U. re-opens following two-day shutdown

Students will trek back to class today through a slush of ice and limestone, following an unprecedented two-day closing of the University last week. And the weather-induced paralysis of classes is making key University officials scratch their heads and debate whether or not to extend the add-period for registration. Registrar Ronald Sanders said last night that he will meet with the deans of each undergraduate school today to discuss the issue. But he said he did not think the deans would decide in favor of extending the add period. "PARIS was open the entire time the University was closed," Sanders said. But the cancelled classes have created difficulties for many students who have not yet decided on their schedules or needed faculty permission to enroll in classes. "I missed the first two classes of one of my courses last week," said College junior Sarah Gardner. Gardner explained that "the professor didn't show up because it was snowing on Tuesday, and then the University was closed, so I didn't have a chance to see if I liked [my course] or not." Sanders said students "had the opportunity to go to their classes three or four times" before bad weather conditions invaded the University. Wharton School Vice Dean Janice Bellace said she was "in favor of extending the add period." The effects of the weather's icy rage on the University are visible outside of the classroom as well. Although Executive Director of Physical Plant James Wargo said crews were "out there all weekend" laying salt and limestone over the icy grounds, slippery patches were omnipresent as late as Sunday night. "We had anticipated that the ice would melt this weekend," Executive Vice President Janet Hale said last night. Hale said she was "unaware" that there was ice still left on campus. "We'll try to do the best we can to warn students to be careful on the ice," she said. Interim President Claire Fagin said she feels Physical Plant has fought the ice and slush residue more forcefully than the city. "The parts [of the University] I've been on are cleaner than the city," she said. "I think [Physical Plant] did all they can do." Last week's University closing may cause professors to truncate their syllabi, some said over the weekend. Professor of Sociology Jane Menken said that although she might ask her students to "go an extra session after the semester," she does not feel the University's closings will be a "major deterrent to an education." But Senior Lecturer in South Asian Languages and Linguistics Surendra Gambhir disagreed. Gambhir said he feels that students in his course this semester will be "behind" students of previous semesters.