Press "Enter" to skip to content

Snow Storm Blows Through Academia

By Jonathan Seltzer
Staff Writer

We are already up to five snow days - will Thursday be the sixth? By Kristiane Aateigen
We are already up to five snow days – will Thursday be the sixth? By Kristiane Aateigen
LIU Post has been blasted with five snow days during the spring 2014 semester. Classes were cancelled on Jan. 3 and 22 as well as Feb. 3 and 5. Additionally, classes after 3:30 p.m. were cancelled on Jan. 21. In general, students appreciated the class cancellations.

“It’s good because the roads are icy and it keeps people safe. The roads in my neighborhood weren’t plowed last Wednesday,” said Michael Grossman, a sophomore Finance major.

Katie Ventrella, a sophomore Accounting major, was pleased with the class cancellations for a different reason. As a student athlete, the cancellations allowed her more time to focus on improving her lacrosse skills. “Personally, I didn’t think it was terrible because our team still got to practice,” she added.

Courtney Cabo, a freshman Speech Pathology major, felt a sense of relief about the extensive class cancellations. “I think that even if I have to make up the classes, I’d be okay with it because I’d rather drive to school on a day with good weather than put myself in danger,” she said.

“I think it was smart. I had to go to work, so it didn’t matter for me, but it was a good decision overall because it shows that Post is looking out for the best interests of the students,” said Damian Dudek, a senior Finance major.

Other students, including David Mannlein, a freshman Mathematics major, perceived the most recent snow day as more of an inconvenience because it put students further behind in their coursework. “I think that [last] Wednesday did not need to be cancelled. I drove to work and it was fine. It was awful that I missed three classes that meet on Mondays and Wednesdays. I now feel behind,” he added. Mannelein also stated that if Post cancels classes, there should not be additional assignments outside of the classroom for cancelled sessions. “I think that if classes are cancelled, then students should not have to complete assignments online in place of going to class.”

Gregory Schimmel, an adjunct professor who teaches College 101 and is part of the Academic Resource Program, agreed with the postponing of classes, but understood the point of view that the cancelled classes leave professors and students behind in terms of the material they must cover to meet department criteria. “From an administrative standpoint, safety is the most important thing. On a day when the roads are horrible, it’s nice not to have to come to campus. On the downside, it causes you to get behind on your work and certain things have to be pushed back. You just have to roll with the punches. I think we all do a good job of that here, students and professors alike.”

It is uplifting that the administrators at Post care about the safety of students and faculty. It is never a good idea for a person to risk life or limb to reach a destination. Every day, drivers across the nation race on highways to reach their destinations just in the nick of time to begin school and work. Commuter safety is a number one priority.

Be First to Comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *