Michigan State’s Independent Voice
‘I’m just overwhelmed. There is a lot changing and a lot that I have no control over.’ PAGES 4-5
SP O RTS
CO M M U N IT Y
O N LI N E
MSU men’s basketball’s unlikely friendship
How online classes differ for arts, STEM majors
Listen: Social Distancing Diaries podcast
With one from Detroit and one from a small town, Rocket Watts and Kyle Ahrens have more in common than you think
The sudden switch to a new learning platform poses unique difficulties across academic disciplines
Hear from our photographers about what it’s like to document life during this global pandemic
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STATENEWS.COM
T H U R S DAY, A PRI L 9, 2020
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OP I N I O N
By Wells Foster wfoster@statenews.com The future of Michigan State’s class of 2020 always seemed uncertain. Facing a possible recession, drastic economic inequality and inaccessible healthcare, this year’s seniors have expected adversity. What we didn’t expect was for a global pandemic to shut down the entire country and jeopardize our futures and careers. The COVID-19 outbreak has flipped the world on its head. The thin veil of security that many Americans felt has finally been torn. The economy is tanking, thousands are dying and millions could become infected. But illness itself won’t be the only way this pandemic will impact this year’s college seniors. The economic toll COVID-19 has brought has already harmed thousands, with unemployment
claims skyrocketing and many places of businesses temporarily shutting down. The economic effects of the coronavirus will be felt long after it’s gone. The job market for the class of 2020 looks grim. The most obvious reason for this cloudy outlook is the economic crash brought by the pandemic. On March 9, the Dow Jones fell by record numbers, according to CNBC. It was the largest single point drop in American history, and it was brought on by anxiety about the virus. Investors panicked and few companies were safe from the economic onslaught brought on by the virus. This alone is enough to make seniors nervous. It’ll take a long time for the U.S. economy to fully recover. There will be fewer jobs for us, and people who planned on retiring may no longer be able to do so, limiting the number of open positions even further. Our resumes are also going to take a hit. Many of us had summer jobs or internships outright canceled and thousands lost their existing internship or job. Job fairs and career counseling events have also been canceled or moved to a virtual format, and it seems as if no one’s hiring right
now. Essentially, the class of 2020 is going to spend the next three to five months in educational and career stasis. This is going to make us seem like less viable candidates than those who graduated before, or even after us. There’s going to be a large gap in our timelines. Sure, the average person hiring for a company will understand that there was a global pandemic and perhaps take pity. But our resumes will look weaker compared to an applicant who had four full years of college experience and several internships. We’ll seem less experienced and less qualified, even though that isn’t true. For jobs that look at GPAs, we’re also likely to be overlooked. The average students’ grades are going to slip. Learning from home on Zoom is just not as effective for many students, and we’ve lost some beneficial on-campus in-person resources. We now have the satisfactory or not satisfactory grading option, but depending on your major, some companies might prefer the applicant with the 4.0 GPA throughout all four years. That doesn’t mean we didn’t work hard, it just means the letter on our transcript is different. That could be enough for picky employers, though.
“If anyone can find a method to this madness, it’s MSU’s class of 2020.”
Wells Foster State News reporter
We also have had no time to save money. Before the coronavirus hit, my plan was to continue working and save every penny I had to go toward my future home and moving costs. Thankfully, The State News is still up and running through this pandemic, but many student employees aren’t as lucky. Many who work in nonessential businesses have lost hours, and those who work in certain essential fields have seen their hours drastically cut. My foster brother works in an essential job as a childcare worker, but was laid off due to the economic toll the coronavirus brought upon his company. There is hope for us, though. We can turn this pandemic around and
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use it as another bullet point on our resumes. An employer could ask, “What did you do during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic?” and if you have a solid answer, your application could go to the top of the list. Students in several fields are gaining real world experience from this. Graduating MSU medical students are getting hands-on experience while aiding Michigan’s COVID-19 response. STEM students are helping to develop necessary medical equipment and managing logistics. Journalism and communications students are telling the stories of how people are coping during this time, building up their portfolios. We can use our newfound free time to develop skills. Now is the best time to learn that language you’ve been meaning to study. You can finally learn how to use Photoshop. You can finish that art piece you’ve been putting off. Not everyone has the resources or time to dedicate to mastering a new skill, but if anyone can find a method to this madness, it’s MSU’s class of 2020.
