The bitter weather, the declared disaster emergency and a shortage of power brought many educational and governmental operations to a screeching halt yesterday --but the University only slipped back two hours.

Although Gov. Robert P. Casey urged schools and many businesses to remain shut to save power, University President Joab Thomas said he saw no need for the University to close.

The first two periods of classes yesterday were canceled to help conserve power, but everything was in full swing by 10 a.m. West Penn Power Co., the local power supplier, asked the University to delay opening to help them get through peak hours between 7 and 10 a.m. The problems the company encountered were remedied in the morning.

"There's no problem so long as we have the utilities operated," Thomas said.

The University's complexity --research projects that need to be completed, a computer system connected worldwide, along with the possibility of lost class time and money -- made officials reluctant to close.

The University has a daily payroll of about $1.8 million, including the faculty and staff, medical officials, coaches, security officers and the employees of any Commonwealth Campus or the University's Hershey Medical Center.

Thomas could not say how much money the University had lost by closing early Wednesday and opening late yesterday.

"What is lost, really, is the students lose the instruction," he said.

James Wagner, vice president of business and operations, did not have an amount either. No salaries are deducted when the University closes early, but people who do extra work are compensated, he said.

Wednesday's afternoon classes were canceled only after the governor's declaration of a state "disaster emergency" and the statewide plea to conserve power. The declaration still stood yesterday and will last until midnight tonight, but the power situation at the University is better.

"All of the problems now are toward the east, not under West Penn Power," Thomas said.

Frigid weather that swept into Pennsylvania from northern Canada and Siberia had also alleviated, making it safer for students to walk to class. More students were outside yesterday than Wednesday, still warmly dressed, but with fewer layers and hats.

Michael Ruck (senior-industrial engineering) said his classrooms had been warm enough.

"If anything, it's too hot," Ruck said about the classrooms.

"I just don't see any problem with the cold, if everybody can get to work safely," Ruck said, adding that he thought the decision to open yesterday was a good one. "There doesn't seem to be any problems with the power."

Andrea Ambrosini (sophomore-chemistry) said she knew a lot of the dorms were cold, but did not see a problem with holding classes yesterday.

"I think they were more wrong in not closing (Wednesday)," she said.