by The Cowl Editor on October 29, 2020
Opinion
Remote Friars Are Still a Part of the Friar Family
By Katie Belbusti ’22
Opinion Staff
This year’s midterm week is more stressful than previous years, and a contributing factor to that stress is COVID-19. With such a large number of Providence College students studying remotely this semester, it can be difficult to check in with students’ mental health during stressful times.
PC has done a lot during this Mental Health Awareness Month to create an open dialogue about mental health with the students on campus. On Oct. 19, a thousand pinwheels were placed on Slavin Lawn in remembrance of college-aged people who died by suicide. Events such as this help to eliminate the stigma around mental health, but how does this help PC students learning from home?
The College has been busy planning “The Great Friar Comeback” after the outbreak in September. Amidst the commotion, though, the College seems to have neglected checking in with students studying remotely. These are very difficult times for everyone, and especially during Mental Health Awareness Month, the administration needs to show its support to fellow Friars who are not on campus.
We must encourage the College to demonstrate the same levels of concern for remote students as they do for on-campus students. These are challenging times for everyone; therefore, students and administration must ensure that all students are given the same support.
PC Should Have Gone Paperless
By Madeline Morkin ’22
Opinion Staff
COVID-19 has fueled an unyielding number of questions regarding how to go about maintaining a regular education at Providence College. Post-quarantine, faculty and staff have had to consider these concerns that much more. Professors are social distancing, meeting students both through Zoom and in class, and spending countless hours attempting to avoid the virus while preserving beneficial instruction for their students.
While this may be true, one notable issue still stands strong amidst even the hardest of efforts: the continuous spread of physical paperwork to and from professors and their students.
In making the many necessary changes to campus and academic life at PC, the College should have considered going entirely paperless for the semester. By going paperless, professors could have become more adept at the online schooling and grading forced onto them by the pandemic.
In addition to increasing adaptability and fluidity in the new online, hybrid, and in-person classrooms, the avoidance of physical paper handouts or submissions could potentially lessen both the risk and exposure of COVID-19 for students and professors. While professors are struggling to adapt to grading online, the reality of a paperless PC may seem understandably undesirable. However, in trying times like these, any potential of decreasing exposure is worth a shot.
Remote Friars Are Still a Part of the Friar Family
By Erin Garvey ’22
Opinion Staff
Being on campus with friends, living in the dorms, and meeting new people in Raymond Dining Hall and Alumni Hall Food Court are highlights that every Providence College student looks forward to each academic year. However, this year, many of those highlights have been taken away or changed to ensure the safety of all students during the ongoing pandemic.
All students at PC have seen and experienced the struggle that followed the return of in-person classes this fall semester. Looking ahead: should students elect for a remote spring semester?
If students decide to learn remotely next semester, they will not be able to enjoy the privileges that come with living on campus. Ultimately, however, safety must be everyone’s top priority.
Not only do students need to think about their own safety, but they also must consider how their return to campus will impact the safety of professors, staff, and fellow students. When living on campus, there is a lot of opportunity to mingle and interact with fellow students, and this can have dangerous health implications during the pandemic.
Although it is a difficult choice, electing for remote instruction during the spring semester will enable students, faculty, and staff to have a safer experience, as it will allow for learning to occur with far less contact than it would on a college campus.