SUMMER 2020 ONLINE COURSES Session 1 May 11 to June 25
Session 2 June 29 to Aug 13
SOC 100:730: Introduction to Sociology with Ezgi Karaoglu
SOC 100:731 Introduction to Sociology with Lalaki Awudu
SOC 214:730: Social Inequality with Vanessa Rickenbrode
SOC 216:731 Sex, Gender, & Sexuality with Anna Wilcoxson
SOC 215:730: Race & Ethnicity with Inna Mirzoyan
SOC 316:731 Youth & Society with Madeline Nash
SOC 315:730 Family & Society with Jodi Yelinek
SOC 412:731 Animals, People, & Nature with Mark Suchyta
SOC 351:730 Gendered Violence & Power with Sarah Jacobson ISS 210:732 Society & the Individual with Sarah Prior ISS 310:730 People & the Environment with Ben Marley
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T HE STAT E N EWS
THU R SDAY, A PR IL 9, 2020
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THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 2020
‘We’ll get through this. Spartans will, we always will’
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Kelsey Estes, Meghan Provenzano and Abby Henzi (left to right) pose after painting the Rock on Farm Lane April 7.
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Story by Jack Falinski jfalinski@statenews.com Photos by Matt Schmucker mschmucker@statenews.com As Michigan State seniors remain uncertain about the status of their commencement ceremonies postponed due to the COVID-19 outbreak, two members of the class of 2020 have a message for their fellow Spartans. Marketing seniors Meghan Provenzano and Abby Henzi painted The Rock on Farm Lane April 7 to read, “WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER! Class of 2020.” “We just wanted our Spartans at home to have a little hope and know that we really are all in this together,” Provenzano said. “We hope this gives Spartans and everyone in our community a reminder that this is just temporary, and with everyone doing their part, the sooner we can continue to make more memories on this campus.” Provenzano said she thought it would be a good idea for someone to carry on the legacy of painting The Rock while campus was empty. “I’ve always valued tradition, and painting The Rock was one thing I wanted to check off my bucket list before I graduated,” Provenzano said. “I was walking on campus just trying to reminisce on my years here and I thought, ‘What a better time than now to paint The Rock.’” After hearing about the uni-
• Send money between MSUFCU members instantly with Member2MemberSM • Lock and unlock your MSUFCU Visa Debit and Credit Cards • Find surcharge-free ATMs • View exclusive Local Loyalty discounts at area businesses Meghan Provenzano and Abby Henzi paint the Rock on Farm Lane April 7.
versity’s decision to cancel in-person classes, Provenzano and Henzi said they felt sad their senior year had been cut short, but that they are staying strong and optimistic for the future. “We’ll get through this. Spartans will, we always will,” Provenzano said. “We’re strong and resilient. That’s the epitome of being a Spartan.” The two, accompanied by Grand Valley State senior Kelsey Estes, decorated The Rock with colorful letters, peace signs, flowers and hearts — a representation they said they hope will keep Spartans cheerful during this unprecedented time. “The most important thing right now is to keep spirits high and stay positive,”
Provenzano said. “Of course, you can’t relive your senior year, but there’s a bunch of things in this world that people are dealing with right now. I think staying positive and making the most of what we do have left is important.” The thought of returning to MSU for homecoming as alumni and potentially being able to walk during commencement someday are a few of the future opportunities and scenarios they’re using to get through this difficult period. “I was ready to live out these last two months,” Provenzano said. “But thanks, Michigan State, for not only my education, but the memories I’ve made here. I’ll always look back and think of this as the best four years of my life.”
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SPOTLIGHT
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APPLY TO BE THE FUTURE
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If you’re an MSU student with a desire to lead an organization of 50+ staffers, are an agent of change and describe yourself as a news junkie, then The State News Board of Directors would like to talk to you. We’re looking for someone who has visionary thinking, strong organizational skills and an ability to communicate with diverse groups of people around MSU and East Lansing. Experience at The State News is not a requirement but proven leadership is.
