By Brian L Brink

Photo By Thiel Newsroom

On Wednesday, Jan. 30 and Thursday, Jan. 31 Thiel administration officially cancelled all classes due to weather and for the first time in over 40 years.

When the temperatures were expected to be 30 degrees zero on those days, one student took it upon herself to start a petition to have classes cancelled. Hannah Uschock, a freshman political science and philosophy major, was talking to her friends on the lacrosse team when she decided to start the petition.

“We were all complaining, and I decided to do something about it,” she said.

According to Uschock, she never expected the out come that came from the petition. She was hoping to get about 100 signatures. She ended up with 650 signatures to show the administration.

Uschock spread the word of the petition through various social media, including Snapchat, Facebook and Twitter. Within an hour of posting it she already had over 400 signatures.

“People I have never met were sharing my petition helping to gain signatures,” she said about how the word spread so fast.

She didn’t talk to administration before starting the petition. According to her, actions speak louder than words.

Thiel’s actions spoke by sending out an email to all students, faculty and staff on Tuesday Jan. 29, saying that all classes were cancelled, and offices were closed. The fitness center, gym and dome were closed as well, and students were advised to stay indoors.

The campus was only partially shutdown during both days. Campus dining facilities remained open, and their Facilities, Public Safety, and Residence Life Staff also remained available.

On Wednesday, they sent out another email stating that campus would remain partially shutdown for Thursday. The same email also said that classes would resume Friday, Feb. 1.

They, like Uschock, used social media, such as Facebook, to get the word about the closing out and posted it to the top of their website.

“Safety of students and employees should always be the main priority,” Uschock said when explaining why she still believes that cancellation of classes should be reviewed on a case by case basis.