Believe it or not, severe weather
issues in Austin have kept students out of the classrooms at the University of
Texas. Cold weather and icy roads have forced schools and universities all over
central Texas to shut down, and now the professors at UT have to adjust to make
up for lost time.
According to school records, there
have already been eight days between December and March when the university had
to shut down campus or delay the opening. As a result of all the missed class
days, professors at UT have to rush through their material. “We’re behind
schedule right now, and we’re trying to play catch-up,” Troy Kimmel said.
Kimmel is a local meteorologist, as well as a professor of climate and
meteorology at UT. “I’d imagine other professors are doing the same thing, and
trying to speed up in the little class time we have left.”
There isn’t a policy that allows
the university to reschedule cancelled classes, but professors don’t seem to
think that’s a big issue. “I did have to switch around a few presentation dates
to accommodate missed time in the classroom,” advertising professor Vincent
Cicchirillo said. “However, I don’t feel particularly rushed in terms of
lecturing. More activity and group work classes are probably better suited for
snow days, meaning schedules are more flexible.” Cicchirillo is an advertising
professor at the Moody College of Communications at UT. “I feel 15 weeks is
more than enough time for a course to present materials and gather evaluations.”
“I have changed the syllabus three
times to account for the missed class days,” Dr. Domino Perez from the
communications college said. Dr. Perez teaches film studies. “I have made
adjustments in response to the missed class days. I simply adjust and
incorporate concepts or theories we did not get to address on the missed class
days in other lectures and discussions.”
“As long as we only miss one or two
days, we’re still in fairly good shape,” Kimmel said. “It’s when you’re missing
more that it begins to have an impact. It’s still an issue, no question. We’ll
probably have to cut out a little bit, but it’ll be fine.”
As part of the Safety and Security
Committee, Kimmel briefs the vice president of university operations on the
weather. “This is very unusual weather for us, and it’s one of those things
that's very difficult for us to do,” Kimmel said. “I think UT is probably one
of the most prepared places of all universities around the country.”
On a few of the “snow days,” the
weather did not seem to be a blatant hazard. “Hindsight is 20/20, but when
you’re dealing with a weather forecast, which is uncertain going in, then you
have to make some decision that probably aren’t going to work out sometimes,”
Kimmel said. “The ultimate decision is made to ensure the safety of the
students, faculty and staff.”
“Student, faculty and staff safety
are our No. 1 priority,” Cynthia Posey said. Posey, the spokeswomen of the UT
police department, notifies the students and faculty when campus is closed via
email, text alerts and the university homepage online. Local news stations are alerted
immediately as well.
The biggest concern of the
university, according to the official decision process of emergency
preparation, is the danger of travelling on slick roads. Both students and
faculty need to get to campus every day, whether it is by car, bus, bike or
foot. If the conditions present any possibility of danger, then the campus
hours are delayed, but university officials continuously monitor the conditions
to determine a time when campus can reopen safely.
The university considers every
detail before making a final decision. Any decision that disrupts normal operations
of the university has a crucial impact on the mission statement, so the
officials always must follow the process seriously and make an informed
decision. Officials consider all options, such as closing certain roads or
using salt on the slippery streets, before deciding to shut down campus. The
fact of the matter remains that weather is unpredictable.
The weather in Texas can be
erratic, which is why the university has a strict policy to follow during
inclement weather. Possible cancellations require several steps that university
officials and other administrators must follow. At the end of the day, however,
student and faculty safety remains the top priority. Professors may have to
adjust their schedules, but a few missed class days here and there have not
been a cause for panic.
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