Winter storm keeps students home, but still in class
An impending blizzard led adminstrators to stop Link busing between campuses and move classes online on Wednesday and Thursday. This marks the first time virtual classes have replaced in-person learning on a snow day since the policy was implemented in 2021.
For the first time this academic year, CSB+SJU moved their classes to remote learning due to weather and road conditions on Wednesday and Thursday.
The announcement was in response to a blizzard warning in portions of central, south central, southwest and west central Minnesota. Blizzard conditions were predicted to start late afternoon Wednesday and continue into Thursday morning. According to The Weather Channel, snow was expected to accumulate to eight to 12 inches with wind gusts as high as 45 mph. Cold wind chills were predicted to be as low as 20 degrees Fahrenheit, which could cause frostbite to exposed skin within 30 minutes.
Along with remote learning, the Link did not run between classes, and events across campus were either cancelled or postponed. Staff designated to provide essential services were still required to report to work as scheduled, while those able to work remotely were to do so. In fall 2021, CSB+SJU changed their policy to adapt hybrid and online learning modes instead of in-person courses in cases of inclement weather. This policy change was largely due to a new flexibility and resources to hold classes virtually due to the pandemic. In response to the announcement, some professors preemptively also moved classes on Thursday virtually or canceled class altogether.