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TH UR S DAY, AP R IL 9, 2020
S POT L I G H T
ress among students ring pandemic By Kaishi Chhabra kchhabra@statenews.com
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efore the COVID-19 outbreak, advertising management sophomore Hannah Bloomfield was working up to 29 hours a week at two on-campus jobs in order to pay for her food, rent and tuition bills. Now, she’s down to one job, and transitioning to working remotely has left her with significantly fewer hours. “It’s definitely stressed me out,” Bloomfield said. “My plan for this and next month (was) to make that money, save and not have to worry about next semester. And now, it’s got to the point where I’m wondering if I can move back to school in the fall and live off-campus again ... I’m just stressing about next semester already.” The global pandemic has proven to be challenging for students in more ways than one. Ever since in-person classes moved online and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s “Stay Home, Stay Safe” executive order was implemented, many Michigan State students have faced a distressing change in their employment status. Bloomfield worked at the cafeteria in Snyder-Phillips Hall as a food assistant and at the MSU Broad Art Museum as a gallery guide. Bloomfield said only fulltime employees are currently working in the dining halls, and that they’ve been mostly shut down for student employees. Now, Bloomfield is living with her family in Livonia, completing small assignments for the Broad Art Museum while at home. “All the things I need, I paid for myself.” Bloomfield said. “Thankfully I have a family that’s supportive and they understand the situation, but it’s definitely affected me financially.” Comparative culture and politics junior Jessie Cohen was an instructor at Goldfish Swim School in Okemos, which was closed temporarily on March 15 to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. “I love my job, I love going and teaching the kids every day,” Cohen said. “It’s just sad that it’s my only source of income, and it’s not like I lost my job and I can go out and get a new job ... those are all closed too. It’s not something I can fix, so I feel very trapped inside.” In recognition of many East Lansing residents’ inability to work during the COVID-19 pandemic, Cohen started an online petition calling for April rent forgiveness.
Money exchanging hands. PHOTO BY ANNIE BARKER
“As college students, we cannot be expected to have a huge safety net of savings to dip into when we cannot work...
Jessie Cohen Comparative culture and politics junior
“With all MSU classes being moved online, and their workplaces being shut down, MSU students have no reason to stay in East Lansing, and many have no income during this time,” Cohen wrote on the petition. “As college students, we cannot be expected to have a huge safety net of savings to dip into when we cannot work, and the stress of having to pay rent for an apartment … when you are unable to work is substantial.” The petition is directed at East Lansing Mayor Ruth Beier and several apartment complex management companies in the city, including DTN Management and Community Resource Management Company. “I (used to) work about 25 hours a week and that’s how I pay for my rent, my food and for my school,” Cohen said. “So it was really stressful hearing about the shutdown. Obviously it’s for the health and safety reasons, (but) it’s just financially super stressful.” Mayor Pro Tem Aaron Stephens said he is currently looking into ways to help students with rent. He said Cohen sent him an email regarding her petition and they’ve discussed it and whether any other communities in the country have taken a similar step. “During these tough times, we have city inspection fees for a lot of the rental properties and I’m looking into the possibility of giving a discount on those fees if there is a discount concurrently on the rent for those properties,” Stephens said. “This is an idea that I’m really just exploring right now. I’ve only had really one conversation with a landlord that I know.” The university is also exploring ways to help students financially during this time. MSU President Samuel L. Stanley Jr. said
