Kent State students have found themselves in the clutches of cold temperatures and harsh winds.
The National Weather Service issued a cold weather advisory for Portage County on Monday, which will stay in effect until Wednesday morning.
Despite neighboring schools and universities announcing closures, Kent State has not canceled classes due to the weather conditions.
The university sent out an email to students on Monday with tips on staying warm and offered free hot chocolate and tea available in the student center and DI Hub on both Tuesday and Wednesday.
“Only travel outdoors when necessary,” the email said. “Exercise extreme caution to avoid frostbite, hypothermia or other cold weather health issues, which can occur quickly.”
On Tuesday, posts flooded YikYak, the anonymous social media app for college students, criticizing the university’s response to the severe weather. Several students on the app said they sent emails to the Kent State Student Ombuds email address complaining about the decision to not cancel classes.
Ada Lorenz, a freshman art education major, said she also sent an email regarding concerns about walking to classes.
“As an art major, I would have to carry lots of heavy materials to class, which would not be safe with the ice and snow,” Lorenz said. “The temperatures are also way too low to be spending time walking to class.”
She said she encouraged her friends to also contact the university if they felt similarly.
“Maybe we could get the word out that we do not feel comfortable in these conditions.”
According to university policy, the windchill must reach or be predicted to reach -20 degrees Fahrenheit for an extended period in order for classes to be canceled, according to the campus weather advisory webpage. The university closure policy requires that if there is to be a cancellation, it will be announced by 5:30 a.m. for morning and all-day cancellations, 10 a.m. for afternoon classes and 3 p.m. for evening classes.
In an email sent to The Kent Stater, Emily Vincent, the director of university media relations, said that “the projections for Tuesday did not meet our closure thresholds,” and “we will similarly evaluate Wednesday’s conditions as they develop.”
Frostbite can occur in windy weather conditions below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, according to Cleveland Clinic. The warmest temperature projected from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday is 11 degrees Fahrenheit, and the coldest is -11 degrees Fahrenheit.
“I think at the very least, classes should be moved online, or canceled if that isn’t possible,” Lorenz said.
Gage Wellman is a reporter. Contact him at [email protected] or @GageWellmanKSTV on X.