The return of Winthrop University students to campus and the subsequent resuming of face-to-face instruction heralds a new era of uncertainty for students and faculty alike. To serve as a virtual haven for answering various questions asked by the new wave of campus residents and students, Winthrop University initiated the Return to Learn website, a site dedicated to providing updates and crucial information on how the school would operate amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I believe that during times of uncertainty and unease, our obligation is to provide you as much information as we possibly can to help us all navigate these unchartered waters together,” Winthrop Interim President George Hynd wrote in an email delivered to the student body and faculty. “I appreciate your patience as we have worked to prepare this that hopefully provides you with the information that you need at this time.”
The website contains extensive information on the university’s newly enacted COVID-19 policies, with separate sections intended for the various members of the Winthrop community such as students, parents, faculty, and staff. The site also includes a FAQ that answers miscellaneous questions on subjects such as athletics and campus life.
Despite the university’s endeavors with the Return to Learn site, the actual number of students aided by this site amidst the early weeks of on-campus instruction are actually not as numerous as Winthrop may have expected.
“I’ve heard about [the Return to Learn site] here and there, but I’ve never really used it,” junior elementary education major Gini Blake said. “I think being a student during this age of COVID means juggling a lot of responsibilities, and it can easily become overwhelming. A lot of the website’s information might be useful, but it can feel like a chore to read and remember everything.”
The Return to Learn had the potential to ease students’ anxieties surrounding move-in day, but proved to not be as useful as expected when students were packing and preparing to move on campus.
Students officially began moving onto campus on Sept. 3, but the process was not smooth for everyone. Students were allotted one hour to move all of their belongings into their dorms and were still expected to attend online classes amidst the chaotic move-in process. This left some students with a very limited amount of time to get campus necessities such as their ID cards, which temporarily blocked them from easy access to their dorms and receiving food from the cafeteria.
The chaos involved with moving on to campus could have been lessened if the Return to Learn site had provided more in-depth information regarding the moving process. Students also felt left in the dust when it came to adjusting to campus living post move-in day.
“I think a lot of students, especially freshmen, are struggling to adjust not only to living on campus during COVID-19, but [to] living on campus in general,” Samantha Faires, a junior sociology major and Zeta Tau Alpha sorority mentor, said. “We’ve been social distancing for months, we’re pretty used to it. I think students would benefit from more communication and patience from the school when it comes to settling into campus life.”
Sept. 8 will mark the first official day of in-person instruction, but many students seem hesitant to step back into the classroom setting amidst rising COVID-19 cases across other college campuses. The University of South Carolina recorded 1,026 positive coronavirus cases within the past week, according to information listed on the university’s online dashboard.
If the Return to Learn website showcased more vulnerable information, such as the university’s COVID statistics, students would be more likely to feel as if Winthrop is not avoiding the harsh realities of COVID-19 and therefore would be more inclined to believe that Winthrop is putting their best efforts forth in providing a safe semester.
Time will tell how Winthrop community members will fare as the school moves forward into the possibility of the return to traditional instruction.
Photo by Olivia Esselman
