Classes continue at EWU despite snow, students voice concern | News

After tons of snow dropped on the Inland Northwest, hundreds of schools and buildings announced their closures. Eastern Washington University remained unsure about their Friday schedule, but they did cancel classes for Thursday evening. Come Friday morning, their decision was clear: classes would continue.

That action has some concerned for student safety. In one Facebook update where they announced that classes would resume as scheduled, more than 100 people commented - and still are. Some called it a “bad decision” and others are clicking Facebook’s metaphoric dislike button.

ASEWU president, Oscar Ocaña, has many students contacting him asking why there is school today.

“I got around 17 emailed letters from the student body population, but most of them complained through social media,” Ocaña said.

On Thursday night, he emailed school president, Dr. Rodolfo Arévalo, suggesting the school be closed on Friday or until the situation is manageable. 

“The main concern was that school wasn’t closed because of roads. In Cheney, they were clear. In Spokane, roads were not plowed. Many students were not able to reach the bus,” he continued. “A big group of commuters were uncomfortable. They’re the main issue.”

According to past weather data, it took a minimum of 13" for classes to be cancelled. 

“We rarely shut down. Unlike the school districts, we can’t do make up days,” Dave Meany, EWU spokesman, said this morning.

He only recalls a few times EWU has canceled classes. We contacted National Weather Service and found out the snow depth at Spokane International Airport on the days EWU previously cancelled classes on dates provided by Meany.

2008

• January 28th - 13”
• January 29th - 13”
• January 31st - 20”
• December 18th, - 16”

2009

• January 5th - 27”

2010

• February 24th - 24”

Today’s data from National Weather Service calculated the airport’s official snow depth at 7”.

Ocaña wonders would it be too much to ask to shut down campus? Not many students have classes on Fridays anyways.

Meany says the class load on Friday is not as big as it is on other days of the week. The biggest departments at the school, the computer science and engineering, don’t even have classes on Friday.

“Friday is our lighter day no matter what,” Meany added.