On Sept. 17, the Binghamton University administration announced its plans for the spring 2021 semester via B-Line. Most notably, the semester will begin nearly a month later than usual, on Feb. 15. As a result, the semester will end on May 28, which is nearly two weeks later than usual. The BU administration cited the fact that opening later could potentially help students avoid the peak of flu season while still having to deal with the coronavirus pandemic.
Regardless of whether or not the winter break allows BU students to avoid flu season successfully, there will still be students returning to the area from all over the country. They still may bring the coronavirus back with them. This begs the question, will there be a mandatory quarantine period for all students? The amount of testing that goes on during those first few weeks will have to be extensive in order to ensure student and faculty safety. The use of staggered move-in dates, similar to this semester, could also be used to help gradually reintroduce students back to campus, but as of now, there are no specific plans addressing that concern.
The semester ending late in May has the potential to conflict with the leases of many off-campus students. For those with leases ending mid-May, move-out day may conflict with exams or their daily lectures, leaving the semester incredibly disrupted. The later semester is also only going to add to the often large amounts of stress faced by students at the end of the semester. Even if a student’s lease were to end in June, that would only allow them three days from the ending of finals week to completely vacate their off-campus residence. There would be no simple way for students to leave for summer break by the time the semester ends. With landlords already rushing to ensure filled apartments, this could only further jeopardize chances to find housing for many. For those who’ve already cemented living plans due to expenses or to accommodate health risks, this announcement could change everything.
As of right now the graduation dates for the class of 2021 are set for May 15 to May 17, before the semester technically finishes. The University also plans to hold graduation ceremonies on May 8 and 9, about a week before. Graduate program ceremonies will take place at some point during the space of days in between. There are no details on whether or not students will be tested in order to attend, how many, if any, guests will be allowed and what the size limits on the ceremony will be. After all the efforts made to enforce social distancing on campus, it seems like planning the ceremonies so close together only creates unnecessary risk. Not to mention, with finals and semester grades on the horizon only after the fact, there will inevitably be some students who experience the joy of walking across the stage for their diploma, only to find out they are missing credits in order to officially graduate.
As for classes, we can only assume that a model similar to the current one will be implemented. Students and faculty will most likely have to plan for hybrid, in-person and remote classes, with a contingency plan that allows for a switch to all-online classes just in case there is an outbreak. Again, this wasn’t explicitly mentioned in the announcement.
The spring 2021 semester will also not have any breaks built into the schedule. There will be no spring break and no time off for any religious holidays in order to deter students from leaving Broome County and risking the spread of the virus. While, again, this plan makes sense in theory and is the current model for classes now, it isn’t a practice that helps students. The stress felt by students now is serious, with little more than a weekend to provide a respite. Those observing religious holidays now have to catch up to those who are still class that day, despite usually being able to practice without much worry. That, coupled with the isolation of social distancing and online classes, is a recipe for burning out and drowning in work. Instead of plowing through the semester at a breakneck pace, the administration could apply single days off or the occasional three-day weekend during the semester to allow for some rest while still discouraging travel.
There is also, of course, the question of how these decisions will affect international students. Should in-person classes be offered, anyone studying from home will need time to make the proper arrangements to return to the United States, provided they are able. This shift in the schedule will no doubt affect how they will be able to learn, as there was no indication the dates of the semester would be changing. International students are an important part of the BU community, and they must be allowed to continue studying remotely if need be. We simply cannot forget about them.
The reality is, no one can accurately predict what the world will look like in a few month’s time. We acknowledge that these are incredibly tough decisions to make and the members of the administration have been receptive to any criticism so far. Their actions have shown that they are wrestling with whatever options available to help the BU community. However, if this is to be the new normal, our semesters need to be more than a sprint to the finish line and returning to our homes. We must be able to adapt and ensure that students are able to not only survive, but thrive both academically and mentally. Those making these decisions must also remember that not every student has a strong support system or has regular financial assistance, and they must also be kept in mind. There must be more transparency with these important decisions and there must be more options and resources made available to those in need. We’re entering a new kind of college learning with no end in sight, and BU’s administration must remember that we’re all in this together.