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Editorial: Ice ice Bradley

Photo by William Craine

Although it brought no classes for one and half days and videos of people throwing hot water into the sky, last week’s snow and cold weather also came with a downside for students.

Monday morning’s rise in temperature melted some of the accumulated snow from last week, but a sudden temperature drop covered campus sidewalks in black ice.

Numerous students complained about the slippery sidewalks and roads, which are not a new problem for Bradley.

A winter storm in March 2015 brought the campus thick ice and led to many falls. After the storm, then vice president for business affairs, Gary Anna admitted it was a mistake to not cancel classes, and Nathan Thomas, vice president for student affairs, said students should stay safe even if that means staying at home and making up for the missed classes.

Canceling classes was certainly the right choice in this year’s rare cold weather, but it is also important to keep up with road and sidewalk maintenance after heavy snow and freezing temperatures.

Last week, two student patrol workers reported falling on ice. They were certainly not the only ones, as many of The Scout staffers have also experienced slippery conditions on campus this week.

The sidewalk on Bradley’s side of Main Street near Burgess Hall and Jobst Hall was not shoveled or salted, which resulted in many students walking in the road on Main Street. As of Thursday night, this sidewalk still remains covered in ice.

It can be difficult to make the sidewalks clear as snow is falling and the wind chilll has consistently been below zero. However, we feel as though Bradley should have more people on-call and available during winter storms to keep the sidewalks safe for students and faculty. Whether it is student workers or part-time employees, the university should do more to keep students safe while they are on campus.

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The Scout is published by members of the student body of Bradley University. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the University.