As the University of Pittsburgh, Carlow University and Chatham University students all reported to virtual classes on Tuesday, Jan. 27, Duquesne students were slipping, sliding and skidding onto campus.

The decision to reopen campus only a day after the largest single-day snowstorm since 2010 was irresponsible and rash on the part of the university administration.

However, absolutely none of this is to say that Facilities Management, the Grounds Crew and all other parties involved in taking care of campus have done anything short of excellent. The work they were able to complete in such a short time was crucial to the safety of students and faculty and is the sole reason that campus reopened. The Duke thanks them for their hard work and thorough preparation.

But just because campus was cleared doesn’t mean the areas around it were.

The day students had to go back to school on Jan. 27 was only a day after Mayor Corey O’Connor declared a state of emergency in Pittsburgh due to 37 of the 95 plows breaking down. This meant that dozens of secondary roads and side streets were left untreated with nearly a foot of snow covering them, creating potentially hazardous conditions for students.

In addition to this, when plows did come, they created mounds of snow that students whose cars were parked around the city on the street had to dig themselves out of. Those who used public transit faced delays and harsh conditions like extreme cold and snow covered sidewalks.

This once again created a possibly dangerous situation for students.

To their credit, the university did say students had options if they had issues getting to school in an email announcement sent on Monday, Jan. 26.

“Faculty and staff are aware that special circumstances may exist in certain instances that warrant flexibility to deal with those circumstances,” the announcement said.

However, the terms of this are vague and non-specific. Did “flexibility” mean students could come in late, but still had to make it to class? Would there be a virtual option? What if students had their power knocked out by the storm?

This statement was expanded upon in a subsequent email on the evening of Jan. 27 announcing in-person classes would remain until the end of the week, but at that point the situation was no longer as bad.

It felt like it was too little, too late.

Again, the university did say students could contact faculty to make alternative arrangements for class. However, using the terms “special circumstances” and “certain instances” felt like understatements for how many students actually had issues.

On top of this, why take the risk at all?

Multiple other universities had an extra day of online classes and it worked out for them just fine. There’s no reason Duquesne should have been any different.