University of Michigan students battle snow to get to classes
Students get on a University of Michigan bus this morning outside of the U-M Museum of Art after a winter storm blew through Ann Arbor overnight Tuesday.
Angela J. Cesere | AnnArbor.com
Toby Washington was bundled up as he trudged toward class this morning, one of the few students in the entire of state of Michigan not off for a snow day.
The second-year University of Michigan student wasn’t happy to be out and about.
“Everything else is canceled,” he said. “There’s not a ton of snow out here, but nobody has shoveled their sidewalks and it’s hard walking.”
U-M’s Ann Arbor campus remained open today, despite the estimated 6 inches of snow. U-M closed its Flint and Dearborn campuses.
Other Washtenaw County higher education institutions, including Washtenaw Community College and Eastern Michigan University, closed Tuesday evening. Even Michigan State University in East Lansing closed.
Campus officials have said they lean toward keeping the main campus open because so many students live either on-campus or nearby.
But that didn’t mean all instructors were holding classes.
University of Michigan professor Victor Mendoza uses an umbrella to keep the snow off him while walking on campus. Angela J. Cesere | AnnArbor.com
“I’m supposed to have three classes today,” said U-M freshman John Marvels. “I got e-mails last night from two of the (professors) canceling today’s class. Of course my early one didn’t cancel, so I had to get up anyway. I don’t think it’s that bad out, but it will be nice not to go to class.”
The Diag was almost deserted mid-morning, with only a few students and professors hurrying to class.
The bus stop outside the Michigan Union had only about a quarter of the students who normally wait there.
“I’m going home and going to stay inside the rest of the day,” said senior Tina Rolls as she waited for a bus. “It’s good to sit inside and watch the snow fall. That’s what we all should be doing, not going to class.”
David Jesse covers higher education for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at davidjesse@annarbor.com or at 734-623-2534.
Comments
Kafkaland
Wed, Feb 2, 2011 : 7:47 p.m.
@aatownie: I am on campus right now, and had meetings with what you would probably call "upper echelons", department chairs and deans. They're here. I see much fewer supprt staff around, though. So I think your comment about "socail justice" is not supported by the reality on the ground.
Susan Montgomery
Wed, Feb 2, 2011 : 9:30 p.m.
Likewise in my department, many staff chose to use a vacation day to stay home, but as far as I know all faculty made it to campus for their classes.
MissArborM
Wed, Feb 2, 2011 : 7:14 p.m.
It took me over two hours this morning to shovel out, get stuck (over and over), and slip and slide across town to get to work today. I work the U of M Health System, NO ONE had plowed the parking lots, cleared the sidewalks, or salted. We have only 25-30% staff here and the Universities only feed back is an email: Winter weather update: Blizzard canceled, storm warning still in effect At approximately 4:27 a.m., the National Weather Service canceled the blizzard warning but a winter storm warning remains in effect until noon. Currently, the Ann Arbor area has only received 3 - 6 " of snow accumulation. Roads are passable in the city and the Emergency Operation Center will not be activating the 4WD program. The EOC will be closed at 5 a.m. Faculty and staff are expected to make every effort to come to work or contact their supervisors if they are unable. Yea.. ok. Thanks U OF M, today you can go kick rocks!
aatownie
Wed, Feb 2, 2011 : 7:04 p.m.
Most of UM staff that came in was there to let students know that classes and meetings had been canceled. Underlings put up the signs for upper echelon who "worked from home" - that's social justice for you.
Jen Eyer
Wed, Feb 2, 2011 : 6:09 p.m.
An off-topic comment was removed, along with a comment that referenced it.
Mick52
Wed, Feb 2, 2011 : 5:35 p.m.
The students live close so let's stay open. How about the staff that commutes? Show a lot in regard to caring for employees, huh?
alan
Wed, Feb 2, 2011 : 5:43 p.m.
I agree. I taught at MSU for years and they never closed. We had classes full of students with no instructor and empty support staff offices every time this happened.