Some faculty at UW don’t agree with in person classes resuming until there is a vaccine while others are simply worried about whether the students will follow guidelines to help prevent the spread.
“That would be a ridiculous approach,” stated Robert Sprague, professor of Legal Studies in Business. “Why would a student move to Laramie for 8 weeks and then return home for the remaining 8 weeks? Alternatively, why would a student come to Laramie at all for online classes?”
The UW trustees shared the fall 2020 and spring 2021 plan consisting of partially online and partially in person classes. Faculty are being told to have the option of both providing their class online and in person so students may have the choice and, of course, if there is an outbreak of COVID-19 and students are unable to attend classes on campus. However, many faculty members claim this to be double the usual work they have for the school year. In a sense, they have to prepare one class in two different ways making the workload that of two classes.
“I am working hard to transform all my classes to the best online delivery method that I can develop,” stated Sprague. “Designing and delivering an in-class course is significantly different than doing so online. They are really two different courses.”
Psychology Professor Narina Nunez has been teaching one of her classes the same, in person, for the past thirty years. She states that if she has to go online at some point sooner than expected due to a COVID-19 outbreak on campus, it will “chew up” a lot of her time to fulfill that necessity. However, Nunez sees how everyone is stepping up to accommodate these changes and adapting since there is no other choice being given.
David Jones, an Art Instructional Technician in the Art and Art History Department, along with the Art Department Head Ricki Klages, have met with University officials to go over social distancing and special accommodations for the art classrooms and studios in order to help prepare their colleagues for the reopening of the University.
“I have noticed that once my colleagues have been able to visualize what their teaching spaces are going to look like for the Fall, they seem to be more at ease with the task at hand for the Fall re-opening of campus,” stated Jones.
Some faculty members though share a different response than Sprague and others when it comes to the compilation of both online and in person classes. Donal O’Toole, a professor for the Veterinary Sciences for the past thirty years, believes it is worth a try to be back on campus as many students were hoping for. However, O’Toole’s concern is whether or not students will follow through with the social distancing, mask wearing, and self-temperature checking every day.
“Consequences, if any, need to be spelled out,” stated O’Toole. “It is assumed everyone follows the rules. But we are in Wyoming, this is a campus, and some of us are disobliging because we were raised by wolves. What consequences await when individuals on campus don’t follow the COVID-19 rules? Who enforces them? Faculty? Staff? UWPD? The anti-COVID fairy? Clarity and frankness, please.”
Jones also shares this concern with O’Toole that there are no stated enforcements for students to follow through in wearing masks and social distancing. Furthermore, Nunez explains that college students are at the time in their lives when risks are more likely to be taken due to the feeling of invincibility.
“For every ten students making the sacrifice, there will be 1-3 who won’t,” stated Nunez. “And on a campus with 13,000 students, that could be 3,900 people creating a mess in Laramie. That’s my worst fear.”
The University plan strongly relies on everyone doing their part on being safe and healthy. This is the only way for in person classes to resume. Furthermore, the Fall is basically a trial run for the Spring semester for the University to see how students will adhere to guidelines. If students do not wear masks, social distance or use the health regulating app daily, and there is a COVID-19 outbreak, then what’s to say that the University takes everything online for the Spring as well.
The hardest time to follow these guidelines will most likely be the Spring semester, though, due to the lack of breaks provided. Spring break has been taken away, so students have no opportunity to leave campus and return with COVID-19, which makes sense. However, this will only make it harder for students and faculty to finish the year strong.
“Spring break is important, as it gives everyone, including faculty, a chance to rest, recharge, and catch up,” stated Sprague.
All faculty members a part of this article share the same advice for students and fellow faculty members. That is to prepare for lots of work and the possibility of a not so fulfilling educational year. Furthermore, all plead that everyone abide to the mandates of social distancing and mask wearing in order to limit the number of cases on campus so we can all stay on campus.
