Syracuse University’s longtime faculty members, many of which were also present for some of the university’s past closures, feel the university made the right decision in canceling classes for Hurricane-turned Superstorm Sandy.

SU sent out a campus-wide email informing students that classes on Monday after 1:40 p.m. and all classes on Tuesday were canceled.

Monday and Tuesday’s closures are one of few closures due to weather in SU history. Previous instances occurred in March 2011 and March 1993 due to snow, and September 1998 due to a severe storm.

“It’s always hard to speculate and know exactly what the weather will do,” said Marjorie Devault, professor and undergraduate director of sociology of 25 years. “Obviously this kind of weather event doesn’t happen very much, so I feel that SU is making the right precautions.”

Devault was on leave for the 1998 storm, but recalls immense power outages and heavy damage.

“Syracuse is using an abundance of caution,” said Arthur Paris, an associate professor of sociology. “I think Syracuse understands the intensity of this storm and is looking out for the best interest of its faculty and students.”

Paris has been a part of the faculty since 1988 and remembers the few other times SU canceled classes.

“It’s a unique situation when severe weather affects the area,” he said. “It’s better to be safe than sorry.”

History professor David Bennett voiced his concern about the storm and his sons living in the harder-hit Washington, D.C.

“People should get home safely and SU is allowing ample time for staff and faculty to do so,” Bennett said. “Schools and government have closed in other cities and this storm has the potential to be quite violent.”

Given that the storm is predicted to be severe, political science professor of 35 years Jeff Stonecash thinks the university took a wise step.

Stonecash said he found similarities between the 1993 storm that brought 36 inches of snow and Hurricane Sandy, as the two had such an effect on the city.

Said Stonecash: “It really takes a lot to shut down the city of Syracuse, and this is one of those times.”

 

Published on October 30, 2012 at 12:26 am

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