It was only a matter of time before snow would pounded East Lansing. Students and staff should be happy the 12 to 13 inches of snow that came Wednesday night didn’t come sooner - we all knew warm temperatures couldn’t stick around for long.

Along with snow comes dangerous roads, covered cars, missing salt trucks and students hoping class will be canceled. Although MSU remained open Thursday, administrators advised faculty and students to use their best judgment when it came to holding or attending classes.

It’s wise to remember we live in Michigan and snow is something that comes with every winter season. Sure, we might enjoy getting a day off from class because of harsh weather conditions, but it’s not that easy.

There is more to closing down a university than just canceling classes. Who would be around to cook cafeteria meals or clean dirty bathrooms? We cannot have different standards for staff and students.

But, if school is to be in session and business is to proceed as usual, then walking and driving conditions should be up to par. Students and staff members should not be expected to trudge through piles of snow holding on to their dear lives while they maneuver through narrow paths.

There is no denying it’s hard to prepare for a snowstorm, but once the snow is here every effort should be made to clear the sidewalks and steps leading to university buildings as soon as possible.

The fact that on-campus Capital Area Transportation Authority routes were shut down for nearly two hours proves the severity of Wednesday’s snowstorm. Despite this shutdown and severe conditions, little was advertised on local radio and television stations. In the future, local news outlets should do a better job advertising class cancellations and road conditions at MSU.

And next time piles of snow land at MSU, students should remember they have a choice whether to attend class, and staff should be understanding to the needs of students.