during his interview with The State News Editorial Board that his goal is to keep as many students working as possible. Over the last pay period, there has been a significant decrease in employment on campus, he said, so he is working with senior leadership at the university to develop a policy to help. “There will be money coming from the new stimulus package that was passed, there will be money coming to the university,” Stanley said. “We haven’t gotten a check yet, but the estimate would be, there’ll be about $17 million that would be targeted toward students to help students who are in financial need. ... But again, I think we want to work with students to find creative ways that we can help them work and stay employed.” Computer science senior Carlisle Jenkins is a level-one service center representative for MSU’s Residential and Hospitality Services in Brody Neighborhood. Jenkins said he is still working and receiving full hours. “That’s pretty cool.” Jenkins said. “They allowed us to work 40 hours a week now opposed to the alternative of 29 hours a week.” Jenkins said his job has mostly shifted to helping students with checking out of their dorms and updating them about COVID-19. He said the only thing about his job that’s changed is that they’re now more strict with sanitation. “Maybe if a lot of students were here, (my job) would be something I would’ve stepped back from because I feel like I’d have a higher chance of getting infected,” Jenkins said. “But since it’s lesser people here, I look forward to it.” Jeff Beavers, executive director of the Career Services Network at MSU, said
they’re being informed by a number of employers that they’re canceling internships due to COVID-19, and some are switching the format of the internships in response. “So I think ... there are a number of available options that still allow (the) employer and the student to connect, but maybe don’t require that level of investment,” Beavers said. “In that case, we’re advising students to explore options for doing a late summer job shadow.” Beavers said the Career Services Network’s career fair has been rescheduled for April 23 and April 24 and moved to a virtual format. Students and employers will connect via an online career fair platform where students can chat with recruiters and submit questions live. Recruiters can also conduct job interviews with students immediately using the integrated video-interviewing technology, Beavers said. “With students that are graduating and looking for full-time employment, there’s a different sense of urgency,” Beavers said. “So we would encourage them to reach out to one of our advisers and schedule a virtual advising appointment because we are ... receiving a number of job postings, ... and we can help direct them to those opportunities.” Still, financial worries among students are at a high. Cohen said she has spent a lot of time trying to find alternative sources of income so she can pay rent and afford summer classes. “I don’t know if that’s going to be able to happen ... I don’t know how I’m going to be able to pay for that,” Cohen said. “I’m just overwhelmed. There is a lot changing and a lot that I have no control over.”
“It’s got to the point where I’m wondering if I can move back to school in the fall and live off-campus again... I’m just stressing about next semester already.” Hannah Bloomfield Advertising management sophomore T H U R S DAY, A PR IL 9, 2020
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All Saints Episcopal Church 800 Abbot Rd. (517) 351-7160 Sun. Worship: 8am, 10am, & 5pm Sunday School: 10am www.allsaints-el.org Ascension Lutheran Church 2780 Haslett Road East Lansing (517) 337-9703 Sunday worship: 10:00am Sunday Bible study: 8:45am Thursday Bible study: 2:00pm www.ascensioneastlansing.org Crossway Multinational Church 4828 Hagadorn Rd. (Across from Fee Hall) (517) 917-0498 Sun: 10:00am crosswaymchurch.org Greater Lansing Church of Christ 310 N. Hagadorn Rd. (Meet @ University Christian Church) (517) 898-3600 Sun: 8:45am Worship, 10am Bible Class Wed: 1pm, Small group bible study www.greaterlansing coc.org Hillel Jewish Student Center 360 Charles St. (517) 332-1916 Shabbat – Services@ 6pm / dinner @ 7, September–April www.msuhillel.org instagram: @msuhillel
The Islamic Society of Greater Lansing 920 S. Harrison Rd. (517) 351-4309 Friday Services: 12:15-12:45pm & 1:45-2:15pm For prayer times visit www.lansingislam.com/ Martin Luther Chapel Lutheran Student Center 444 Abbot Rd. (517) 332-0778 Sun: 10:30am & 7pm Wed: 7pm Mini-bus pick-up on campus (Fall/Spring) www.martinluther chapel.org The People’s Church Multi-denominational 200 W Grand River Ave. (517)332-6074 Sun. Service: 10:30am with free lunch for students following worship ThePeoplesChurch.com Riverview Church- MSU Venue MSU Union Ballroom, 2nd Floor 49 Abbot Rd. (517) 694-3400 Sun. Worship: 11:30am-ish www.rivchurch.com St. Paul Lutheran Church (ELCA) Worship with us on Sundays at 10am 3383 E. Lake Lansing Rd 517-351-8541 www.stpaul-el.org officemanagerstpaul el@gmail.com
