Dear Editors,
I am very disappointed in the manner IU Southeast recently handled the natural disaster which hit our area.
I would like to be able to write that I am shocked that IU Southeast remained opened while the majority of its students were out of electricity, the roads to the school were blocked and Floyd county was under a State of Emergency, but after attending IU Southeast for many years, I have come to learn that the university has a great disregard for their students’ safety.
There have been a number of times in the past when our region has been under a state of emergency and IU Southeast has remained open, ignoring the danger in which they place their students and those in the community.
Classes should have been canceled on Monday, Sept. 15.
Our officials do not lightly issue a state of emergency, and I don’t understand why IU Southeast is so flippant about such a serious directive.
When school is not canceled and the decision is left up to the student, the student takes the risk of missing important class information, losing attendance points and losing participation points, just to name a few consequences.
These points might sound minor to some, but for the student who wants a great education and wants to earn a good grade, these small items can add up.
IU Southeast has professed that they “care” about their students and the community, but this is a situation in which actions speak louder than words.
If an institution doesn’t close when the majority of the students are out of power and are in dangerous traveling situations, it is showing it doesn’t care about the students.
When an institution doesn’t close when the county in which they are located is under a state of emergency, it is showing it doesn’t care about the community.
The message, plain and simple, is IU Southeast doesn’t care about its students or its community.
I am not looking forward to being a student at IU Southeast this winter.
If the past is any indicator, we can all expect the doors to remain open regardless of the weather conditions.
This has been the case during previous winters and during this most recent weather experience. What will it take for IU Southeast to care about its students and community?
-Jennifer E. Mayfield