After seeing the wind chill warning issued by the National Weather Service (NWS), North Central College decided to close campus today at 6 p.m. and all day and night on Wednesday. Although other schools and universities have already announced late starts for Thursday, Jan. 31, NCC will inform students sometime tomorrow regarding their decision.
The College’s alert email advises students to stay indoors as often as possible but to cover up and dress in layers when outside travel is necessary. Typically, the College tries to decide on canceling classes by 6 a.m. for daytime classes and 3 p.m. for evening classes, according to Vice President for Student Affairs and Strategic Initiatives Kimberly Sluis.
“These decisions are made by a small team of campus staff who conduct regular conversations regarding all severe weather situations,” Sluis said. “It is our goal to remain open when it is safe to do so.”
Many students suspected that NCC didn’t decide to close as early as many other schools is because of the trimester system compared to the typical semester system other colleges follow. Days lost in a trimester cannot be easily made up.
However, according to Sluis, “On either a trimester or semester system the desire to remain open when safe to do so is the same. Given the College’s core academic mission, keeping classes in session whenever possible is the goal.”
News editor Jack Plewa, ’21, bundles up for a trip across campus. Photo by Emily Trumann.
According to the city of Naperville, the expected weather conditions are extremely dangerous, with wind chills that can “freeze exposed skin in as little as five minutes.”
The NWS stated that people with suspected frostbite should “immediately move inside to a heated location and begin warming the affected areas using warm water and body heat.”
According to the CBS Chicago, Gov. Pritzker has issued a disaster proclamation as a response to help provide resources for the extreme temperatures.
“Regardless of whether the College decides to remain open for any particular weather event, we strongly encourage people to make decisions in the best interest of their own safety,” Sluis said.