St. John Catholic Church and Student Center 327 M.A.C Ave. (517) 337-9778 Sun: 8am, 10am, Noon, 5pm, 7pm M,W: 5:30pm T & Th: 8:45pm F: 12:15pm www.stjohnmsu.org University Christian Church 310 N. Hagadorn Rd (517) 332-5193 Sun. Bible Study: 10am Sun. Worship: 11:15am www.universitychristianwired.com University Lutheran Church (ULC) “We’re open in every way” 1020 S. Harrison Rd (517) 351-7030 Sun. Worship: 8:30am & 10:45am Fridays@Five: Dinner, discussion & fun 5pm Mon. Bible Study: 6:30pm @Wells Hall Quad www.ulcel.org Facebook: ULC and Campus Ministry University United Methodist Church 1020 S. Harrison Rd (517) 351-7030 Main Service: Sun: 11am in the Sanctuary Additional Services: NEW contemporary service Sundays at 9am with band titled ‘REACH’ TGiT (Thank God its Thursday): Thur: 8pm in the Chapel of Apostles universitychurchhome.org office@eluumc.org WELS Lutheran Campus Ministry 704 Abbot Rd. (517) 580-3744 Sat: 6:30pm msu.edu/~welsluth
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The mentorship that turned into friendship for MSU’s Rocket Watts, Kyle Ahrens By Jayna Bardahl jbardahl@statenews.com It’s difficult getting out of the “what-ifs” during this time. What if the basketball season hadn’t been cut short? What if Michigan State men's basketball was celebrating a National Championship, as ESPN's Joe Lunardi predicted in his Twitter tournament? But among these what-ifs, I’ve looked back at what I do know about this men’s basketball season. As one of our beat reporters, I compiled a list of interviews and the storylines I planned on pursuing. I saved these for March, the month when basketball content would peak, and planned to tell all the stories I had saved for so long in my back pocket. That was, until March was essentially canceled. In this series, I’ll share the stories I never got to tell from this basketball season. I’ll share the stories that I saved in my back pocket and never got to finish.
Then-junior guard Kyle Ahrens (0) embraces Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo during the men’s basketball game against Ohio State on Feb. 17, 2019 at Breslin Center. The Spartans defeated the Buckeyes, 62-44. STATE NEWS FILE PHOTO
THE FRIENDSHIP OF ROCKET WATTS AND KYLE AHRENS
Senior forward Kyle Ahrens is from Versailles, Ohio. Yeah, I hadn’t heard of it either, so I did some research. The town’s population is approximately 2,576. It’s located 25 minutes from the Indiana border and it stretches 1.88 square miles. Freshman guard Rocket Watts is from Detroit. Population: 673,104. Square mileage: 142.9. So, when coach Tom Izzo acknowledged the friendship between Watts and Ahrens on March 8, it was something I knew I wanted to explore. “I look at those two as like the banker in 'The Beverly Hillbillies' and Jed,” Izzo said. “The city guy in Rock and the farmer in Arnie.” The analogy Izzo was referring to dates back to the 1960s American sitcom “The Beverly Hillbillies.” The show follows a family from Appalachia that moves to Beverly Hills, California. J.D. “Jed” Clampett, Izzo’s Ahrens, was the head of the family household. He was naive to anything outside of his small town in Appalachia but showed to have a good deal of common sense. Milburn Drysdale, Izzo’s Watts, is Jed’s family banker. He was confident and outspoken and worked for what he wanted. Izzo said the friendship he sees in Ahrens and
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Freshman guard Rocket Watts eyes up the Albion defense on Oct. 29, 2019 at the Breslin Student Events Center. PHOTO BY MATT ZUBIK
Watts reminds him of these characters because they are from “opposite ends of the world.” “The bond that those guys have got has been amazing and it's been one of the neater things that I’ve dealt with,” Izzo said. “I'm sure Rock would say that, and I'm sure Arnie would say that.” With the story idea planted in my mind, I rushed to the locker room to find Watts and waited until I could talk to him alone to get his input. When I finally asked him about his friendship with Ahrens that Izzo had mentioned, he immediately referenced the mentorship aspect to their unexpected relationship. “My first time on campus, he was like a big brother to me,” Watts said. “He told me he was going to have (my back) the whole way.” Ahrens’ statement of having Watts’ back was put to the test early on, when Watts sat almost the entire month of December due to a stress reaction injury in his left leg. Ahrens, who dealt with more than a fair share of injuries throughout his five years, became the mentor.
