Students experienced a roller coaster of emotions Sunday evening into Monday morning as TU gaslit students into thinking they would be attending classes on Monday.
Many would say we were emotional victims in the ever changing position the institution took on when classes would be delayed. Commuters who arrived early to take their 9 a.m. virtually in the library in order to attend their 10 a.m. in person were especially victimized when they realized classes had been canceled until noon, and in another text sent at 10 a.m., canceled completely.
Nursing major Alex Soeder never intended on risking his life to drive to Oxley early Monday morning. “I don’t care if they rip me a new one, I’m not going.”
While TU edged the student body, the university stood firm when it came to the Pat Case and ACAC staff.
In all of the TU operations updates, Pat Case, Starbucks and Subway were scheduled to open at their usual times at either 7 a.m. or 7:30 a.m. All other dining locations would be open by 11 a.m. Needless to say, staff were not happy.
All of the campus walkways froze into sheets of ice by 11:40 p.m. last night, which is what time I left The Collegian office. With consistent rain and snow into this morning, whoever did show up arrived by the grace of God.
Hungry students who did not wish to brave the cold and did not acquire provisions from the C Store prior to the campus freeze were thankful for the Starship robots, the one thing that TU did right.
Wrong.
TU opted to pause Starship robot services until the roads and walkways are completely melted and clear of snow and ice.
The TU Office of Robot Rights, Equity, Advocacy and Protection put out a statement this morning saying, “Due to the inclement weather, the Starship Robots will not be in service. The ice is dangerous for the Starship Robots to drive across and they could be injured. In lieu of ordering from the Starship app, use the Mobile Order app and TU’s food service staff will hand-deliver your orders to you.”
Students and staff have felt the impact of the ORREAP’s decision — mostly on their faces as they slip and fall on the ice in a courageous attempt to retrieve or deliver meals.
LaFortune Resident Assistant Peighton Johnson reported, “Starship cancelled my order so I have not had dinner 🙁 ” late Monday evening. Many students who do not wish to put the food service staff in peril simply suffer in silence.
We have yet to see the total fallout of this decision, but student predictions say half the food service staff quits by end of day.
