What are your odds of winning March Madness? page 5
Rochester Community and Technical College
Volume 91 - Issue 5 - April 2021
www.rctc.edu /echo newer, better, faster www.rctc.edu /echo
Learning Center open online and in person By Faith Boyum Managing Editor RCTC’s Learning Center remains open for tutoring. In response to the pandemic, the Learning Center has added online tutoring options. The staff also have added precautions such as masking, plexiglass shields for the tutors and frequent sanitization of hightouch surfaces to the in-person tutoring experience. It has been an adjustment for both tutors and students. “It’s been a different way of communicating,” said math tutor Cathy Ellstrom. For example, the online tutoring is a new service, but she said that it is nice for students to have the option to come in person or get help through the online services. It is also different trying to hear through masks and plexiglass shields. She has been surprised that more students choose to come in person for help with their math than using the online option. However, not all students take advantage of the services offered. “I wish we had more students taking advantage of this resource” said writing tutor Jean Johnson. In the writing area of the Learning Center, students can receive help at any stage of the writing process. It doesn’t matter if they want help brainstorming ideas or want
someone to review and provide feedback on their paper based on teacher criteria. Johnson said that the pandemic has affected how many students visit, and she wants students to know it is OK to ask for help. Some students such as ZamZam Mudei like to visit the Learning Center as often as possible, even though COVID-19 has affected student turnout for tutoring. Mudei says she likes to study there for her science class because the Learning Center has models of the different Photo by Faith Boyum structures in the human RCTC student Maria Kramer visits the Learning Center regularly to study for class and get body like bones and help from tutors. organs. These hands-on materiCenter as often as she can to study for her some students may be deterred from coming als make it easier to learn chemistry class. She finds the environment because they feel that only struggling or anatomy than just using pictures would. and tutors helpful. weak students come. “If I have a lab exam, I come in two “I just like that we can work and ask However, she said that this may not be weeks before,” Mudei said. questions,” said Kramer, “and the way they the case at all. She said that good or strong This allows her to get in the study time explain things so they make sense.” students are often regular users of the Learnshe needs before all the other students deSome students do take advantage of the ing Center. cide to come in and study for the lab exam, tutoring services, but Nikka Vrieze, who is “I think students need to see us more as too. the coordinator of the writing area, said that allies,” said Johnson. Maria Kramer also comes to the Learning
RCTC cafeteria adapts to new normal, remains open By Ilwad Salex General Reporter With COVID taking a toll on almost every aspect of people’s lives, it’s not surprising that RCTC’s cafeteria has also had to make some changes to accommodate for the new normal. Before the pandemic, it was quite common for the cafeteria to be packed with hungry students, excited to meet with their friends for lunch. Nowadays, however, the cafeteria, much like other places, remains a bit emptier due to the social distancing that takes place across campus. One change they have made is that upon the entrance to the cafeteria, the oneperson-only signs on each table are very prominent. Before, it didn’t really matter how many people sat at one table (to a certain degree of course). Employees have noted some of the differences as well. “With COVID, our hours have been
Photo by Ilwad Salex
RCTC's campus cafeteria has made some changes to ensure safety of staff and students while remaining open. reduced. We don’t take cash, and no one is allowed inside our café (except for employees) but only outside of it on the tables. "It’s good that they are still providing
hot food,” said Diane Whiting, who works as a cashier at the cafeteria. All the precautions RCTC has taken show that they care to help ensure the
safety of the staff and students. Many other institutions in similar positions have decided to not provide their students with hot food in their buildings. Some instead have the food be picked up and eaten somewhere outside of the institution, disregarding how this might affect the students. The staff at the cafeteria also had to undergo some changes of their own. “With the café hours being reduced, our pay has also been reduced,” said Whiting. Despite the reduced pay, the staff continues to work hard. The people of RCTC’s commitment towards making sure their students have necessary food supplies and different food options have been shown through their various efforts with their cafeteria precautions, Hive supply and food pickup deliveries. The staff hope that some of these changes don’t become permanent, and they are doing their best to ensure safety and food security for the students at RCTC.