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“When I was injured, I didn’t really know how to go about that because I never had a big injury my whole career,” Watts said. “He’s been through a lot of injuries. He was just talking to me, giving me advice and telling me, stay working on my game.” Izzo said during their year as teammates, Ahrens contributed a lot to Watts’ progression as a player. “He has done so much for (Watts),” Izzo said of Ahrens. “I appreciate (Ahrens) for not quitting on me and not quitting on himself.” I started this story on senior day, a day I never expected would be the last day of the season. “Leaders got to lead, and other people will follow,” Ahrens said. “We have to continue to prepare each and every one of these guys because in March you don’t get a second chance, it’s win or go home.” Little did he know there wouldn’t even be a chance in March. But that doesn’t eliminate the mentorship legacy that Ahrens left behind and the friendship he found in Watts.
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Provost finalists and what they have to offer MSU Wanda Blanchett
Antonio Tillis
Teresa Woodruff
Blanchett currently serves as the dean of the Graduate School of Education at Rutgers University, where she’s also a special advisor to the chancellor for academic affairs and a distinguished professor. Prior to her time at Rutgers University, Blanchett served as an educator at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, the University of Colorado Denver, University of WisconsinMilwaukee and Syracuse University. She has served in various roles as an educator since 1997, when she started as an assistant professor of special education, according to her 31-page curriculum vitae, or CV. Throughout her forum, she spoke about her experience in similar roles and what she plans to bring to the role at MSU. “Another vision that I have — that is no different from what I think you think of as well — and that’s an expansion of the research agenda,” Blanchett said. “You’re doing a great job in this area and you’ve actually seen a doubling of your research expenditures from $350 million in 2008 to $700 million in (fiscal year) 2018. But as I said in an earlier meeting, we can and we must do better.” She added that as the real cost of conducting research increases, more resources should be exhausted to offset the cost of conducting “lifechanging and impactful research.” When it came to diversity, equity and inclusion — an important topic to the university community and a question posed to all three candidates — she spoke about her experience in restructuring positions at Rutgers University to ensure people leading the push for diversity and inclusion had the proper authority needed to create changes. She also noted plans MSU laid out regarding diversity, equity and inclusion. “You’ve already begun to articulate a number of issues, certainly that you plan to implement in terms of policies and procedures,” she said. “I see my job as being the leader for championing those kinds of initiatives within academic units, nonacademic units and other areas that report to the provost’s office.” The candidates were also asked about how they would handle the changes the university is currently undergoing regarding COVID-19 and its lasting effect on students, as well as the possibility of greater technology use online. “It’s absolutely essential that we continue to recruit international students, it’s essential that our faculty continue to work all around the globe,” Blanchett said. “One of the things that I’ve been very impressed with is how scholars from all around the world are working together everyday now in a context they used to not work in as we seek solutions to the COVID-19 crisis, so globalization is here to stay. You’re already a global player, we can continue that and even expand it.”
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“I see my job as being the leader for championing (diversity, equity and inclusion) initiatives within academic units, nonacademic units and other areas that report to the provost’s office.”
“Recovery and healing is a lifelong process in the life of the institution, because unfortunately, these are not issues that will go away.”
“I think one of the things the incoming provost will want to do is make sure we assemble in ways that allow us to have those conversations that perhaps weren’t as easy to have when we were in different silos ...”
