April 23, 2020
Volume 101, Issue 12
West Haven, Conn.
THE
CHARGER BULLETIN
The student news source of the University of New Haven.
CONTINUING TO KEEP CAMPUS COMMUNIT Y INFORMED
We Want To Hear From You Story on pg. 3
Photo By Anna Downs/The Charger Bulletin
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April 23, 2020
B U L L E T I N B OA R D
Bulletin Briefs
The
Charger Bulletin
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300 Boston Post Road | West Haven, CT 06516
Centennial Events Postponed for Fall Semester
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Senior Day for Chargers Baseball
Page 8 A Grocery Store Worker’s Call to Action Amid COVID-19
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ChargerBulletin@newhaven.edu | www.ChargerBulletin.com office: 203.932.7182 | text: 203.909.0646 Our office is located on the second floor of 46 Ruden Street, Room 202.
Editor-in-Chief Anna Downs Managing Editor Corina Rodriguez Student Life Editor Jennifer Korn Sports Editor Zack Pincince Entertainment Editor Tiara Starks Opinion Editor Erin Cuomo Multimedia Editor Diana Perez Associate Editor for Photography Nicole Rivera Associate Editor for Graphic Design Seth Harrington Staff Writers Hannah Providence, Beth Beaudry, Lauren Fligg, Lyndsay Miller, Maddy Orcales, Rebecca Tatera, Amanda Castro, Gianna Scire, Earl Givan, Jada Clarke, Ariana Ferrante, Serena Piervincenzi Associate Editor for Videography Nathan Gagne Community Engagement Editor Victoria Cagley
Disney’s “Onward” Review
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* The Charger Bulletin staff strives for excellence and accuracy in writing and reporting. We recognize that mistakes may occur and encourage readers to notify the Bulletin if they feel a correction is necessary. Please email the Editor-in-Chief at chargerbulletin@newhaven.edu.
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Since 1938, The Charger Bulletin has been the official student news source of the University of New Haven. Advertising The Charger Bulletin ad rate sheets are available upon request or by calling 203.932.7182 or via email at CBBusiness@newhaven.edu. The Charger Bulletin reserves the right to refuse any advertisement. Advertisements within The Charger Bulletin are inserted by outside sources identified in the advertisements themselves and not by the University of New Haven. Advertising material printed herein is solely for informational purposes. For the most up-to-date information, visit www.ChargerBulletin.com/advertise. Letters to the Editor The submission deadline for letters to the editor is 5 p.m. on Friday for publication in Tuesday’s issue. Letters to the Editor are also published online the same day as the release of print issues. Letters should not exceed 300 words if they are to be considered for print publication. All submissions by outside writers to The Charger Bulletin, unless otherwise approved by the Editor-in-Chief, will be treated as letters to the editor. Letters to the Editor are published under the discretion of the Editor in Chief, and not every submitted letter will be published. The Charger Bulletin also reserves the right to withhold Letters to the Editor that are excessively vulgar or nonsensical, or do not meet our editorial standards. Letters can be sent via email to chargerBulletin@newhaven.edu and must contain the writer’s name and contact information for verification purposes. The opinions expressed in Letters to the Editor are of the authors themselves and not The Charger Bulletin.
