On Jan. 27, Undergraduate Student Government (USG) passed a bill formally requesting the university to implement a more holistic cold weather policy.

The bill said the university is not taking into account student health when they neglect to cancel classes in extreme temperatures. The signers claim cancelling classes will protect students from walking around campus and commuters from being on the road in extreme and potentially dangerous weather conditions.

The bill also addresses the weather’s effect on international students and out-of-state students; they might not be aware of safe cold weather practices if they come from warmer climates, so not cancelling classes puts those students at risk. Other students do not have access to appropriate extreme cold weather clothes.

For these reasons, USG asked the university to create a calendar with room for multiple snow days and to provide more resources on how to safely live in extreme temperatures and physical materials such as hats, scarves and coats. They also requested the university alert students of a weather closure at least three hours before the cancelled class, ask professors to communicate promptly individual cancellation policies and ask that they put out a policy on extracurriculars and student employment when classes are cancelled.

This bill was unanimously passed by USG and was sent to the university as a formal request to implement the policies outlined in the bill.