Read on Twitter
An amazing thread on the situation in higher ed. If I may dig a little deeper, this did remind me of yet another problem with reopening...
When the early-semester college parties inevitably happen, who will be the ones breaking up those parties?
Militarized campus police. (1/x) https://twitter.com/rkelchen/status/1278313049485688834
When the early-semester college parties inevitably happen, who will be the ones breaking up those parties?
Militarized campus police. (1/x) https://twitter.com/rkelchen/status/1278313049485688834
I can see it now: our Black and Latinx students will be over-policed for having casual get-togethers in their dorms while all-white frats will get away with ragers in their frat houses just off-campus.
It wouldn't be out of line with the recent racist events in CT. (2/x)
It wouldn't be out of line with the recent racist events in CT. (2/x)
Even ignoring the fact that a single outbreak would mean March 2020 happening all over again (except with human lives on the line this time!!), there are so many problems with reopening that just can't be accounted for, no matter how hard the administration works. (3/x)
To me, the campus experience isn't just about taking classes.
It's about the experiences you're exposed to when you're surrounded by like-minded learners.
It's about the opportunities you get when you pass a flyer in the hallway or catch a professor on your walk to class. (4/x)
It's about the experiences you're exposed to when you're surrounded by like-minded learners.
It's about the opportunities you get when you pass a flyer in the hallway or catch a professor on your walk to class. (4/x)
It's about being together in a shared workspace to work on (or vent about) a difficult homework problem.
It's about being able to walk into a cultural center & be with people like you whenever you need a safe space, rather than waiting for that center's weekly "Zoom hang". (5/x)
It's about being able to walk into a cultural center & be with people like you whenever you need a safe space, rather than waiting for that center's weekly "Zoom hang". (5/x)
The experience of being at an academic institution (the experience that students are paying for) wouldn't even be the same within classes.
Int'l students, those w/ high COVID risk, or others who opt out of in-person learning would be given a virtual alternative to classes. (6/x)
Int'l students, those w/ high COVID risk, or others who opt out of in-person learning would be given a virtual alternative to classes. (6/x)
This sounds fine on paper until you think about it for 5 minutes.
How would you feel if you had to be WebEx'd in (or worse, were given fully async assignments) while your classmates met in-person? How is that equitable?
I guarantee that you would under-perform your peers. (7/x)
How would you feel if you had to be WebEx'd in (or worse, were given fully async assignments) while your classmates met in-person? How is that equitable?
I guarantee that you would under-perform your peers. (7/x)
To be clear, I 100% appreciate the hard work that faculty/staff are putting in to try to make Fall run as smoothly as possible. I'm preparing a course myself, and let me tell you, it is REAL stressful.
Any educator working right now deserves one hell of a raise. (8/x)
Any educator working right now deserves one hell of a raise. (8/x)
However, universities CANNOT claim that online/hyflex learning will be the same FOR STUDENTS.
THAT is why keeping the cost of Fall tuition the same as previous semesters feels wrong to me.
THAT is why I'm skeptical of any attitude that things will be equitable this Fall. (9/x)
THAT is why keeping the cost of Fall tuition the same as previous semesters feels wrong to me.
THAT is why I'm skeptical of any attitude that things will be equitable this Fall. (9/x)
When they say that the university is a business, I feel like we should ask, "so who are the customers?"
Is it us students? Because very often, it doesn't feel like we're the ones being listened to.
It's also worth asking, why is education a "business" and not a right?? (10/x)
Is it us students? Because very often, it doesn't feel like we're the ones being listened to.
It's also worth asking, why is education a "business" and not a right?? (10/x)
TL;DR- Colleges are making decisions on how the Fall semester will run without considering the student perspective, much less the perspectives of BIPOC, queer, and disabled students who already know how reopening is going to go down.
Rob's right, this month is gonna SUCK. (11/x)
Rob's right, this month is gonna SUCK. (11/x)
Here's what we need to call on #UConn to do:
#DefundUCPD
#FollowBlackLeadership
#InvestInMentalHealth
#InvestInCulturalCenters
#InvestInStudents
...and if we could cut some BoT salaries to do so that would be swell. (12/x)
#DefundUCPD
#FollowBlackLeadership
#InvestInMentalHealth
#InvestInCulturalCenters
#InvestInStudents
...and if we could cut some BoT salaries to do so that would be swell. (12/x)
Rant over...for now! Take care of yourselves, friends 
I've tweeted this petition plenty of times but only because it's so very important: https://www.uconndivestment.com/sign
I've tweeted this petition plenty of times but only because it's so very important: https://www.uconndivestment.com/sign
