With the snow from last week’s record snowstorm melting away, angered students are left to wonder—what happens next?
In response to the IMPACT petition created as a result of student outrage with UR’s decision to not cancel undergraduate classes, Students’ Association (SA) Senate unanimously passed a resolution Mondayurging the administration to reconsider its snow-day policies, which are historically stringent.
SA Senator and sophomore Christian Keenan, who drafted the resolution, is positive the issue will be addressed.
Keenan said that he is happy with how students have sought help from their government. “The students truly felt strong about something,” he said, “and came to the SA Government, and we responded within less than one week.”
With regard to the administration, however, Keenan isn’t sure how they’ve received to the students’ complaints.
“Dean Feldman and SA President Grant Dever will be meeting at some point this week to talk about this,” Keenan said, “but the student body’s reaction has been strong.”
Keenan added that he is sure the administration will discuss the issue soon, and that they do understand this is a genuine student concern.
He has full faith that the administration will take appropriate action to address the popular complaint.
When asked about schools in the area, Keenan recalled a similar situation that happened last year with Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT).
“With last winter being more brutal than it seems to be this winter, RIT students voiced their concerns about closing procedures,” Keenan said. “From there, I am told that it went to their student government, and they reacted very similarly to what we have done this past week.” He credits this as the main reason RIT was closed last Tuesday.
While he can’t say exactly how professors and University officials are feeling, Keenan said he can only imagine that they would be somewhat, if not fully, in support of his resolution—especially because of the dangerous driving conditions last week. To students who live on campus, the snow may seem like a major inconvenience. but for students, staff, and faculty who live off campus, the snow was also a hazard.
Keenan also spoke of how the snow was detrimental to the mobility of students with physical disabilities, particularly since most areas on campus were not plowed.
At Monday’s Senate meeting, senators discussed how the ramps were not properly plowed— and thus, disabled students who had class in one of these buildings were essentially stranded outside.
Keenan reiterated that he is hopeful that the administration will listen to student concerns and work with the SA to find a solution.