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NEWS
Re-Cap of University Town Hall Recent Meeting BY HANNAH PROVIDENCE STAFF WRITER
“Y
ou guys are now mentoring the mentors and helping the faculty to be online and stay online as well as possible and we thank you for that,” President Kaplan says as he welcomes the students attending the University-wide Town Hall meeting on Wednesday, April 15. He also explains that universities worldwide, “from Gateway Community College straight up to Harvard”, are suffering a severe economic loss to refund students for room and board, employment, and summer arrangements. The University of New Haven is no exception, but Kaplan reinforces the fact that they are doing the best they can in these circumstances to support the students and faculty through this time. To help combat this, President Kaplan announced that faculty will face salary reductions and that the university is freezing retirement contributions. They have also furloughed staff who are unable to work from home, all of these employees are receiving full medical benefits and Kaplan says that around 94% are receiving the income they usually would if they were
working. After Kaplan’s remarks, the meeting allowed a Q&A session to a panel of administrative faculty to help answer some of the student’s questions. Here are the highlights: Q: Will students be reimbursed for room-and-board and meal plan tuition for the rest of the semester? A: Yes, the University is going through individual awards and billing statements and our intention is to make those credits out to students by the end of the month for meal and room expenses from this current semester Q: What is happening with seniors who are planning to graduate this semester? Will there be a commencement ceremony? A: The plan for seniors is to have a kind of electronic ceremony around normal commencement time, the execution of this has not been specified yet. There are also arrangements being made with Oakdale theater to have a commencement in person in the late summer. “Everything you would have in the May ceremony; you will have in the summer ceremony.” Kaplan says. This is pending CDC regulations. Q: What will happen with the SURF program? A: Faculty is working to determine which research projects
require University’s facilities on campus (like labs for science research) versus those that may not require it. Decisions will be made on a project-by-project basis and if a student is unable to perform their research because of the circumstances they will work with the student’s sponsor (faculty member) to find an alternative. Q: I still have items on campus, how will I be able to retrieve them? A: We estimate that around 40% of students still have items in their rooms, rest assured they are still there. We are working to outline a procedure where we can allow students to individually come back. However, local and state officials are not allowing this to occur at the moment. As soon as we are allowed to, there will be a procedure in place and if necessary, items will be secured in a storage facility. Q: How will the Pass/Fail procedure be executed and how will it appear on our transcripts? A: There is a form available on My Charger for you to fill out and indicate which courses if any, you would not like a letter grade to appear for. Pass/Fail will appear as a “P” for a pass and “U” or “Unsatisfactory” or fail. These will not produce any quality points and therefore will not impact your GPA in any
way. You will be able to submit a request for Pass/Fail for any or all of your courses and change your mind at any time up until May 5. Q: What will happen with SOAR Orientation Sessions and other summer activities like FLEX? A: Student Affairs and Admissions are working to plan a virtual SOAR for this summer with hopefully an early arrival in the Fall for incoming students to complete their onboarding experience. We will be offering three evening sessions as well as three weekend sessions. We are also working a plan to hold FLEX and other leadership programs virtually and on-ground. Our team is creating contingencies for both instances to ensure the best experience possible for our students. Q: How is the University working to ensure quality online learning and reduce the inclination of work overload? A: We have asked all of the instructors to avoid changing the time of any live lecture from the time it was scheduled. We also ask professors to not overload the students with too much work to replace live class-time. We are going to be engaging a leading national expert in how to develop and deliver high-quality online programs. Q: I am a College of Business senior and was not able to ful-
fill my PEP credit requirement completely, will this affect my graduation eligibility? A: Dean Kench has deemed that the PEP credits graduating seniors have already accumulated are satisfactory. There will be no further obligation to complete more PEP credits in order to graduate. Q: My internship was canceled because of this pandemic; how will I be accommodated? A: If necessary, we will waive the two experiential education graduation requirements. This will only be done under emergency circumstances; we value experiential education very highly but we will not let it be an impediment to someone being able to graduate. We are working with each department to try and find an alternative to field-work if this can help accommodate students as well. Q: Summer tuition bills are due in a month and my financial circumstances have changed considerably since the pandemic, will there be penalties for missing the deadline for payments? A: We encourage students to reach out to the Bursar’s office if there is an issue and we are more than willing to work with students on an individual basis if they need an extension.
