A student-created petition calls Western’s management of inclement weather conditions during the week of Monday, Feb. 6 unacceptable. The petition, addressed to Woodring College of Education’s special education department, states the decision to keep the university open during days of severe weather was “unfair and unjust.” The university was closed Monday, Feb. 6 and Thursday, Feb. 9 due to weather conditions. Campus operated on a normal schedule Tuesday, Feb. 7 and Friday, Feb. 10. On Wednesday, Feb. 8, the campus remained open until 5 p.m. All activities afterward were canceled due to “declining weather conditions,” according to a Western Alert. The university urged students to stay home if traveling to campus was unsafe, but did not guarantee their absences would be excused. City streets, sidewalks and campus were unsafe, according to the petition. The petition will be sent to the special education department, the Equal Opportunity Office and other faculty members by Tuesday, Feb. 21. This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
