DeKALB | Several area schools were closed Monday due to the wind-chill advisory issued by the National Weather Service, but NIU remained open.

“I was kind of surprised, what with all the warnings about frost bite that were going on,” said Monica Taylor, a senior sociology major. “I had an 8 a.m. class and a lot of people didn’t even show up.”

Steve Cunningham, associate vice president of administration of Human Resources, said several departments, such as Public Safety and the Physical Plant, consult with each other on whether or not there should be a delay or cancellation of classes or a university closure.

“We look at conditions. The key aspect is the status of the Huskie Bus Line, wind chill factors, weather conditions and we monitor other school closures,” he said.

In the case of low temperatures, there is no cutoff for deciding whether or not classes will be cancelled, he said. It is the combination of all the factors that determines class cancellation.

“Students and employees are first expected to make their own personal judgments about safety in terms of inclement weather,” he said. “There could be an illness or reliable transportation issues.”

In cases such as these, with extreme weather conditions, students are advised to contact the professor or college to come up with a solution for their individual situations.

The National Weather Service advises people to dress in layers, cover all skin and limit outdoor activity and exposure when dealing with cold weather.