Photo Courtsey of University of New Haven
April 23, 2020
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NEWS
Centennial Events Postponed for Fall Semester BY CORINA RODRIGUEZ MANAGING EDITOR
2
020 marked the University of New Haven’s centennial year, which meant a year of celebration. However, COVID-19 had a plan of its own, and events scheduled for the spring have been postponed or performed virtually. “One of the things we are working hard to do is to recreate that sense of community we had when we all walked around campus and had that personal connection with one another,” said Stephen Morin, vice president for university advancement. “It is hard not to have this, especially on top of the anxiety
we are experiencing with isolating ourselves.” On April 7, the university emailed a video unveiling the new Charger Horse Statue. The video included an opening narration by Class of 2020 president Christina Genovese, and shows the installation of the bronze horse located next to the David A. Beckerman Recreation Center. “The creation of this statue was a long time coming, and it started with student ideas about creating traditions and a donation by the UNH Alumni Association,” said Morin. “The installation timing had been planned for many months, and we wish we could have all been there in person.” Morin also said that other events have been postponed for
the fall. The grand opening of the Bergami Center for Science, Technology, and Innovation has been rescheduled for Aug. 25, the Centennial Ball will be on Oct. 24, and Homecoming is scheduled for Nov. 7. “The events that we had planned, from the Centennial Ball, to the grand opening of the Bergami Center, to Founder’s Day, to commencement, were all designed to foster that sense of coming together and celebrating our centennial year,” said Morin. “Where we are now all living virtually, our goal is to create that same sense of community in that space for the spring and summer.” Morin said that information regarding other events will be shared in the upcoming weeks.
A flyer shared on U. New Haven’s social media more information to come. Photo Courtesy of University of New Haven
What Connecticut Prisons Are Doing About the Spread of COVID-19 BY AMANDA M. CASTRO STAFF WRITER
F
ollowing protests
outside Connecticut Gov. Ned
inmates tested negative, and 35 who tested positive for
institutions.
Martucci also said the DOC has
As for what is being done to
Since COVID-19 first hit
resorted to using extra spaces
protect inmates, the DOC says
COVID-19 were “transferred to
Connecticut, more than 700
within the system created in
in the FAQ, “Offenders continue
an isolation unit at the Northern
prisoners have been released,
recent years by a shrinking pop-
to have access to health care.
Correctional Institution” on
DOC spokeswoman Karen Mar-
ulation to transfer prisoners and
All fees associated with health
Wednesday.
tucci said in a press conference
disperse them where possible to
services appointments have
“This decision is in line with
Monday. The exact number of
minimize the spread of the virus
been suspended to ensure ample
Lamont’s residence over his
the Centers for Disease Control
prisoners released, however, is
within the state’s prison system.
treatment is provided at no
decision to not release prisoners
and Prevention (CDC) guidance
unknown.
amid the global coronavirus
for correctional and detention
pandemic, 700 prisoners were
facilities,” said a DOC press
released from state correctional facilities. According to Connecticut’s
“I would not classify our
cost to offenders. Operational
up a COVID-19 FAQ with 15
procedures have been modified
efforts as a mass release, how-
questions and answers regarding
to limit movement within the fa-
release, “which recommends
ever,” said DOC Commissioner
what the prison is doing about
cility without compromising the
establishing medical isolation
Rollin Cook in the conference,
the outbreak.
daily needs of the offenders.”
units where positive COVID-19
“the early focused attention on
Department of Corrections
patients are managed in cells
releases is evident.”
(DOC) website, 52 staff mem-
with solid walls and solid doors
bers along with 46 inmates in
that close fully.”
prisons across the state have
The DOC website has also set
All of the inmates let go were already eligible for an early
The Northern facility, ac-
release, but in the face of the
tested positive for COVID-19.
cording to the release, has a
pandemic, the DOC chose to
Also, 124 inmates were tested
ventilation system similar to
quicken the process.
for the virus. Fifteen of those
those in hospitals and medical
April 23, 2020
BY ZACK PINCINCE SPORTS EDITOR
T
SENIOR BASEBALL
Page 6
his week’s Senior Day will focus on the baseball team. This group of seniors was one of the most successful classes to come
through the University of New Haven. In their freshman year, they won the conference tournament, and then followed it up their sophomore year by being ranked as high as #7 in the country with 39 wins in the season, the most in program history.
