The Four C's

Classroom, Co-op, Community, and COVID-19: A Resilient Community in Action

By Sophie Malon and James Lippincott

A shroud of uncertainty gripped the world as the winter 2020 quarter was concluding in February. Each day brought new information and recommendations regarding the 2019 novel coronavirus (as COVID-19 was then widely known). Antioch College moved swiftly to assemble a task force to assess the situation and provide recommendations. In-person gatherings and events were cancelled, new working arrangements were adopted, and a slew of new safety protocols and guidelines were established. Concluding coursework and exams for winter were quickly transitioned to online formats. And students on campus and on Co-op were advised to return to their home communities as soon as possible.

As many decisions were made, many other questions remained, not the least of which: when would we all be back on campus?

THE TRANSITION TO REMOTE LEARNING

The decision to move classes online for spring came on March 11. The campus community was scattered across the country—and the campus effectively mothballed—as plans were laid for an entirely remote quarter. All employees who could conduct their work remotely were asked to do so.

As difficult as it was, students, faculty, and staff found new and creative ways to realize the College’s “three C’s” of Classroom, Co-op, and Community remotely under the inflicted “fourth C” of COVID-19.

Academic Affairs and Information Technology and Media Services

(ITAMS) worked quickly to assess students’ needs and to provide the necessary resources so that they would be able conduct their courses remotely.

DJ Riley ’23 Co-oped with ITAMS during spring quarter. Working with the ITAMS staff and mentored by April Wolford ’92—who has three decades of experience in education technology— DJ created a suite of tools, training, and support systems to assist faculty in successfully delivering the curriculum remotely. He was also available by email and via video appointments to answer technical questions and to develop solutions to specific needs.

“The transition was a bit tough at first,” says Téofilo Espada-Brignoni, visiting assistant professor of Psychology. “I think the biggest problem was figuring out ways of delivering our students

the best possible learning experience while dealing with the uncertainty of an unprecedented public health crisis. However, being able to see the students through the screen and continue the challenging yet meaningful journey of a college education has been rewarding. It is something that would not have been possible a couple of decades ago. In a way, we are privileged to have a technological infrastructure that allows us to stay connected and continue our in-depth exploration of our world. It’s not a perfect infrastructure, and many individuals have limited access to the internet or the necessary or adequate devices. But the College has done a good job figuring out how to support students who didn’t have access to technology.”

Like many students, Maria Ramirez ’22 found the shift to remote learning to be difficult. “Everything is starting to feel like a really long episode of the Twilight Zone,” she said at the time. All students were faced with adjusting to “going to college” while in their homes where a family member could interrupt a class at any time.

“It is harder to read body language to know when someone wants to say more, but as we get more familiar with the tech, like muting and unmuting, it’s getting better,” instructor and Farm manager Kat Christen reported two months into remote teaching. “The chat function is helpful to take questions and get feedback in real-time on student interest. We wouldn’t be able to do that in person—it would be disruptive to class discussions.”

Espada-Brignoni explained that his classes mostly went well considering the distance and limitation. In May he reported, “Students are working hard, and in the Antioch Seminar, students have been incredibly creative. I’m proud of my students. They are resilient, and I’m honored to be part of their education.”

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING AT A DISTANCE

While many students rearranged their Co-op terms due to the pandemic, some were able to continue with their plans. Some students, like DJ, found work directly related to addressing the different times and its challenges.

McKenzie Smith ’23 Co-oped at the Tecumseh Land Trust experiencing remote work in support of protecting farmlands in southwest Ohio. “The current pandemic limited my Co-op in a few ways, but I feel I am still doing something huge,” she says. “This experience has been full of learning and challenges, but I couldn’t have asked for a better place to Co-op and experience it with. I am ready to take on my major in a new light, and when the world opens back up, I will be ready for that too.”

Austin Korner ’22, Noah Greer ’22, Maya Ziegler ’22, Don Schoch ’72, Catherine Kylie, and Benjamin Timmester ’22.

Other examples of Co-op during the spring include Quinn Ritzhaupt ’23 and Jacob Philip ’23 who self-designed a Co-op (working mostly virtually) to create and publish a book, and Austin Korner ’22 working in telemedicine with Dr. John Mendelson ’77.

Experiential coursework was also developed in direct response to the epidemic.

Kat Christen and Beth Bridgeman, assistant professor of Cooperative Education, developed “Victory Gardens,” a virtual practicum course guiding students to create and care for their own food-producing gardens.

“Spending time talking about and encouraging gardens and growing food during this time has been really enjoyable for me… it’s great to be able to support our students in terms of health and wellness and skill-building while so many are stuck at home. Skills they learn in this course can stay with them no matter what their future path may be,” Kat says. “For 15 years, I have been an eco-farmer and educator, so at this unprecedented time, I really wanted to share my experience and passion for growing with our community.”

In addition to Victory Gardens, Bridgeman taught two experiential reskilling courses and was impressed by the creativity and resilience displayed by her students. “My students have been very creative in the way they work on these (courses) and then present them to me,” she says.

For example, Christin Severini ’22 studied preserving and canning (making jams and sauces), bread-making, and candle-making among other things. She also read and reviewed The Good Life Lab: Radical Experiments in Hands-on Living and Your Money or Your Life and viewed and discussed the documentary Fantastic Fungi.

Beth explains that in addition to written reflections, students also blogged and submitted videos of themselves in action.

