Professors adjust to snow day schedule

By Claire Byun & Jonathan McFadden

byunc@mytjnow.com, mcfaddenj@mytjnow.com

Snow fell late Sunday night and throughout Monday, freezing to ice and slush over the week. Photo by Chelsea Walker • Special to The JohnsonianWhile some students spent their first three days of classes sledding and making snow angels, professors scrambled to compensate for the three days they lost.

Kristin Kiblinger, associate professor of philosophy and religious studies, said losing two days was not too problematic for her since she always builds some flexibility into her plans for certain class topics.

“It does make me nervous, however, going forward, because I now have less flexibility remaining for the rest of the semester,” Kiblinger said. “If something else disruptive comes up, I’ll have to make more difficult choices.”

Peter Judge, department chair of philosophy and religious studies, said he might have to adjust the schedules of his classes, depending on the pace the classes move.

“We are going to have to hurry up with these first couple of classes,” Judge said. “There are either places where we’ll make up time or we just won’t get to everything.”

Still, Judge said he didn’t find any big inconveniences in his schedule. As a matter of fact, he preferred the snow interrupting classes at the beginning of the semester instead of it halting the flow of the semester right in the middle. 

Moving around schedules won’t cause too much trouble for Lisa Deal, physical education instructor, but there was still anxiety when she first learned of the days lost.

“I did a little panicking last week trying to figure out how to fit it all in,” Deal said.

However, since Deal lives in York and must drive 20 miles to Winthrop, she is thankful the school decided to cancel classes. Both professors and commuters must travel to campus, which can be difficult in hazardous weather.

“We’re based a lot on commuter students, and some come a long way,” Deal said. “So it’s good they cancelled school for those who travel.”

Mary Beth Young, associate professor of theatre and dance, said she thinks the biggest problem for students was not necessarily missing three days of class, but Winthrop offices being closed.

Students who needed their schedules finalized so they could either add or drop a class had to wait until the offices reopened after the snow days before any action could be taken. 

That left many students in a panic, Young said.

Even up until Wednesday, Young said students were going to her office, concerned they would have to play catch-up in their classes or risk falling behind.

As for her own classes, Young said she sent an e-mail to her Monday-Wednesday beginning ballet class, instructing them on what to wear and encouraging them to be ready to dance. Instead of talking and going over the syllabus…

“We’re just going to dance,” she said.