An ADA-accessible entrance to Hale Hall is blocked by snow. Credit: Sarah Szilagy | Miller Special Projects Reporter
Ohio State’s main campus resumed in-person classes Friday to the dismay of some students, who felt wintry conditions on campus made the commute to class unsafe.
University spokesperson Dan Hedman said in an email the university’s decision to resume classes was based on flexible guidelines. Ohio State canceled in-person classes Thursday, but some students feel that in-person classes should have been canceled or moved online Friday as well, citing accessibility concerns.
“The decision to close the university’s Columbus campus or cancel classes in the event of severe weather is made using guidelines that are, by design, very flexible,” Hedman said. “There is no absolute temperature, snowfall amount or other specific hazard that triggers a closure.”
As of Friday morning, Delaware, Pickaway and Union counties were under a level three snow emergency — meaning the roads are open to emergency personnel only, and individuals should only drive under emergency circumstances. Those traveling on the roads during a level three snow emergency could be subject to arrest, according to the Ohio Committee for Severe Weather Awareness. As of 2019, the university had about 30,000 commuter students, according to a Lantern article.
In the university’s announcement of the Friday return of in-person classes, the Office of Academic Affairs encouraged instructors to be flexible for students who required accommodations due to the winter storm.
As far as snow removal goes, all streets and sidewalks on campus are within the jurisdiction of the university’s Landscaping Services, and all Columbus and off-campus streets and sidewalks are under the authority of Columbus’ Division of Infrastructure Management, university spokesperson Dan Hedman said in an email. The clearing of off-campus sidewalks is the responsibility of property owners.
Hedman said Ohio State has set protocols for clearing snow and ice. He said landscaping services normally operates as far north as Lane Avenue, south to 9th Avenue or King Avenue, east to High Street and west to Kenny Road. He said it takes between six and eight hours to clear the campus one time during a snow event.
Chandler Rupert, a fourth-year in political ecology, said he decided to shovel some pathways himself, saying the university did an insufficient job.
”They have not done nearly enough in terms of making campus accessible for people who are mobility impaired, including both commuter students and students who live on campus and off campus,” Rupert said.
Kate Marion, a second-year in criminology, said she was concerned for the safety of students traveling to classes. She said the conditions in the campus area were worse Friday than they were Thursday, when in-person classes were canceled, creating confusion as to why classes were canceled one day but not the other.
“Our main campus location was forced to stay open thus endangering commuter students, students on campus living with disabilities who might have injured themselves getting to class as well as student workers who had to report to work in treacherous conditions,” Marion said.
Grace Reven, a second-year in music education, similarly said she was concerned for students with disabilities traveling around campus with the return of in-person classes.
“It makes me worried about my friends who use mobility aids or have issues with physical mobility in general, because it makes it dangerous and hard to go to class,” Reven said. “I happen to know people who just decided not to go to class today because they can’t;, they’re disabled and they can’t risk a fall.”
Jayna Svoboda, a first-year in early childhood education, said she thinks the university disregarded the safety of its students by hosting in-person classes despite hazardous conditions created by the winter storm.
“It almost seems like the university cares more about their ‘no snow day’ streak than the safety of their students,” Svoboda said.
Unsafe conditions due to ice or snow on campus should be reported to Service2Facilities at 614-292-4357 and unsafe ice or snow conditions to the Wexner Medical Center at Ohio State at 614-293-8645, according to FOD.
