Closing for cold weather can't hurt

Throughout this winter, the Great Lakes Bay Region experienced harsh weather. On January 28th, it was so extreme that local weather centers broadcast a dangerous wind chill advisory for the area. Many nonprofit organizations, public transportation and public schools chose to close. Delta College, however, elected to stay open.

Yes, cold weather alone is no reason to close a college or university. Yes, our building is no different than any other business that remains open. Yes, our administration made that decision. What they failed to consider are the unique routines and needs that non-traditional students require.

There is no student housing on Delta College’s campus, and students must commute. Hypothetically speaking, what if they break down on the way, and are exposed as they seek help? What about the students whose transportation is unreliable and cars don't start?

"Things can happen very very quickly and you can get into trouble," said Genesis Davenport Emergency Room Medical Director, Dr. Steven Bashor. According to the National Weather Service, with a temperature of five below and the wind blowing at ten miles an hour, the wind chill is 22 below, and in 30 minutes, you could get frostbite.

On top of poor weather conditions, icy roads and our students not having new vehicles, their stress level is over the top worrying about getting to class. If students elected to stay home instead, we are punishing them for not being able to commute under difficult circumstances. Those students will be at risk for dropping the class or falling behind as they continue. If retention and completion are so important, this situation should be considered and hopefully prevented whenever possible.

Interestingly enough, a new study conducted by Harvard Kennedy School Assistant Professor Joshua Goodman finds that snow days do not impact student learning. In fact, he finds, keeping schools open during a storm is more detrimental to learning than a closure.

Goodman writes, "With slack time in the schedule, the time lost to closure can be regained. Student absences, however, force teachers to expend time getting students on the same page as their classmates."

Remaining open when so many others close (especially the public schools) is not encouraging a good work ethic, inversely, it is setting up the most at risk students for failure. We saw non-traditional students expected to take more risks to get to class than the traditional students, who saw their classes cancelled on campuses across the state. Quite the “Delta Difference”.