Written by an anonymous student
Feature photo by McKendree University
Disclaimer: This anonymous student loves McKendree and its faculty and staff, but students deserve to have a voice during this pandemic.
McKendree University has become a hot spot. Not just with Covid-19 cases, but also with stress. For most students, classes started in person on August 17. While talking to other students, they expressed how fearful and uncertain they all were. Part of this fearfulness is due to the students having to sanitize their own desks before and after they use them. In all honesty, only a small number of students actually do this. So, this plan is not doing shit. Also, on most days the trash cans around the dorms and Ames are overflowing with garbage, attracting bugs and other wildlife. Obviously, this does not help the cleanliness of the university. As of September 8, McKendree University has had a total of 72 positive Covid-19 cases since July. That may not seem like that big of a deal, however, McKendree is a VERY small campus and the cases in St. Clair county are skyrocketing.
An anonymous source has told me that Lebanon Police Chief David Roth asked McKendree administrators if they were planning on closing campus down soon due to the spike in cases.
Their answer: Not any time soon.
You would think that with all of this stress professors would be more lenient, but some students have not been that lucky. According to another source that would like to remain anonymous, a professor rudely denied their request to join the class over the video chatting service, Zoom. This student respectfully expressed their concerns over the Covid-19 cases in which the professor replied that if they would not come to class in person, they would not be allowed to take the tests. Thus, they would fail the course. Last time I checked, we were in the middle of a pandemic. Most of the positive cases on campus are from student athletes, which make up over half of our student body.
This article is not about shaming or trying to make student athletes look like the bad guys, but with most teams now practicing for their season, I would not be surprised if cases started rising. Students deserve the right to feel safe on campus and enjoy their academic experiences here. It is just very sad and frustrating how the administration is handling these matters. Most students feel like they do not matter anymore and the only reason we are doing in person classes is because McKendree is basically broke. Hell, the only people that have been showing compassion to us is a handful of teachers who actually understand and care about us and our frustration. As students, we know that this is hard for our professors too, and we appreciate the hard work that they do.
But, come on, how many people have to get Covid-19 until administrators realize that this was all a bad idea?
Is this the sequel to “McKendree does not care about you?”
I agree that McKendree isn’t doing enough. I don’t feel safe there, especially because a high number of people—students and professors alike—just do not care. In one of my classes, my professor hardly ever has their mask covering their nose. They even said they’d let students take off their masks and eat in class. Hardly anyone is following proper protocol, which was honestly what I expected. I have been in quarantine, and another of my professors hasn’t been in contact with me even though I’ve attempted to contact them. I feel like I’m going to fail that course since I haven’t been there in two weeks and hardly know what’s going on. In my opinion, all classes need to be moved online. McKendree isn’t safe and professors with in-person classes are not always accommodating to students who cannot come to class.
This article showed up on my Facebook page. It seems like a sequel to “McKendree does not care about you.” I saw the mentioned article prior to touring McKendree at the end of my junior year. On my tour, I was supposed to meet with the head of the department I was interested in majoring in. I waited for 30 minutes, they never showed up, and I was told I’d get an email for a re-schedule within a week. That was a year and a half ago. No email. I took McKendree off my list after that.
I genuinely feel bad for people going to this school. It just seems like in so many areas the school lacks care for their student body, which is quite embarrassing considering it’s such a small school and that shouldn’t be hard. We are in a pandemic and the actions mentioned in this article are shameful.
It is important to note that the faculty being discussed in this article and in the comments are not the norm. Many faculty are bringing their own computers to class in order to live Zoom with students in quarantine. Many are teaching face-to face while also filming videos and providing instruction online. Many faculty are essentially doing double their workload to meet the needs of all students.
Additionally, there are some faculty who are providing personal support to their students by delivering snacks, Gatorade, and other necessities to students in quarantine.
Let’s not throw all McK faculty under the proverbial bus.
Disclaimer: Reading this reply may be triggering for some. If you require a safe space when you read topics that cause you discomfort, find one before you begin.
It sounds like this person needs a safe space, maybe they should drop out and stay home with mommy and daddy.
Can people start taking some responsibility for themselves? You don’t like a company? Don’t buy their products. You don’t like a school? Transfer. Don’t feel safe in a restaurant? Leave.
What kind of person feels so unsafe they keep going to that place and complains about it online? Low level human with no personal responsibility. Level up, people. It’s called adulting.
I disagree. The person who wrote this article obviously cares enough about the school to point out its flaws. During this pandemic, McK can do a lot better to keep its students safe. I feel they should be held accountable for their actions, and it is valid for a student to express their concern on the matter.
Jeez. Yet another example of a school that clearly does not care about it’s students or even it’s employers. At what point do they choose to go fully virtual? I understand the business side of it, but regardless, they need to care for their students, faculty, and staff. Why choose to play with fire when they could be honest, transparent, and oh I don’t know, stand up for the health and safety of it’s people? Then again, I am not shocked at their lack of care or concern. Yet another prime example of a school who needs to lose their accreditations.
The entitlement in this comment is completely overwhelming. Bold of you to assume they have a choice. Perhaps its a financial issue, or they could even have family members that would be deeply affected. ‘Safe space’ just because a person doesn’t get sick, doesn’t mean they can’t pass it along to a family member who does have underlying health issues.
Yes, it is a concern. If you actually read the article it even states that the cases in the county are sky rocketing.
It is inevitable that many students and staff at McKendree are going to get the virus, but as long as everyone who tests positive follows quarantine protocol it will actually make campus a safer place since there will be a higher level of immunity. However, if there are students who do not feel safe here, they should have the opportunity to stay remote.
Are you actually that concerned or are you just lazy? Why would the university cater to anyone but the athletes if over half of the student population is athletes? I’m being serious. I’m not trying to be a jerk. In my experience a lot of people have used this pandemic to get out of work; or to do the least amount possible and still get by.