by Crystal Carter-Harrell

The world changed rapidly and dramatically because of a global pandemic brought on by a deadly virus and left college students with online education and no choice.

Chancellor Dr. Kelly Damphousse sent out an email on March 12 to A-State students stating that online class delivery plans would begin after spring break. On-campus events were postponed. Residence halls remained open and gatherings of less than 50 people were still permitted. The email came a day after Governor Hutchinson confirmed Arkansas’ first confirmed presumptive case in Pine Bluff.

“Not only are you being required to switch learning modalities almost overnight, you are also balancing health concerns for yourself and your family, trying to figure out if you should remain on campus through the semester (which I absolutely welcome you to do),” Damphousse said.

Fast forward to today. University Housing became restricted to students unless they had no other room and board options, did not have access to computers away from campus or at risk of personal or financial harm away from campus. March 28, a tornado struck Jonesboro and caused significant damage to homes as well as power outages.

Senior creative media production major Ethan Ferren, from Searcy, has spent most of his time in his room trying to get ahead of homework since the switch to online delivery prompted by COVID-19 and social distancing rules.

“I have access to all of the software I need, but my computer cannot handle a handful of the programs,” Ferren said.

Senior interdisciplinary studies major from Paragould Korryn Antoline said she is worried that the situation regarding COVID-19 might not even be resolved during the fall 2020 semester. 

“My overall college experience has been mostly miserable, so that just kind of feels like the icing on the cake,” Antoline said. “I never expected a teen movie level of self-discovery and overwhelming hope and accomplishment, but it’s been a mess all the way through and there’s nothing to look forward to after. I am apprehensive of the possibility of there not being a ceremony. I graduate in December and I’m not sure if this will blow over by then.”

About four hours from A-State campus lies Dermott where freshman criminology major Ashley Hardy did not mind going once the university issued a leave telling students to be out of campus housing before 4 p.m. on April 3.

“I don’t have adequate Wi-Fi at my house, so I have to work off of my hotspot and if that goes off then I don’t have Wi-Fi,” Hardy said.

The parents of junior kinesiology and exercise science major Laniya Jackson braved a rainy two-hour trip from Little Rock to pick up their daughter and her belongings. Her mother, Amanda Smith-Jackson, and sister carried bed sheets and pillows into their vehicle while her dad arranged items that were already loaded inside.

“Online is a challenge,” Jackson’s mother said. “We live in a rural area in Little Rock, so the Wi-Fi connection is a challenge. We have a hotspot connection now and she’s okay with the move because she likes to be at home anyway.” 

Junior nursing major Jessica Beatty from Star City said she is more worried about getting a diploma than getting coronavirus.

“I don’t like taking online classes,” Beatty said. “That’s why I take regular classes. When it’s online, I forget to do things.” 

Further restrictions have been placed on the campus with the surge of more coronavirus cases. At the time of writing, out of 17,113 individuals tested by the Arkansas Department of Health, there are 1,164 COVID-19 positive cases in Arkansas. In Craighead county, 29 coronavirus cases are positive, 275 cases are negative and 12 cases are recovered according to the ADH website.

After a meeting with the provost, the chancellor directed that most academic buildings close and that access to them be restricted only to essential personnel until further notice.

An email sent out on April 5 by chancellor Damphousse states, “We concluded that we will no longer keep academic buildings open for voluntary lab work or access to remote computer lab spaces. Only employees and students who are engaged in research or work that their supervisors have deemed to be essential in meeting critical functions will have continued access to our academic buildings. Others who can complete their work elsewhere will be asked to ramp down their on-campus work as soon as practical.”

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