Stay safe amid inclement weather at WCC

Alice McGuire 

Deputy Editor 

Over the course of inauguration week, Washtenaw County experienced some of the coldest weather since the polar vortex of 2019. Temperatures dropped to the single digits, with the wind chill dipping into the negatives. In response to the inclement weather, WCC closed from Jan. 21-22. 

Provost and Chief Operating Officer Linda Blakey said that, while there is no set temperature at which the college closes, the inclement weather policy takes into account a wide range of factors, such as the amount of and timing of snowfall, ice, whether the facilities department is able to clear the parking lots, and what the state police are saying about road conditions.

“Generally, we try to make the decision before 5:30 a.m.,” said Blakey. 

One key factor has changed as online communications and classes have become common: “A lot of times, we may just be canceling on-campus classes if, you know, for some reason, there’s a campus issue with snow, or we can’t get the parking lots cleared, then we will continue to have virtual classes and online class,” said Blakey. 

While online classes are generally unaffected by snow days, in-person classes are never shifted online for inclement weather.

Blakey emphasized that, even when the campus is closed, offices such as Student Services and the Welcome Center remain open and available virtually. 

John Leacher, chief of Public Safety, said that the role of Public Safety during inclement weather is to monitor campus to ensure that it is safe, taking care of such duties as notifying the facilities department if a walkway is in need of salt or responding to individuals who need help with common problems such as jump-starting a battery or opening a frozen car door. Public Safety is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 

Leacher said the best thing to do to get through a Michigan winter is to be prepared. 

Rayan Salam, a media professional and instructor at WCC, said she always prepares a backup plan in case of school closures so that she can remain in communication with her students and avoid falling behind, “I use the same formula I used in COVID to prepare for these winter storms.” 

Dena Blair, who serves as department chair of communication media and theatre arts as well as lead faculty for the broadcast media arts program, said, “You’ve got to have the flexibility to be able to pivot and go: ‘Okay, we’re not going to be able to have that plan. What can we do that is still going to bring value to the educational experience?’”

For drivers, Leacher recommends staying on top of maintenance, particularly with regards to tires and batteries as the efficacy of both is impacted by winter weather in a number of ways: batteries often fail to start, tire pressure drops and tread wear becomes dangerous on slick roads.   

Leacher also recommends keeping bottled water and nonperishable food such as granola bars and blankets on hand in case of an emergency. 

Whether commuting by car or bus, Leacher stressed the importance of dressing appropriately for the season: “What happens if your car breaks down and you’re on your way to school? And you’ve got your sweatshirt and a pair of shorts on because you think you’re just going to run from the car into the building–and now you’re three miles away from campus?”

Leacher said that it doesn’t take long for bare skin to suffer from frostbite when the wind chill is low, especially in extremities, and to be mindful of early warning signs such as numbness and pain. 

Students can visit MyWCC to sign up for WCC Alert, a service which sends out emergency notifications in events such as inclement weather. Additionally, Leacher recommends students check out the WCC Safe app, “There’s nothing on here that’s gonna waste your time.”

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