Student safety became a point of concern at Kirkwood Community College on Jan. 23, when the college remained open despite a windchill of –41 F that morning, prompting questions from students and community members about weather-related decision-making.
“For people who drive, it wasn’t impossible to get to Kirkwood. I can see why they didn’t cancel school,” said Sam Northness, education. “If I had to walk to Kirkwood, I would’ve skipped. Just walking from my car to Cedar Hall, I couldn’t even feel my fingertips.”
Some students didn’t like the idea of traveling to classes in harsh conditions, feeling as though safety wasn’t a priority.
“Missing a single day to protect students who aren’t built for this weather isn’t something they should shy away from,” commented Cheyanne Welbes, veterinary technician.
Welbes added that walking between Linn Hall and her car she experienced some physical pain associated with low oxygen in her body.
College President Kristie Fisher said the college provided extra services due to the cold temperature that day. “We always care about people’s safety,” she emphasized. “Everybody has a different perspective on it, and we did things like having a van running through the parking lots to give people rides up to the buildings if they needed it, and we had extra public safety out to make sure no one was having issues getting their cars started.”
Some local colleges, such as the University of Iowa and Iowa State University, switched some classes to an online format for the day, raising the question as to why Kirkwood couldn’t do the same, or if this could ever be a possibility for the future.
“We’ve made a conscious decision, and doesn’t mean it’ll always be this way, but for right now, we don’t have a virtual plan, and that is because we have so many hands-on classes, and if we go virtual, there were labs that day or clinicals, it just doesn’t work,” asserted Fisher.
The decision for in-person class cancelations is heavily weighed with both weather and road conditions. Fisher said that if there had been snow or ice on the roads, or if there was active weather, canceling classes would have become significantly more likely.
However, not every snowy day will be a day off, and for students traveling to class, it’s especially important to stay safe and cautious while traversing through weather.
“Students who rely primarily on walking or public transportation may face different safety and reliability challenges during severe winter weather,” said David Heffer, senior director of Public Safety and Emergency Management. “Students should communicate proactively as early as possible if weather conditions prevent safe travel or significantly delay arrival.”
Heffer also advised that, when a student is driving themselves to class, to never underestimate stopping distance or overestimate available traction, as that’s the most common kind of winter weather related to car accidents.
During extreme winter weather, it’s essential to stay warm, and that’s by making sure every student has access to winter gear. Those with limited access can have accommodations met through the Kirkwood food pantry.
Categories: Campus News, News
