Students weren't the only ones who had a hard time getting to and from campus last week due to the winter storm.
While some professors canceled classes last Tuesday morning or Wednesday afternoon due to the storm, others found alternative methods to teach their students.
Because of the conditions in her Indianapolis hometown, assistant professor of journalism Mary Spillman felt it would not be safe for her to commute all the way to Muncie.
"It's something we just have to expect a bit, that a few times a year are going to be trickier than others to get here," she said.
Instead, Spillman taught her classes via Skype on Tuesday.
When students walked into the room, the video was already projected on the front screen. Not only was Spillman able to give her lecture from home, but by using the screen share function on Skype, she was able to present her PowerPoint lecture to the class.
Special accommodations were made for other professors and faculty who were stuck on campus during the storm.
Alan Hargrave, director of Housing and Residence Life, said it's not uncommon for campus dining, housing and grounds staff to stay in the residence halls during bad weather.
Staff could stay in empty rooms in the residence halls and linens were also provided, Hargrave said. "The storm was coming and we knew we needed to keep the heat on and feed the students," he said.
The Ball State University Hotel in the L.A. Pittenger Student Center also provided accommodations for those unable to get home. They offered a 25 percent emergency weather discount.
"We were almost empty until the storm hit," Laticia Alexander, hotel and Campus Information Center desk supervisor, said.
Due to the number of people requesting rooms for the night, the 24-room hotel instilled a waiting list.
-Sarah Boswell contributed to this story
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