Questions on In-Person Classes answered?
April, 14, Governor Steve Sisolak announced that he plans to open the state on June 1. The majority of students had questions about going back to school. Most students didn’t believe that we would be going back so soon. A question some University of Nevada, Reno students wanted clarity on is how in-person classes will be structured for Fall 2021. They want to know how safety measures would be handled and if it’s truly safe or sanitary to go back. Do students want to go back to social interactions if COVID is still out there?
Interviewing Jill Heaton who works in the Provost office as the chief academic officer to the institution vice provost for faculty affairs. She is involved in planning for the fall semester. Heaton kindly informed me of all the safety measures the school has to offer for Fall, 2021.
Wondering how the school came up with the confidence to assure the student’s in-person classes would be structured, the first question I asked was how the school came up with the idea to open up. She smiled and explained that they turned to the Nevada system of higher education, then to the county, then the state to follow up on what’s happening in the local community and state of Washoe county. Up until now and May, 1, The university follows what the state says in how they manage in response to the pandemic. They anticipate having more in-person experience in the fall. If something were to happen things can change. They are not passively waiting for the county and expanding spaces.
Daniel Abando and Sophie Geyrosaga explained their concerns of COVID-19 and how the school handles the transition during the pandemic. Abando, a journalism student didn’t express any concerns besides joy. He did wonder about the measures the school was taking to keep students safe. As most students may already know their hand sanitizing stations available around school, They deep cleanse the school nightly and have enforced pack paws to keep students safe. They have structured a system of multiple backup plans depending on if the governor changes social distance guidelines. They have a six-foot distance, a four-foot distance and a three-foot distance plan, and a 50% capacity for social instruction. There were questions that I didn’t think of such as how students will hear in such big spaces. Jill Heaton had all the answers. Her solution is to set up a room with multiple microphone stations. She stressed that students should engage with teachers and go to virtual office hours. This will help students bond with professors. It’s also the time for professors to answer any missed questions you might want to ask. Even with shy students who don’t like to speak up, they have figured out a way slowly to figure out these problems.
Geyrosaga, majoring in criminal justice and minoring videography/time-based media, had a different take, voicing her experience about living in Reno next semester, and wondering how having in-person classes will affect her living situation. The plans the school made to reopen suddenly has made inconveniences for students like Geyrosaga who are out of the county. Heaton clarified that online classes are optional to an extent. The reason this is a concern is that most students don’t know online classes are optional. Depending on if you have a lab it is mandatory. Always check MyNevada for how the class is set up so you can see the selected style of teaching.
Geyrosaga also expressed that the health and safety of people who have health underlying conditions and can’t physically come in contact with COVID is her main concern. With a lack of control over the campus, Geyrosaga continued, during the interview, to make valid points: “Just being more susceptible to COVID with underlying medical issues; if someone with severe asthma and schools were to open up, you wouldn’t know how much that would affect the person.” She mentioned that the school doesn’t have full control over the virus, fearing that the school may put those students in danger of COVID. I then asked how she felt the schools were handling their control during the pandemic. She answered, “I think the school is doing the best to their ability, and with what they can do in that situation to slowly open up.” She wished that certain classes weren’t mandatory to take in-person since covid is still around. Sophie followed with “even though there is a vaccine, but the vaccine lessens the severity of COVID spreading, and so it depends on person to person how severe COVID can get.” She doesn’t want to let COVID stop her life, but she does understand the importance of minimizing the spread, and the negative effects it has on people who can get COVID easily. She worries that there isn’t much of an option for them.
Students concerns and how staff have been handling COVID have been something to talk about. Hopefully things get better and we can figure out a solution that works for everyone. As of now we will just have to hope that everyone isn’t affected like Geyrosaga. We have to be accountable for our actions for a careful reopening.
Hyper link: https://gov.nv.gov/ (Info on updates of the governor.)
Hyperlink: https://www.unr.edu/coronavirus (University updates.)
Contact information:
Jill Heaton jheaton@unr.edu
Sophie Geyrosaga sophialaurise@gmail.com
Daniel Abando dpellegrino@unr.edu