USD students need more support

Students should be able to use Zoom when sick

Jessica Mills / Arts & Culture Editor / The USD Vista

I’ll be the first to admit, missing class stresses me out. I enjoy school and thrive in academic environments, so playing hooky for any reason has never appealed to me. But, for the first time since the pandemic started, I tested positive in the beginning of September for COVID-19 and was required to stay home. Instead of feeling concerned over my health, I was more stressed knowing I’d miss in-person lectures.

After completing USD’s Onward survey that notified the school and my professors of my positive result, I inquired about the possibility of attending my lectures via Zoom. Shockingly, I learned that USD now prohibits Zoom classes. Instead, I was recommended to obtain notes from peers, view lecture slides and attend office hours after testing negative.

In a statement forwarded from Associate Director of Media Relations Elena Gomez, Vice Provost, Dr. Roger Pace clarified that professors should assist students in other ways than Zoom.  

“Professors should not Zoom classes. Instead, they are encouraged to accommodate students in traditional ways such as providing notes, PowerPoints or makeup sessions,” Pace said.

Like many others, I was verbally told in all of my classes that students feeling sick, regardless of a negative COVID-19 test, should stay home – which is advice I completely agree with. WebMD states that adults average two to four colds a year, each lasting between three and seven days. With the possibility of missing up to 28 days of school a year, USD should prioritize the resources that professors would require to hold Zoom classes.

While access to lecture slides and classmates’ notes are helpful, many of my professors utilize in-class discussions and group work – which are rarely included on a written document from professors or students.

GradeHub, a digital grading platform, explains that implementing classroom discussions increase student engagement, provide feedback, develop students’ speaking skills and encourage class preparation. Rather than just receiving information, discussions help students process and apply what they’ve been taught.

Likewise, the platform Zoom argues that “students are more motivated to learn and work on their studies when they can see the actual connection between what they are learning and the real world.”

Attending office hours is helpful for clarifying missing information, but it does not replace classroom connection, interaction and conversation that a sick student might otherwise miss out on. Like students, professors also have busy schedules. Spending extra time in office hours,  corresponding to emails and assisting students on missed work is an added stressor for both parties. Zoom classes save the hassle of playing catch up.

Luckily, my professors were all very supportive throughout my absence and return to school, but I would have felt more connected with my peers, lectures and classroom discourse if Zoom classes had been permitted.

I understand the risk that some students may abuse this privilege, but — in prioritizing the mental and physical health of our USD community — it  is a necessary and simple fix to allow online participation in specific circumstances. Classrooms already feature computers, so it would be as simple as logging into Zoom and allowing the sick student(s) to watch the class through their screen at home.

The bigger risk is students turning up to class sick just to avoid the stress of missing class. Using Zoom would ensure that no student feels obligated to attend class if they are sick, keeping them and their classmates and professors safe.

Director of the Student Health Center Kimberly Woodruff encourages students experiencing COVID-19 – like symptoms to test.

“Free rapid antigen tests are available at the Torero store and Residential Life staff have tests for residential students. Additionally, tests can be found at most pharmacies for minimal cost. If a student tests positive they should report their positive test by filling out the [Onward survey.] They will then receive instructions from Contact Tracing about isolation, information about how to inform close contacts and letters to provide professors about their absence while isolating. Additional questions, concerns or need for additional support can be emailed to Covidsupport@sandiego.edu.”

 More information on isolation, positive and negative testing protocols can be found on the Onward website. Testing positive for any illness is stressful enough, and school should not make the experience any worse.

As we all learned during the throes of the COVID-19 pandemic, alternative class arrangements online are a strong option, and as long as they are not interfering with regular class functioning, it is not difficult to set up or to utilize. USD should take advantage of this to  help support all students.