April 23, 2020
SENIOR BASEBALL
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April 23, 2020
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S T U D E N T L I F E Perspective: A Grocery Store Worker’s Call to Action Amid COVID-19 BY JENNIFER KORN STUDENT LIFE EDITOR
I
want to start by saying it
is a miracle that neither I nor anyone in my family has gotten
ers who have worn masks and
the people who handle your
gloves even before it became
food.
law in New York. You are not
I cannot believe I am writing
And although I am not a nurse,
Please be aware of your
I can tell you that if you eat
essential workers. I am lucky
chips with your gloved hands
to be working toward a college
only protecting yourselves,
this, but if you have COVID-19,
after paying me with cash, there
degree, but most of the people
but you are protecting me, my
or if someone in your household
is no point in wearing gloves.
in this field depend on their
coworkers, and everyone I ring
has the virus, do not come to
Please understand that while
low pay to get by. They cannot
up at the register.
my store. Don’t even request a
gloves offer a barrier of pro-
afford to get sick. If they even
curbside pickup. Call a friend.
tection, you must be aware of
have health insurance, it likely
But I need your help. Please
sick. During this pandemic, my
stop leaving your gloves on
Customers who have been open
everything you touch. So many
isn’t great. Keeping your dis-
father is a healthcare worker,
the floor, in carts, and in our
about their situations make me
of us touch our phones with our
tance and only shopping when
and I work at a small grocery
parking lot. Not only is it disre-
worry even more about those
gloves. Then we answer calls
it’s necessary will help protect
store.
spectful, but it also endangers
who are not. I am speaking for
and press our contaminated
them, and we must all help each
us. It is not my job to pick up
myself and all of the customers
phones into our faces. Gloves
other right now.
contact with hundreds of people.
your contaminated PPE. You are
I serve, especially those who are
will not save you unless you are
Thank you to all of the custom-
breaking the law and exposing
high-risk. Do not endanger us.
careful.
Almost every day, I come into
April 23, 2020
STUDENT LIFE
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Erin Amato: Reflecting on Impact of Coronavirus BY ERIN AMATO STUDENT FEATURE
I
t feels like just yesterday I was sitting in my Foundations of EMS class at 6 pm on a Wednesday, looking at a website that displayed the world map with a little red circle over parts of China. This circle resembled the people affected by this new virus that no one knew much about besides its name: coronavirus. Every week in class we would recheck the map to see how much it grew. I recall looking at the numbers and thinking it would never reach us here in the United States. Little did I know that in weeks to come, schools would shut down, I would be forced to move out of my dorm, and businesses and places ranging from gyms to movie theaters would be closed. But fast forward to the present day and here we are, and the lives of millions of Americans have changed drastically in a matter of weeks. At first, when I found out the virus reached the U.S., I was surprised but I didn’t think too much of it. Then the numbers continued to grow. It was the new talk, social media, news, articles, etc. Coronavirus was posted and talked about everywhere. As the numbers grew, things really started to change. The week right before spring break, I was getting excited to go home. If I knew what was about to happen, I wouldn’t have wished for it to come so soon. I lived in Bergami Hall and I remember walking out of my
dorm with my roommates to see the room right across the hall being extensively cleaned by people in what looked to be full hazmat suits. We were friends with the girls who lived there, so we asked them what was going on and they told us their suitemate had been sick and had possibly encountered someone that tested positive for the virus. This news brought so many questions and lots of confusion. Not only did I not think the virus would come to America, but no way in the world did I think it could be as close as it was. Ironically enough, an hour or so later we got an email from the school saying we were going to depart campus a week early for spring break and everyone in my room was excited about it. We now had two weeks of spring break and two extra days. While we were excited about going home, no one knew what the future held. My roommate and her boyfriend had a trip to Disney planned over spring break; little did they know it would be canceled because Disney would close. No one knew that would be our last time in our room, nor that it was our last time seeing each other face to face. I packed only the essentials for two weeks, not knowing the next time I would be in my room would be to move everything out. Watching the President and Connecticut’s governor talk about this virus was eye-opening. Life changed for everyone and quarantine became a thing. My older sister’s school closed down, so she was home, as was my younger sister who is still in high school. The talk of online
