Deanna Wright
All students are allowed to return to campus in the spring.
FSC sent an email to students stating all the changes that will occur in the spring semester as the college develops a plan within the next few weeks and this information would be shared no later than Oct. 26.
Students were informed that based on this original email the start date has been pushed back two weeks to the end of January.
“The Board of Trustees approved the return of all students for spring semester who wish to live in campus housing,” Kerr said in an email to students. “Should updates to this plan be required, we will share changes as soon as possible.”
Majority of students want the campus to go back to some normalcy we used to have before the pandemic hit.
“I am excited for everyone to return to campus,” freshman Hunter Dixon said. “It will be really great taking that step towards getting things back to normal.”
With three months until the start date of spring semester, the school explained to students and parents in the email that pandemic conditions could affect the plans for all students to return to campus but students are allowed to choose to be remote or a commuter when they register for spring classes.
Many students waited patiently for some type of news to come, including junior Ahad Aziz who has been a remote student this fall due to the low capacity on campus.
“I was elated to hear that I get the opportunity to come back to campus,” Aziz said. “Although, I am a bit worried about a rise in cases especially with the increase of students on campus.”
There were other important measures about COVID-19 and how due to this they would be freezing tuition, room, and board current rates for next year in the email.
More information about housing came in an email the following day from Dr. Susan Freeman, Vice President of Student Affairs.
“Registering for spring classes, students must select their final status for the spring: residential, commuter, or remote. Selections made for residential status will be final,” Freeman said. “The college will share housing assignments via the Student Portal on November 17th.”
Some students may not receive their original housing assignments and other students who are already living on campus this semester might have to move to new housing in the spring to ensure adequate on-campus isolation and quarantine.
Students must understand that the majority of them will have a roommate in the spring and if they don’t want to have one they still have the option to become a commuter or to switch to remote learning.
“I really like having a room to myself, it has given me more freedom when it comes to my schedule,” Dixon said. “I am not so excited to share a room but I have been able to make connections with some of my hallmates and could definitely go with sharing my room with one of them.”
As a remote student this semester, I was very excited to hear that the school plans to have everyone back next semester. Having to be a remote student wasn’t my ideal way of getting an education.
Being given the chance to be back in person learning in a classroom with my fellow peers and professors instead of over Zoom on my computer is a preferred environment. Unlike being told two weeks before classes started that I won’t be allowed back on campus this semester has made me have a hard time adjusting to learning online last minute which has caused my anxiety to skyrocket.
I look forward to hopefully being able to go back in the spring and for my mental health to go back to somewhat normal especially since learning online is nowhere near learning in person.
Like Aziz, I am concerned that having the whole campus back could increase numbers next semester and send us packing. Personally, I don’t want this to happen with opening the campus back up to all students but I do know the school will do whatever needs to be done in terms of numbers increasing rapidly.
Also, not knowing whether or not I will be with my roommate who I initially thought I was rooming with in our apartment who was allowed back this semester has my anxiety rising. The rooming situation has me uneasy due to the fact that my roommate and I had to get help from the Dean of Students Mike Crawford over the summer for my roommate’s accommodations.
I am hoping I will be allowed to reside in the apartment I was supposed to live in this semester especially since the school did not place someone else in my room unlike some students who’s housing was given to someone else.
Overall, I know the people making these decisions for the spring semester plan are trying their best to look out for the campus as a whole which includes the students and faculty.