Luisa Bieri, associate professor of Cooperative Education, offered “Antioch Community Action,” a course in which students discussed and learned principles of community building and effective organizing, and then designed and implemented their own action projects. In typical terms, student projects have focused on the campus and Yellow Springs communities such as creating Independent Groups to address campus community needs, or engaging with community policing initiatives for example. However with students spread across the country and meeting virtually, projects were developed in their home communities to respond to the unfolding pandemic.

CONNECTION AT A TIME OF DISCONNECTION

There is an undeniable contradiction in our digitally connected world: the sense of missing connection when nearly all interactions move online. But students, faculty, and staff pressed forward with the work of “community” in addition to classes and Coop. Both ComCil and College Council continued their work throughout the spring and summer with meetings via video conference. And each Tuesday during the spring quarter, the dispersed “campus” congregated virtually for Community Meeting as well. But as nice as it was to see a grid of familiar faces, the prevailing sentiment was that a true sense of community was much more difficult to attain.

Reflecting upon positive outcomes of the situation, Bridgeman says, “I think that students have felt strong support of them, our willingness to be flexible in an extraordinary time, and our desire for them to succeed. In this way, I think that student-faculty connection has sometimes been strengthened.”

Another opportunity to make lemonade out of lemons came in the form of an online Div Dance which brought together students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Shalini Deo ’02 and April Wolford ’92 collaborated to organize a six-hour dance event with music provided by six different DJs from across the decades. The event was even highlighted as a case study by the software provider for the Antioch College Alumni Association’s website and online directory.

June brought a bittersweet end to the term—especially for seniors. A disrupted academic year felt especially disjointed without the opportunity to gather in person to celebrate the achievements of the graduating class. But the community rallied again to reimagine a virtual Colloquia and Commencement, both full of heart, to send off the Class of 2020 in the best way possible given the circumstances.

By means of creative thinking and perseverance, the Antiochian community adapted to a socially distant and digitally transformed world to stay connected.

A FALL RETURN

Throughout the spring and into the summer the local, national, and global situation was continuously monitored and assessed. Feedback was gathered from the community on all manner of issues with discussions and frequent planning meetings held. One thing was clear: the community wanted to come back together physically. But could it be done safely?

While an announcement was made in July that the College intended to reopen its classrooms and residence halls, questions remained. Thus plans were laid for different scenarios and contingencies—a virtual orientation, for example—knowing that the fluidity of the situation could force a course change at any moment. Untold hours were logged by faculty, staff, and student leaders to conduct research, evaluate data, consult with public health officials and medical professionals, and to reassess the physical spaces on campus with a different lense, not to mention debate and deliberation. This difficult work was conducted with the twin goals of offering a singular Antioch education while addressing the safety and wellbeing of our community members.

On August 14—less than two weeks before the start of orientation—the final decision to proceed with the reopening of campus was announced, but with a flexible hybrid model which accommodated those whose circumstances required remote engagement.

“Overall, our student body is still quite small, yet it is growing decidedly despite the pressures of COVID-19,” says President Tom Manley.

“While we suffer no illusions about the infectious nature of the virus, we are prepared to respond if and when the need arises. And this is one case where our smallness is a big advantage, as is our fall schedule with classes and exams concluding by November 13.”

A wide range of operational changes and protocols were devised for the quarter, and all faculty, staff, and students coming to campus consented to a community health and safety agreement.

Students moved into the residence halls during predetermined time blocks spread out over six days. Students were asked to obtain a COVID-19 test the week before traveling to campus, and were tested upon arrival as well, which was required before receiving their room keys.

Faculty and staff working on campus were also required to obtain an initial test before returning for the quarter, and ongoing monitoring guidelines established in consultation with public health and medical professionals were devised—and proactively revised during the quarter—to reduce the risk of transmission. Some staff whose work could be conducted remotely continued to work from home.

New students and their families arrived on campus to a very different orientation and move-in experience.

The first week of classes saw the campus come together for the first Community Meeting of the quarter— which continued to be held virtually via Google Meet—as well as the Antioch College Works Job Fair—also held virtually—which showcased a wide range of student employment opportunities across campus. With the new Antioch College Works program, all students are now guaranteed on-campus work during study terms.

While gatherings and guests were limited during the fall quarter, online gatherings and sessions continued to offer the opportunity to come together. For example, early in the quarter frequent Coop employer Dr. Don Schoch ’72, and his partner Dr. Catherine Kylie, dropped by campus to treat bio-medical students Benjamin Timmester ’22, Noah Greer ’22, Austin Korner ’22, and Maya Ziegler ’22 to dinner—socially distanced outside—along with Co-op professor Beth Bridgeman. And the entire community participated in a virtual lecture and discussion with renowned anti-racism speaker Tim Wise, exploring the importance of staying strong in difficult times, movement building, the difference between systems of oppression and individuals who occasionally act in oppressive ways, the importance of “radical humility” in movement work, and committing to the struggle for justice.

The fall quarter was different than any other time in history, but the challenge was met head on, demonstrating the grit, creativity, and resilience for which Antiochians are known. And, thanks to the persistence of the entire community, no cases of COVID-19 occurred on campus through the first eight weeks, and the one case detected in week nine was managed successfully with no community spread on campus. But the work continues to track the pandemic which rages on, and to work diligently to plan for what lies ahead.