Commutes became an issue for Marshall University students during winter storm Octavia.

Marshall decided to cancel classes just after 9 a.m. Monday as snow showers intensified.

For some students, like freshman Cayley Yonkosky, the cancelation came as late notice.

Yonkosky, nursing major, commutes from Winfield, West Virginia, almost an hour away.

“I left for school at 7 a.m. because I have a class at 9 [a.m.], and knew the roads would be bad,” Yonkosky said. “I ended up almost wrecking into some people, so I turned around because it was just too dangerous to be out.”

Nearby student residents are concerned for their safety along with those who travel to campus.

Ethan Bartlett, senior music education and anthropology major, said he does not believe enough action is being taken in making cancelation decisions.

“In my four years here, this makes my second snow day,” Bartlett said. “Where I come from, the superintendent of schools drives some of the roads and decides that way. I honestly don’t think the powers that be thought hard enough on this. Students, faculty and staff were in danger, and it was the university’s fault.”

Bartlett said he would like to see the university collaborate with the Cabell County Board of Education to make these decisions ahead of time.

“To me, this is inexcusable negligence on the university’s behalf,” Bartlett said.

Marshall does have an alternative for commuters in case they feel it is unsafe to travel to and from campus.

Housing and Residence Life offers bad weather rooms, free of charge for commuters on a first serve basis.

Tracey Eggleston, assistant director of housing and residence life, was hard at work Monday arranging rooms for commuting students, staff members and food service employees.

These rooms are usually bare, so linens are provided. Showers are available and televisions are located in the lobby of the building. Meals are not provided, but the cafeterias will remain on their normal schedules.

These rooms are also available in case a commuter lives in an area away from campus that goes untreated while the university remains open.

“We’ll work with them, so even though the weather’s not bad necessarily in Huntington or on the Marshall campus, it doesn’t mean we won’t try to offer them housing for a day or two,” Eggleston said.

Students in need of bad weather rooms can contact Eggleston or HRL.

Tyler Ferris can be contacted at [email protected].