By Rachel Royster | News Editor
Wednesday evening, Baylor University sent out a Baylor Alert via email and text stating Waco campus classes will be moved online until noon on Thursday. The Baylor media website said The Louise Herrington School of Nursing campus in Dallas will hold all classes online for all of Thursday.
The alert said the transition to online learning was due to the forecasted freezing rain.
“Over the last 24 hours, the weather forecast for the Waco area has deteriorated as we anticipate freezing rain with at/or below freezing temperatures that could lead to icing on bridges and overpasses and some surface streets,” the alert said.
The website clarified that any classes that begin at noon will be held in person.
“Classes that begin before 12 noon will be held via remote instruction,” the website said. “Classes that begin after 12 noon will be held in person. University offices will open at 12 noon. For staff who are unable to telework, please consult your direct supervisor.”
Houston senior Victor Davila said he expected the university to move classes online as it did during the winter storm. He said although students may live close to campus, the decision was smart for the university to make given that most faculty and staff don’t live as close by.
“I’m pretty close to campus, so it’s not bad for me,” Davila said. “But I understand professors have farther to go — like I have a professor that comes down from Waxahachie every day. Because of that, I think it’s a safe call.”
Houston junior and Kappa Chi Alpha Sing chair Rachel Harsley said while many students are concerned about All-University Sing being affected by the freezing conditions, their sing team is just playing it by ear.
“At the moment, we’re planning to have rehearsal on campus [Wednesday] evening,” Harsley said. “Who knows — the weather might get super bad and we’ll cancel. We’re just taking it one thing at a time.”
Senior director of Student Activities Matt Burchett said he fully expects All-University Sing to continue as normal Thursday night given that the weather is projected to clear up by the time the show starts.
“We don’t foresee even the potential of canceling the show, but obviously, conditions change and variables are modified,” Burchett said. “So we’ll keep an eye on it and communicate directly to students who are impacted and the patrons who are impacted.”
Burchett said the only worry is audience members not being able to safely travel in order to get to the show.
“We think that we may have some potential travel issues, but we plan to work with patrons as best we can to accommodate for replacement tickets or virtual tickets, depending on their travel,” Burchett said. “Obviously, we don’t have an unlimited amount of tickets available. But we’re anticipating and then planning for a number of different variables. But we know our students, by and large, live in proximity to the hall.”