classes became a big discussion. When I found out UNH would remain closed for the rest of the semester I was in shock and upset about it, considering I knew I would not be returning next semester. I didn’t know everything I did would be my last. My last walk to all my classes. My last class with all my classmates and professors. My last time going to the Rec Center. My last time studying in the library. My last time eating in the dining hall. And there was absolutely nothing I could do about it, it was just what it was. Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, people have been told to social distance and stay home. I have been staying home slaving over school work for most of the day while taking breaks and taking walks with my sisters and dog to stay active. While I have days like those, I also have days where I wake up early and go to work for 7 am in a grocery store, the “best” place to be during a pandemic. I can truly say I feel like I’ve seen it all working at a grocery store. The fights over toilet paper, the restrictions placed on certain products in high demand, the customers and workers always in masks and gloves. I’ve watched the laws come into effect. When the screens were placed in front of the registers. I’ve seen the lines grow at the door because there is now a restriction on how many people can be in the store at a time. Tape on the floor now marks where to stand, and tape in the aisles marks which direction to
walk in each aisle, and constant announcements boom over the loudspeakers reminding people to do their part and stay six feet apart. The store adopted new hours, opening early for the seniors and high-risk patients on top of closing two hours early. The bags that were once ten cents now free to customers, while reusable bags are discouraged due to the possibility of carrying the virus. It is also interesting to see the different kinds of people. Those who come in wearing full masks, gloves, glasses, hoods while staying the true six feet apart and then seeing those wearing normal attire with no safety precautions taken. I can see people are trying hard to stop the spread of the virus through all these acts, but it still amazes me to see all the people who come into the store. Personally, I feel like the grocery store is more packed than before and I believe it is that way because people are scared to lose their freedom. People who most likely don’t even need anything will come out anyway just to get out of the house. They want to feel like they can still go somewhere and not feel completely trapped. This is the new normal. The worst part is, nobody knows for how long. It is crazy to think about how and when we are going to overcome this. So many questions, so many thoughts, and so few answers. Not knowing if someone you love will get it, or if someone you just encountered had it and doesn’t know. It’s scary to think about the ways you can get the virus. It
seems so easy, but at the same time so little is known about it. I just hope this is over soon so life can get back to normal, things can open back up, and events won’t continue to be delayed or canceled. I question if going back to normal will even feel like it once did before this life-changing pandemic. I always wonder what people are going to say about this in the future and what people are going to tell our kids years from now about this crazy time that no one knew was coming. As this continues to progress, I can only say I wish everyone well and I hope everyone is able to entertain themselves and enjoy life to the fullest even in quarantine. Sometimes getting outside on a nice sunny day is all you need, or maybe even just binge-watching a Netflix series and wearing comfy clothes all day because why the hell not. Let’s just take a minute to be thankful for what we do have and make the best of this crazy time. Erin Amato, ’23, is a paramedicine major at the University of New Haven’s School of Health Sciences and from Oxford, Connecticut. This piece is part of the “Caught in the Pandemic” project in collaboration with the Principles of Communication course taught by Health Administration and Policy professor, Alvin Tran, ScD, MPH.
