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WFU in 20/21: University of Phoenix Meets Rikers Island

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Mar 23, 2011
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First post and visit to this site since 2015! I hope my fellow OG&B Deacs are doing well in these interesting times.

My oldest is a freshman at Wake this year, and I am curious if any of you that have kids there are having a similarly awful experience. Despite assurances to the contrary, in my opinion, Wake has done an incredibly poor job of handling the current environment. All of my son's classes have been virtual and most of them have been pre-recorded. One class last semester hardly had any instruction at all. They had him visit a website to do "worksheets" instead. And another professor has missed the first two virtual classes this semester due to "technical difficulties". He isn't learning jack. Meanwhile, even with no physical class, the students have been locked down almost entirely from any social life. Masks are required at all times - even outside. Dining is allowed only if you sit more than six fee apart. Students are written up if they are in groups of 10 or more. Due to a recent spike in cases, students can barely leave their rooms now and must be in by 10pm. For freshmen with no pre-existing friend groups, you're essentially stuck with your often-depressed suitemates.

I'd be sympathetic to the lockdown if Wake was actually teaching the students. Instead... its the worst of both worlds: no instruction AND no social life - all for only $75k/year. Given Wake's resources, we expected MUCH better. Meanwhile, other supposedly inferior universities nearby seem to have figured out how to salvage something of the school year. We've held out hope that the administration will find some sanity and things will improve but, at this rate, we may not be around to find out.

Sorry to vent, but the FB parents group is populated with lunatics that don't allow any negative feedback. Just curious from any here if my son's experience has been the exception or the rule.
 
This just in: everyone’s life sucks right now. More to come at 11.
 
So one of the strictest universities pre-pandemic...is still very strict?
 
I chatted with two friends who are professors at private top 50 universities. Both are teaching in person. The university does strict testing and contact tracing. One got an alert while teaching class that she may have been exposed so she cancelled class. Ended up she was fine. Both told me that the university found little to no transmission in the classroom. Transmission is almost completely from residence halls, secret on campus parties, and off campus bars and restaurants.
 
Strictness could be justified if you're fulfilling the mission. Otherwise it's strictness just for the sake of optics and the ability to charge an outrageous price for an inferior product.
 
Do people know kids who just took a year off this year?

I’m sure Wake and others made that harder than it should have been.
 
A massive spike in student cases and you're surprised that additional health and safety measures have been taken? Do you think crazy high tuition should mean exemption from common-sense health practices?
 
Wake should rent all the hotels in town for students.
 
It’s an actual pandemic. With lots of vulnerable people dying. Every day.

It sucks.

But it’s not the fault of MSD.

Endeavoring to balance multiple competing concerns is...challenging.

Pro Humanitate is...complicated even in the best of times. Probably more so now.



From my vantage point, MSD is doing a reasonable (not perfect) job of this.
 
Hey RJ, lots of prison rape at Rikers Island, am I right ?
 
It seems the professors should do live Zoom classes. I asked my daughter at UNC what her situation is, and only one class has recorded lectures.
 
Do people know kids who just took a year off this year?

I’m sure Wake and others made that harder than it should have been.

My cashier at the pet store yesterday was actually a wake student who decided to take the semester off. Can’t blame her. In chatting for a sec she told me there were some attempts at in person instruction at some point? But there were so many cases among the student body, it seemed like a certainty that everyone would get it. And the virtual learning sounded worthless so I don’t blame her taking time off and saving money.
 
Not that virtual learning is uniquely worthless at Wake vs other schools. I’m sure it’s less than perfect everywhere. I couldn’t see myself thriving in that environment so I’d likely consider a gap semester/year too. Hopefully wake does not screw those folks over when they try to return.
 
It seems the professors should do live Zoom classes. I asked my daughter at UNC what her situation is, and only one class has recorded lectures.

Seriously. Posting a taped Zoom lesson should be grounds for dismissal. How lazy can you be? Professors never had it so easy.

Having kids quarantined on campus while engaging in remote learning is super dumb. Of course we all know why Wake is doing it.
 
Since your son is living on Rikers, which gang has he joined?
 
It’s an actual pandemic. With lots of vulnerable people dying. Every day.

It sucks.

But it’s not the fault of MSD.

Endeavoring to balance multiple competing concerns is...challenging.

Pro Humanitate is...complicated even in the best of times. Probably more so now.



From my vantage point, MSD is doing a reasonable (not perfect) job of this.

You ok with 75K for a pre recorded zoom meeting?
 
...it depends...?

I definitely think if you’re not meeting in person you should have regular class “zoom” meetings that are live and offer opportunity for engagement.
 
I think it’s an unfortunate time to be a college student.

So yeah, take a break if you’d rather, or push ahead and make of the experience the most you can.
 
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