Winter Storm Fern leaves students questioning classes on Monday

  UMKC students are riding out Winter Storm Fern with concerns about classes on Monday, Jan. 26, with some students saying they will stay home regardless, even if classes are not cancelled. 

  Local meteorologists in Kansas City are predicting anywhere from 4-8 inches of snow with temperatures staying below 20 degrees until Monday. 

“I’m just going to stay at home for the weekend. I live on campus, but my home isn’t too far away,” said junior film major Adrienne Ruby.

With the chance of precipitation and low temperatures, black ice is likely to form this weekend and into Monday. Many are wondering if UMKC will stay open early next week.

  “If the roads in my area are neglected and seem to be icy, I will not be attending classes,” sophomore film major and commuter Leia Zimmerman said. 

  On campus five-gallon buckets of ice melt have been set at the entrance of all residential halls for students to spread. Campus facilities have also treated the roads, sidewalks and parking garages. 

  “We treat the roads and sidewalks with a salt and water solution that dries down, and then we brush it off,” said campus facilities employee Tyler Coram. “Then we heavily salt everywhere that the solution was put down.”

  The stairs on campus, however, still seem to be a safety issue.

  “Much of the stairs on campus seem to be quite unsafe due to a lack of care beyond the main campus,” said Zimmerman.

  The campus urges students and faculty to use their best judgment when deciding if they can safely travel to campus under their Business Interruption Policy.

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