Houston, Tillis taught at multiple institutions, including the College of Charleston, Dartmouth College and Purdue University. His role as an educator in secondary education began at Purdue in 2000. Throughout his career, he has helped engage in strategic planning, fundraising and other university-wide initiatives. Tillis spoke about his experience in working toward diversity, equity and inclusion and how he would be able to assist MSU in advancing President Samuel L. Stanley Jr.’s strategic plan. “We created courses working with the dean of the college at the time ... where faculty, members of the staff came together, created these workshops for students and it worked beautifully, and actually, one of those courses became a part of the curriculum at Dartmouth College,” he said. “All of this to say that recovery and healing is a lifelong process in the life of the institution, because unfortunately, these are not issues that will go away.” Throughout his forum, Tillis spoke about his point of view on strategic planning and how they should best be used. “Strategic plans should be action items,” Tillis said. “These actions should be actionable, you should be able to timeline them from initiation to completion, and you should also be able to go back a few years to see whether or not those that were not completed, whether or not they’re still relevant relative to how the institution is moving forward.” He also said his experience at different universities could be a catalyst in the process. “I know that you all are in the midst of a second strategic planning initiative and you’ve already begun it with President Stanley,” he said. “My hope would be to come and to join those forces and to use the competencies and skills that I have acquired through strategic planning processes at multiple universities and to see how that can best assist in moving forward with strategic planning at Michigan State University.”
University since 1995, where she began as an associate professor in the Department of Medicine and the Department of Neurobiology and Physiology, according to her 56-page CV. During her forum, she spoke about her experience in research as well as in creating a council for The Graduate School to hear input and feedback from students, staff and faculty. The program was a part of a strategic planning initiative titled ‘Vision 2025’. “Vision 2025 provides a road map for the evolution of graduate education in five areas, including structural stability, well-being, representation, equity and a physical hub for graduate students,” she said. “My first priority was to create a new unit to coordinate external and internal communications to ensure that these actions had brought input and were as well socialized as possible.”
She also spoke about the importance of leadership and people using their positions to result in the best possible outcome. When it comes to the provost’s responsibility in terms of diversity, equity and inclusion, she says it’s up to them to help facilitate conversation and lead. “I think one of the things the incoming provost will want to do is make sure we assemble in ways that allow us to have those conversations that perhaps weren’t as easy to have when we were in different silos and different parking lots and had to move physically between each other,” she said. “In some ways there is a new opportunity to reset the conversation opportunity spectrum to have those essential conversations.” A decision regarding who will be chosen as MSU’s next provost is expected in either April or May, according to the university’s provost search website, which includes further search updates.
ANTONIO TILLIS
TERESA WOODRUFF
By Karly Graham kgraham@statenews.com Last week, the three finalists for Michigan State’s open provost and executive vice president for academic affairs position virtually visited MSU for forums to discuss why they might be the best candidate. The meetings were held from Monday to Wednesday with Wanda Blanchett, Antonio Tillis and Teresa Woodruff all visiting via Zoom to answer questions submitted by the MSU community. Each candidate brings a unique background and set of interests to the role, so here's what each can do for the community.
WANDA BLANCHETT
Tillis serves as the dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Houston where he is also a professor, according to his 14-page CV. Before bringing his work to the University of
The last finalist to be announced and to virtually visit campus, Woodruff is the dean of The Graduate School and associate provost for graduate education at Northwestern University. Woodruff has worked with Northwestern
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Essential workers keep things moving Photos by Annie Barker abarker@statenews.com While many are learning how to work from home, others working jobs designated as essential are still leaving their residences to serve their communities. From pharmacies to cafeterias to convenience stores, essential workers are on the frontlines of this crisis.
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Marathon Gas employee Meagan Pederson poses for a portrait on April 6.
Rite Aid Pharmacist Joe Laycock poses for a portrait on April 6.
Home Depot employee Marcedes Hernandez poses for a portrait on April 6. Employees allowed 50 patrons into the store at a time as they monitored entrances and exits.
