This weekend, students who returned to University Park a few days early were left out in the cold when they tried to get back into their dorm rooms.

Because the dorms were closed until 10 a.m. Sunday, dorm dwellers were forced to either travel on Sunday, shell out money for a hotel room or camp out at a friend's apartment for a night or two.

For students who have a long way to travel, this restriction is extremely inconvenient. It can be difficult to undertake an extended car ride or flight and attend class the following morning. If the dorms were open earlier in the week, students could have time to travel and rest before jumping back into the semester.

Also, the weather in central Pennsylvania is typically miserable around this time of year. In fact, high winds on Sunday prompted a number of flight cancellations and made driving here more challenging. With the dorms closed, students are limited in their travel options. If the weather is bad on the last Sunday of break, students who live in dorms do not have the option of traveling earlier in the week to avoid inclement weather.

We ask that the Office of Housing and Food Service consider opening the dorms on the last Friday or Saturday of spring break to avoid these problems.

It is understandable that keeping dorms open costs money and that it is fiscally wise to shut them down during spring break. Opening the dorms at least a day earlier, however, will help students immensely.

Dorm residents benefit from being able to access their rooms two days before the spring semester begins in January. Similarly, students will be able to travel safely and begin class well-rested if dorms are accessible earlier than the last Sunday of break.

It would be helpful if the housing office considered doing that next year.