Since the announcement of the cancellation of in-person class meetings, effective March 16, shockwaves have rocked the FDU community.

Faculty members have been scrambling for the best ways to prepare for online courses.

“I was looking at the ways to communicate with my students remotely in the past few weeks,” Professor Yelena Aronson told The Equinox in an email.

Aronson teaches courses that utilize the Adobe suite of programs and are heavily computer-based. 

“Some courses, such as Development of Art, can be relatively easy to teach online,” she said. “Computer art courses, however, are impossible to teach remotely. The lack of hardware and software for students, adjunct professors is the main issue.

“The main issue is — will FDU provide laptops/Adobe to students? I do not think it is going to happen.”

Another concern regarding the announcement is the continuity of classwork, and if students will still be able to grasp the curriculum. 

“Students can’t learn new tools and techniques without practicing it. They have to be using the software for that,” Aronson said. 

Public Safety is the department tasked with making sure this pandemic does not afflict members of the FDU community once spring break ends on March 16.

“Public Safety, as well as every other campus department, follows the guidelines issued, such as wash your hands,” FDU Director of Public Safety David Miles told The Equinox. 

“Public Safety will screen any medical calls to determine if the caller is experiencing any of the symptoms. If they are, we will contact the local ambulance and make them aware so they take proper precautions. Public Safety will also make the proper campus administrators aware,” he said.

“Public Safety will monitor the Residence Halls,” Miles added. “We will also follow the protocol for all resident students. As stated in numerous information, if you feel sick or experience any symptoms, do not come to campus.”

Editor’s note: Justin Rimpi wrote this story on his phone while on spring break in Long Island. 

OUR COVERAGE

FDU Going ‘Virtual’ for Classes in Coronavirus Reaction [MARCH 10, 2020]

FDU News on COVID-19, Coronavirus [MARCH 9, 2020]

FDU Increases Coronavirus Travel Restrictions [MARCH 2, 2020]

Waiting on FDU Updates on Coronavirus [FEBRUARY 28, 2020]

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), via CDC