Online classes pose challenges for STEM, arts majors By SaMya Overall soverall@statenews.com While adjusting to the sudden switch to online classes due to the COVID-19 pandemic, students and professors have realized the new learning platform poses unique difficulties across academic disciplines. Many of the courses, from biology labs to language courses, are now on the online video chatting platform Zoom, which many professors say currently provides the best alternative to in-person classes while still abiding by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s Stay Home, Stay Safe executive order. Arts and humanities students have struggled with actually benefiting from the classes now that they have transitioned online, theatre senior Sarah Davis said. “Overall, it’s been disappointing,” Davis said. “It’s been a letdown to end my college experience on this note because the majority of my classes — being a BFA in theatre — are performance-based. So, it’s been a big challenge to try to still get any sort of benefit from these classes and not just be doing them for the sake of getting the grade.” Davis said online learning makes it difficult for students in performancebased classes to complete projects. “We definitely miss a collaborative, supportive energy that we receive from 8
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our classmates,” Davis said. “That’s something that’s really nice about acting and performance-based classes, is if you experience a roadblock, you’re in a class with however many people who are probably experiencing the same exact thing.” For those learning a foreign language, moving to an online learning platform takes away a crucial part of the course — communication. “Languages rely on communicating with each other,” Matthew Kanefsky, basic language instruction coordinator for French, said. “Being in an online environment, you aren’t actually with each other. ... language courses, at least the way we (at MSU) teach them, are supposed to be communicative. It’s sort of an artificial environment when you’re staring into a computer screen.” For STEM majors, the online platform has made it difficult for students to get the necessary assistance from professors for science labs, freshman Tushya Mehta, who is studying biology and German, said. “It’s really hard to convert everything which is supposed to be done in the lab to an online version,” Mehta said. “Basically the struggles we’re facing is we’re being given artificial data, and analyzing those different data sets without actually doing anything and writing a report on them is really challenging right now. That’s the part THU R SDAY, A PR IL 9, 2020
we are all struggling with because the grades and the number of points and everything remains the same.” Students said they’re struggling with the lack of interaction with other students during online labs, since collaboration with lab groups is an important factor in the course. “I think one difficulty of not being in person anymore is not being able to interact with people in person, and talking to them in person for assignments,” computer science freshman Henry Xu said. “Even though we still have Piazza and a question/ answer form in Zoom, it’s not the same as that in-person feeling.” Transitioning STEM labs to an online format poses a challenge for professors, as they have to ensure students are getting quality learning. “I think the biggest difficulty for faculty, in terms of how to make this transition, is, obviously, that it was very abrupt,” Ryan Sweeder, associate professor in the Lyman Briggs College, said. “We already had in place what we were going to do for in-person labs and most of the things you would design for in-person labs don’t necessarily easily carry over. However, if we step back and really consider what the learning goals are for many of them, there may be other ways to achieve those same learning goals.” Though the online courses have their share of struggles, students and
instructors agree that there are some benefits as well. Xu said he believes the online classes allow STEM students to learn at their own pace, while Kanefsky said he thinks the online platform reduces the anxiety of foreign-language students who must practice their oral skills in front of their entire class. “There’s also a lot of advantages to having that sort of situation where you don’t have to necessarily have students sit there for an hour and listen to you,” Sweeder said. “One of the obvious things is that students’ attention spans waver quite a bit, and so the idea of moving to much smaller segments — rather than thinking that ‘Oh I have to record an hour of lecture’ ... might change to, ‘Hey, I need to provide three or five little snippets of lecture’ and then we’d have other activities ... I’ll then expect the students to do in between.” Additionally, the switch to online classes allows students and professors to gain new skills that can set them apart in the workplace. “An online class means you learn a new tool,” Philip Effiong, associate professor in the department of theatre, said. “You learn new resources. For instance ... the test that I was going to give in class, I have to give online. It’s slightly different because it’s a closedbook test. So how do you enforce that? You enforce that by restricting
the time. So ... the exposure to new tools, new resources and the new technology that’s out there that can be useful. Learning is — for me — is one of the major advantages.” Some classes have even altered their end-of-the-semester curriculum to allow students to contribute to this unprecedented time in an online, creative way, Mehta said. “We had to read a whole book this month and then we had to do these different projects,” Mehta said. “But the class decided, ‘Okay, we’re not going to do that because it’s going to be lots of pressure and really uncertain.’ Instead ... the whole class and all the different sections are coming together — around 70 or 80 people and three professors — and we’re all going to work toward a website on coronavirus.” Overall, the online classes will have different effects on different students and professors, depending on their major, familiarity with technology, and personal preferences. “I guess it’s better than not having any classes at all,” Davis said. “At least we’re not not having any classes. But in-person is how art is meant to be taught — directly to people. So it’s a learning curve.” Administration reporter Karly Graham contributed to the reporting of this article.