Fifteen Colorado counties currently qualify for federal emergency assistance, including Bloomfield, Morgan, Logan, and Adams. Boulder County was even declared a major disaster area by President Obama, so why is Colorado University of Boulder not canceling classes? That's the question some students are asking today.

One anonymous student from CU has started a petition to keep school closed so that students can recover and clean up from the floods. There are hundreds of people still missing or unaccounted for in the Northern Colorado area and rivers continue to be above flood stage, but that doesn't seem to be enough to close school.

Classes were canceled at CU on Thursday and Friday due to flooding, and the football game on Saturday was canceled as well. Here is a look at the petition:

It is unsafe to require tens of thousands of students, faculty, and staff to commute to CU when it is in the middle of a national disaster area. Additionally, there are more rain and flood warnings in the 24 hour forecast which could add to the disaster problem... For the previous three days we have heard request after request from Boulder police and emergency responders to stay in our homes, and to leave roads available for emergency operations. Boulder is still under water, and so are many front range communities. It is absolutely absurd that CU has decided to open tomorrow.

Currently the petition has over 3,700 signatures, some from as far as Illinois, Alabama, Massachusetts, and California. Meanwhile CU is saying that it will make accommodations for students impacted by floods. The announcement on their website says:

Chancellor Philip P. DiStefano has announced that the University of Colorado Boulder campus will reopen Monday, Sept. 16, for classes and business operations. Although a significant number of campus buildings experienced some damage from flooding, all classrooms and business services will be operational. It is possible that some courses will be canceled or rescheduled due to instructor availability.

While it appears the worst of the weather has passed, intermittent afternoon thunderstorms are in the forecast for the next few days. Due to high creek levels and saturated soils, any rainfall could quickly create flash flood conditions again. It is essential that the campus community stay on alert and continue to avoid all creeks and flooded areas, campus officials said.

The provost’s office has asked faculty members to be flexible in working with students immediately impacted by the flood. Students who have been displaced or otherwise affected by the flooding should notify their professors and instructors to discuss accommodations. Supervisors of campus employees also are being asked to understand the serious impact the flooding has had on some employees and to be flexible as appropriate.

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