SALT LAKE CITY — Commuting across campus in the snow comes with the territory of being a college student in Utah. Still, walking in this weather is not pleasant.
LIVE BLOG: Latest on the winter storm striking Utah
“It was unexpected. It’s super white outside,” said University of Utah junior Jacob Cristobal. “I don’t know how I’m going to get home now.”
Before the snow even hit Tuesday, the University of Utah tweeted out that classes should move online and remote work is encouraged.
U OF U ALERT: Urgent severe weather to affect evening commute. Classes should move online, and remote work encouraged.
— University of Utah (@UUtah) February 21, 2023
More at https://t.co/JtqSON0h9Y pic.twitter.com/hk1KL2bbG9
“If the students are coming to campus in the morning from afar, we don’t want them traveling unsafe highways or even surface streets,” said Stuart Moffatt, the interim director of University of Utah Emergency Management.
“It’s a big university. We can’t close health care, we can’t close many aspects of research or students facing things,” he went on to say.
The decision came out of the university’s Emergency Management Operations Center, part of the brand-new public safety building. Moffatt said the U is the largest employer in the state.
“We’re about 70,000 people on campus when people come up for either the hospital or for regular activities. To make a decision like this, we have to weigh all the possible consequences,” he said.
For students, the hilly campus is not ideal terrain when the sidewalks slick over.
“It’s terrible. I have to walk all the way to my dorm up there and I slip all the time,” said freshman Ved Munot.
For more information on school closings and delays, click here.
