With 30-mph wind gusts and temperatures plunging below minus 35 degrees, the past few weeks of Madison weather have certainly been no picnic for UW-Madison students.
But these arctic-like conditions may be more than a mere inconvenience for faculty and students on their way to class. In fact, prolonged exposure to this type of weather can pose serious health risks.
Whether by choice or due to an overcrowded bus up Bascom, those who find themselves walking to class or outside in sub-zero weather can be in serious danger after a measly 10 minutes, which (generously) seems to be about the amount of time it takes to navigate most of the UW-Madison campus.
Such dangers can be as mild as chilblains—a skin rash marked by redness and swelling—or as severe as frostbite or even hypothermia. Although elongated exposure time to the cold affects the potential risk of injury, all of these conditions can occur in temperatures as high as 15 degrees Fahrenheit.
With this in mind, students and faculty might wonder why classes are still scheduled during such dangerous weather. Putting aside the fact that students who drive to campus each day may encounter terrible road conditions, the sheer risk to a student's health should be enough to put off that physics lab or economics lecture for the day.
According to the UW-Madison handbook, the decision to cancel classes is entirely up to Chancellor John Wiley. However, cancellations have been put in effect so rarely in recent history that most would no longer even consider them a viable option.
What is even more discouraging is that during the peak of this month's bad weather, Madison-area public schools were closed for two consecutive days. Although transportation issues may be cited as a reason for this, there was minimal, if any, snowfall in much of Madison during these ""snow days.""
Although an esteemed university student would never wish to be compared to a young schoolboy or girl, one has to point out the simple fact that these children, generally, take a bus or get a ride to school. We, on the other hand, spend much of our weekdays outdoors walking to, from and between classes. This hardly seems like a fair or safe situation for UW-Madison students.
Obviously anyone who opted to attend this university did not pick it for its sunny beaches and palm trees. That being said and taking into account the recent events of the past few weeks, the system in place for weather-related class cancellations cannot even be described as adequate.
Perhaps the tradition of ""sucking it up"" or ""toughing it out"" is no longer satisfactory or safe, despite being so deeply ingrained in the response of those who determine UW-Madison's weather policy.
With such dangerously cold temperatures and a less-than-perfect bus system around campus, students may truly find themselves in an unsafe climate while walking to class. To put it frankly, something must change here.
For the time being, however, students are strongly encouraged to dress warmly and in layers in such severe weather. Maintaining one's core body temperature by exposing as little skin as possible is an easy way to stay safe in cold weather.
