This group includes members of administration and finance, Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, Health Services, Public Safety and Buildings and Grounds.
âInformation considered by the group comes from various sources including the NOAA National Weather Service, local weather information sources, and the Delaware County Emergency Management Center,â Ullom said.
Ullom said the team decided that in this particular weather incident, while it was very cold, there was no risk to someone walking to class as long as they dressed appropriately.
âI know it was very cold, because I walk to work every day,â he said.
Jones said if classes were cancelled, then they would also have to cancel sports practices, rehearsals and any other student events on campus.
A weather advisory email from Cole Hatcher, director of Media and Community Relations, stated classes would be cancelled if a Level 3 Snow Emergency was called.
According to the Delaware County Sheriffâs Department, a Level 3 Snow Emergency is put into effect when roadways are too hazardous to drive on.
Emails from both Jones and Hatcher gave students and faculty advice on how to dress for the weather.
According to Jones, if this type of weather occurs again, the university would increase the number of vans transporting students around campus.
Jones said he would also like to see the vans run later in the day.
The vans, which were driven by student, faculty and staff volunteers, ran from 7:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Tuesday, and from 7:30 a.m. until noon on Wednesday.
Temperatures on Tuesday dropped as low as 14 degrees below zero, with wind chill temperatures as low as 25 degrees below zero, according to the Weather Channel.
Junior Brandy Booth said she has lived in Ohio her entire life, and she has never experienced weather like this.
To cope with the cold, Booth said she âwore a lot of layersâ and carpooled.