There are few things more glorious in college than the treasured, but oh so rare, snow day. No classes, extra time to sleep in and an opportunity to take a breather from rigorous class and extracurricular schedules.

The university announced Wednesday morning that the university would be closed because of the winter storm, thought to be the worst in recent history. However "Raynor Library, the Alumni Memorial Union and specifically designated, critical functions remain open."

We found it disconcerting that Student Health Service was closed because of the inclement weather. We understand that road conditions and visibility were less than sub-par, which would have made it difficult for non-student workers at Student Health Service to make it into work, but how is student health care not a critical function of the university?

The Department of Public Safety office was closed, but patrols were active. Facilities Services was out clearing snow from university walkways, the Rec Center and Rec Plex remained open and student employees even served up hot cocoa and delicious coffee in the Brew Bayou. If our workout facilities and coffee depot could remain open in this blizzard, it is unacceptable that an office providing services much more vital and important to students stayed closed.

Just last week, Marquette Student Government used its Senate meeting to hold a safety forum to discuss campus security and student safety. DPS Chief Larry Rickard told senators that student safety was always his main concern. The Tribune thanks DPS for its continuous presence on campus even in inclement weather, but questions why student safety does not include student heath care? Students are more prone to accidents and failing health conditions in the very weather that brings about such a snow day.

The Student Health Service mission statement reads, "The Marquette University Student Health Service is committed to quality care and preventive health education for the university community, and providing it in the most accessible, efficient, sensitive, confidential and affordable manner possible."

Accessible and efficient. Students should not have had to worry about getting to the hospital if they had health issues Wednesday. They should have been able to walk the short distance to the Schroeder Health Complex instead of worrying about getting a DPS or ambulance transport to the ER to take care of a cut or sore throat.

Student health directed students to contact the emergency line at DPS, but if DPS officers and Facilities Services workers could make the commute into work to protect the well-being of students, we would have liked to see the same level of commitment from our university health care workers.