How Coronavirus is Changing UNC
Social Distancing has not stopped Tar Heels from coming together at Carolina, perfectly exemplified by Professor Chad Heartwood’s Zoom classroom
When UNC closed for spring break on March 6, it was almost inconceivable that most students, faculty, and staff would not be returning to Chapel Hill for the rest of the semester and foreseeable future. I, personally, scoffed at those who suggested that there could be an extended spring break. But three weeks later, the university has ground to a halt: classes are offered only over Zoom or pre-recorded video, and quizzes and tests over Sakai, in order for the Carolina community to practice “social distancing” and help “flatten the curve” to slow the spread of COVID-19. What exactly does this new situation mean, in real terms, for UNC students?
According to the UNC System, there will be no more in-person class meetings. UNC has been able to transition 96 percent of its classes to some form of online learning, but some, such as certain hands-on labs, have been cancelled or absorbed into the rest of the class grade as the current grade the student holds in the lab. The front page of the university website, instead of having a picture of a diverse group of students sitting on the quad as usual, now has a photo of Professor Chad Heartwood’s Photojournalism Projects class, virtually touching elbows — the old coronavirus-era greeting before the stricter six-feet-away social distancing guidelines were set — across their Zoom screens, supposedly showing the success of online learning throughout all the muddle and confusion of this quick transition.
Worth mentioning as well is UNC Law Professor John Orth, who went viral on Twitter after pre-recording his lectures by teaching to a Pinocchio doll propped up in the front row, due to his nervousness of addressing an empty room. The student who posted a screenshot from the lecture announced, “I’m social distancing for this man and this man only,” in a tweet that now has over 1.2 million likes.
On a more substantive note, the university has also extended the option for Pass/Fail grading in all Spring 2020 courses, including those counting toward major, minor, or general education credit, which usually are not eligible to be taken as Pass/Fail. Students can elect to declare a class Pass/Fail by Aug. 7, meaning that they can receive final grades for the class before making their decision. This change reflects the fact that many students will have more difficulty with online learning. Many are saddled with the financial stress of this sudden change, a lack of reliable Internet access, health concerns and family obligations, and plain difficulty paying attention outside of the classroom.
Due to the distancing mandate, many Carolina students have been suddenly uprooted and left scrambling to find alternative arrangements. As the UNC System banned on-campus gatherings of 10 or more people, in accordance with Governor Roy Cooper’s Stay at Home ordinance, all students living on-campus have been evicted from dorms and are encouraged to remain off-campus. This includes RAs, who have suddenly lost their jobs and their housing all at once. All Spring 2020 study abroad programs were cancelled, calling students back home halfway through their programs, and Summer 2020 programs have also been cancelled. All spring commencement ceremonies in the UNC System have been postponed, and Chancellor Kevin M. Guskiewicz is taking feedback from Spring 2020 graduates as the university explores other options for holding commencement at a different time or in an alternate form.
The UNC System released a statement on March 30 through Interim President Bill Roper announcing that “the system plans to offer prorated refunds to students for housing and dining plans that have already been paid for. The amounts will vary across the system and even within a university, because different living arrangements have different costs.” UNC released a follow-up email shortly after the Board of Governors’ announcement reiterating this statement, and saying that the university “is still working through the details of how these refunds will be calculated and when payments will be made to you.”
The situation remains murky, and as the virus continues to rage in the United States, and the mandates for social distancing are extended further into the future, the UNC System and the university continue to release statements regarding issues that have yet to be addressed or finalized. It will be interesting to see how issues such as payment of RAs, tuition refunds, and commencement are addressed in the future, and if the research and organizational capabilities of UNC will be leveraged to help North Carolina and the world at this harrowing time.