Winter Nightmare

View Feedback | Send this Article | Published 1/31/03


Graphic By: Andrew Kinback

Snow is a beautiful thing, unless you”re an off-campus student. If you happen to be one of the commuting students or faculty, then snow, sleet, or freezing rain become a nightmare during the winter months when school is in session. This nightmare begins when officials at Radford University fail to cancel or delay school until road conditions are safe again.

From my understanding, officials at RU feel that the bulk of their students live on campus or near enough and that they do a greater good by keeping the campus open. This, or any other excuse, is horrible when you are asking people to risk their safety to make it to class.

Commuter students are faced with a difficult choice when there is inclement weather and school remains open; to risk their safety and life to attend class, or miss class, thus receiving less of an education for the same price as on-campus students and dealing with irate professors. This is a difficult decision to make when you actually do care about your grades and missing class matters.

When you miss a teacher”s lecture because you couldn”t drive to school, other students are gaining an unfair advantage and often there is no way to make this class time up. It seems equally as unfair and ridiculous to risk your life, safety, and car simply to make it to class. The question becomes, which is more important, your education or your health?

I understand that RU officials are trying to please the greatest number of students and do the greatest service, but is it worth jeopardizing the safety and lives of a select group of students?

Responses:
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Comments:
ah yes the jeep wrangler. with all the torque of a rubber band *grin*

Name: rachel
Comments:
don't worry john. the jeep can push your truck :)~

Name: John
Year: Junior
Major: MSTD
Comments:
I know that I if it snows while I'm on campus, I'll probably be trudging home by foot because my car can't make it up hills. It's less than a mile but it still sucks.

Name: Nick
Year: 2003, isn't it?
Major: MSTD (Advertising)
Comments:
I was so blown away the other day when one of my professors said "Our test dates WILL not change, they are set in stone. But, if the weather is bad, PLEASE do not kill yourself to get here. You can always take the test later, it is more important to have you in class the next day." I was really impressed, so there a few on our side here!

Name: Shaun
Year: Grad
Major: English
Comments:
Hell yeah Valerie! I commuted for three years as an undergrad, and during that time I was blessed not to get hit with too bad a weather (only once or twice), it still sucked knowing that it could possibly get too bad to come to class, and then have to deal with profs and their dick-headed attendance policies...

Name: Nick
Comments:
Great Article Valerie! I agree totally, we should think about the commuter students when the weather is nasty!