Article Photos

While inclement weather often forces delays or closures of K-12 schools, it is uncommon for universities with students already on campus to halt classes.

Two officials from Heidelberg University and Tiffin University said it is rare their campuses shut down due to weather. Wednesday, Heidelberg officials opted to close campus, and TU officials kept their campus open.

Jim Troha, Heidelberg's interim president, said officials wanted to be cautious Wednesday. The safety of the university's students, faculty and staff is first and foremost when making the decision, and if the answer about whether the situation is safe is "no," the decision is an easy one, he said.

"If it appears that it's going to be too unsafe, then we'll make a decision like we did (Wednesday)," he said.

Troha said officials decided to delay the start of classes around 6:30 a.m. and made the decision to close about two hours later. They saw reports indicating it would continue to snow at least through the early afternoon, which led them believe the level two snow emergency would continue for a good part of the day, he said.

Troha said officials weren't comfortable with requiring faculty and staff to make their way to campus during those kinds of conditions.

They were most concerned about employees' ability to get home, and if it continued to snow, getting home may have been more treacherous than coming to work, he said.

Troha said several people are involved in the decision about canceling classes due to weather.

The associate vice president for facilities and engineering provides an idea about how well workers can get campus cleaned and prepare parking lots and sidewalks, the dean of the college is part of helping make a decision from the academic sector and student life personnel express their feelings about students being able to maneuver safely through campus, he said.

Typically, they try to have classes if at all possible because Heidelberg is a residential campus, he said.

The dining hall stays open, and Wednesday, key personnel, such as the grounds crew, dean of students and business and security personnel, reported to work, he said.

"Other than that, it's pretty vacant today," Troha said.

Briana Hinz, a freshman from Madison, and Kella Lange, a junior from Medina, walked around campus Wednesday evening. Lange said she took a nap and watched television during the time she usually has class.

"We've had one (snow day) last year and my freshman year," she said.

Lisa Williams, executive director of media relations and publications for TU, said the university rarely closes for weather-related issues.

"Particularly today, on Wednesday, we have ... morning classes and evening classes. We do not have afternoon classes," she said. "We don't have a lot of classes on Wednesday."

According to TU's winter weather policy, the classes on the Tiffin campus are canceled and university offices are closed when Seneca County is under a level three snow emergency.

Williams said when the county is at a level two snow emergency, employees have the option of taking an annual leave day, which is similar to a vacation day, as long as they talk to their supervisors. There are exceptions, she said.

"We will close at a level three," she said.

On the Web:

Heidelberg University:

www.heidelberg.edu

Tiffin University:

www.tiffin.edu