Arctic Athens

Snow is fun, but we all should be more cautious when Athens freezes over.

Sunday, 5 p.m.: The University delayed opening until noon Monday.

Sunday, 7 p.m.: The University officially cancelled Monday classes.

A mere seven hours after the snow began falling in Athens, the University chose caution over protocol.

The usual policy dictates the University not make a weather-based decision until 6 a.m. on the day in question.

But this was no ordinary situation.

Georgia Power said 23,000 people in the state were experiencing power issues Sunday and Monday – 20,000 of them were in Athens.

It’s not uncommon for students to leave Athens on the weekends. With Spring Break just around the corner, tests and papers are piling up this week. The last thing the University should encourage is students rushing back to town in such dangerous conditions.

And let’s face it – the majority of University students are from Georgia. We don’t know how to drive on icy roads, and we all stock up on bread, eggs and milk at the slightest chance of flurries.

But with more than 5 inches of snow on the ground by Sunday evening, this was more than the flurries we’re all accustomed to.

Although the University broke protocol and cancelled classes Sunday evening, The Red & Black is still unsure why classes were initially delayed rather than cancelled. It should have been apparent to everyone that the weather wasn’t going to improve.

We can’t fault the University or Athens-Clarke County for not being prepared for such an extreme snowfall, but we as students should have exercised more caution.

If you’re ever in the midst of another major snowfall, don’t drive unless you have to. If you must go out, stay on the main roads, which will be more traveled and have better tracks. Maintain a caution speed – it’s dangerous to drive even 30 miles per hour along icy roads. And if stop lights aren’t working, treat the intersection as a four-way stop.

As Athens thaws out and we all slowly regain power, take comfort in the fact that next week, many of us will be soaking up rays on a beach.

- Shannon Otto for the editorial board