After spikes of coronavirus cases at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Alabama, Syracuse University’s plans for the fall semester feel like watching the beginning of a horror movie: you’re waiting for something to go horribly wrong. But despite the decision to move forward with in-person classes, the university is supporting its faculty and staff well.

Glyn Morgan, a professor of political science, feels that SU is supporting him heading into the semester.

“Compared to other universities, Syracuse is doing a very good job,” Morgan said. “If you think your health is at risk, take a sick leave.”

Along with university policies, New York state’s order for residents to wear masks also supports professors. Other states, such as Florida and Georgia, do not have statewide mandates.

Despite my opinion that SU should not hold in-person classes, I recognize the hard work behind its plans to reopen. The constant emails, the rearrangement of classes and the weekly Zoom sessions about academics have not gone unnoticed.

“They are doing the best they can, this is uncharted territory for everyone,” said Joseph Chaiken, a chemistry professor at SU.

The return to on-campus instruction may not just be a learning experience for faculty — but for students as well.

“In our business, we have to know how to handle these things. Whether it’s a pandemic or not, we need to know how to work safely around some things that are quite dangerous and risky,” Chaiken said.

For Morgan, having students see one another and fostering communication between students and professors is important. He has formed better relationships with his students online than in many of his in-person classes, and the online format allows for improved discussion, he said.

At the core of all the chaos are professors who want to teach and students who want to learn.

“We need to be able to do this safely,” Chaiken said. “And we’re going to. Absolutely.”

While there are still many risks to holding in-person classes, there’s no turning back now. These last few months have reminded me to find the positives in life. I acknowledge SU’s hard work to prepare for the fall, and I also want to recognize the work of individuals at SU who are just trying to do their job and figure this out. It is certainly not a job I would want.

Rachel Pierce is a senior broadcast and digital journalism and political science major. Her column appears bi-weekly. She can be reached at repierce@syr.edu. She can be followed on Twitter at @rpiercesyr

Published on August 25, 2020 at 8:41 pm