October April 23, 16, 2020 2018
www.ChargerBulletin.com
E N T ESRTA I NSM E N T P O RT
Page 11 13
Disney’s “Onward” Review Ambient Playlist
P
ixar’s newest adventure, “Onward,” was originally scheduled for a theatrical release but following the closure of theaters across the country because of the pandemic, Disney has called an audible and the animated film has landed on Disney Plus. In this new venture, Pixar depicts a world in which mythical creatures have left magic behind in favor of technological advancements that parody our society. The film follows Ian, voiced by Tom Holland, a teenage elf on his 16th birthday, who along with his brother Barley, voiced by Chris Pratt, receive a magical gift from their late father that will allow them to see him again for one day. Unfortunately, the spell fails halfway through and they are left with a literal half of their dad, the lower half, loafers, dress pants and nothing more. Now Ian and Barley must go on a quest to complete the spell before the day ends. It’s a search for magic in a world where magic is now obsolete. Unlike most of Pixar’s work, what makes Onward interesting is that the characters are rather mundane while the world itself is what breathes life into the film. The film merges Dungeons & Dragons like fantasy with elements of our own dull reality to playfully create a story of the rise of tech and the fall of magic. Unicorns fighting each other for garbage like vicious street rats, pixies forming threatening biker gangs, The Manticore,
BY EARL GIVAN STAFF WRITER played by Octavia Spencer, turns her foreboding tavern into an imitation of family restaurant arcades like Chuck E Cheese’s. These outlandish fusions flash the confident creativity of Pixar. The ideas work because they dive headfirst into them without pulling any punches. Sights like one of the pixie bikers breaking a glass bottle to make a bottle shank, or The Manticore handing out crayons and paper placemats worked to sell these gags as full packages. Although there is much to be said about the world in which this takes place, the character work is where Onward begins to show some of its holes. The characters are extremely ordinary, but this is not where the problem lies. Ian has normality, which is part of what makes him likable. His struggles with confidence, making friends, learning to drive, and the need for a father figure are classic struggles of the stereotypical American teen, and can be related to by viewers who have, will or are struggling with the same thing. Ian’s older brother Barley is the stereotypical mythical fantasy geek but is a breath of fresh air displaying mannerisms commonly associated with younger siblings despite being the eldest. His unshaken belief in magic, extreme positivity, never-ending enthusiasm, and love for his brother comes across as sometimes childish, but always wholesome. Seeing a pair of siblings who are not at odds with each other is unusual for animated films and was a
BY KEN FABIAN welcome change of pace. However, beyond this, Pixar fails to do much more with the characters. The brother’s mother Laurel, played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus, has a wonderful dynamic with Olivia Spencer’s Manticore, but their scenes never truly feel necessary in the grand scheme of things compared to the journey of the two brothers. In all of Pixar’s most successful outings, the characters find themselves face to face with some very hard-hitting real-life conflicts and have to settle on a compromise. Leaving a friend and possibly never seeing them again, the loss of a loved one, realizing that a dream you have is impossible, acknowledging that one day everyone will be forgotten, Pixar has tackled some heavy topics with a gusto that has left even some of the hardest adult hearts in tears. Unfortunately, that same vigor that we have come to expect from the studio isn’t found this time around. Onward boasts some of Pixar’s strongest storytelling and visuals but unfortunately, it feels as though the storytelling was pumped into the world rather than the characters. It’s a fun film and you root for its characters all the way to the end, but the lack of one of Pixar’s hard to swallow conflicts leaves the film tasting a bit like decaf coffee. Tasty, enjoyable, but not with the strength you were looking for.
STAFF WRITER
I
n a time where everything feels still and overwhelming at the same time, finding a quiet place mentally can be a struggle. Whether for meditation, sleep, or studying, ambient music can help bring it all together. While some might not recognize it as music, there is a beauty that comes with the patience of Ambient. “1/1” – Brian Eno From the iconic album “Ambient 1: Music for Airports,” which coined the term “Ambient” and created the genre, 1/1 was the song that started it all. This long-form track didn’t revolutionize the genre -- it set the standard. “FEEL” – Hiroshi Yoshimura Using the phrase “Environmental Music” as opposed to ambient, Hiroshi Yoshimura is known for being a pioneer for ambient music in Japan. He is known for his musical soundscapes and textures, with this track in particular almost glistening to the listener. “#3” – Aphex Twin Aphex Twin’s 1994 record “Selected Ambient Works Volume II” is only one of his many works throughout his prolific career. Unlike his more overwhelming and electrifying work, this track is like many others off this album: mysterious yet calming. “Poa Alpina” – Biosphere This track sounds somewhat cinematic, with an ominous spacey boom consistent throughout it. Biosphere’s dreamy strings carry the listener through this track like flowing water. “Postscript” – Bowery Electric Sitting at nearly 17 minutes long, this track shows a more dronebased approach to ambient music. Shimmering sounds throughout this song imitate the feeling of the sun beating through the windows on a lovely afternoon. “Nami” – Meitei With crashing waves and other water samples, this song gives a peaceful and relaxing soundscape, all pulled together by a consistent pulse. “I’m Every Sparkly Woman” – Ana Roxanne “I’m Every Sparkling Woman” is more unique than the other songs in this playlist because of its usage of vocal samples and singing throughout. Ana Roxanne’s voice soars through the track. “Farewell Fire – Boards of Canada” With an almost hymnal chord progression, this song brings instant peace to the listener. With a somewhat retro synthesizer being the basis of the track, its heavenly chords ring out for what seems like forever. “An Arc Of Doves” – Brian Eno & Harold Budd With the title “An Arc Of Doves” comes a vivid image, and the track itself delivers the same image. Harold Budd, a pianist and frequent collaborator with Brian Eno, plays beautiful chords seemingly out of tempo, accompanied by Eno’s warm synths beneath it.
April 23, 2020
Page 10
OPINION
How to Make it Through Quarantine: A Guide BY AMANDA M. CASTRO CONTRIBUTING WRITER
W
hile the global COVID-19 pandemic continues, public health authorities are crediting social distancing and self-quarantining with keeping infection rates lower than predicted. Most non-essential public places are closed, including schools, universities, and movie theaters. Staying home can be crazy-making, but there are a lot of ways to keep busy at home. 1.) Go online shopping: According to a New York Times article, online orders have been surging. For now, this is the new normal, but disinfecting packages is important as the virus can remain on surfaces for up to 24
hours. 2.) Get into new shows: There is no time like the present to start watching new shows. According to the New York Times, “Unorthodox,” “I Am Not Okay With This,” “Gentefied,” and “Grace and Frankie” are among the best shows to watch on Netflix, and “Diary of a Future President,” “The Mandalorian,” “Gravity Falls,” and “Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made” are some of the best shows to stream on Disney Plus right now. Grab some popcorn and get to watching. Time isn’t going anywhere. 3.) Connect with others virtually: With video chatting, conferencing services and apps like Zoom, Skype, and FaceTime, virtually communicating with friends and family members is easier than ever before. Without being able to go to the movies or to the park, Netflix Parties
Photo Courtesy of Creative Commons
are the next best option. And if viewers don’t like the selections on Netflix and would rather watch something on Disney or Hulu, they can simply enable the screen sharing feature on Zoom to be able to watch shows or movies together. A Republic World article explains how to enable the feature. 4.) Pull pranks on family members: Right now, people want to be entertained. Users of the social media platform TikTok are constantly sharing
pranks they pull on friends and family members, from chewing on spaghetti to mimic the cracking of bones, to having a loved one line their face up with a bottle of water to only have it squeezed in their face. Take a note from TikTok and have a laugh. As for students, the University of New Haven is offering virtual activities. With the university’s closure, many clubs and organizations have gone virtual, such as Charger Recreation
with video game tournaments, virtual GroupX, Plato App tournaments, and virtual viewing parties. The Center for Student Engagement, Leadership, and Orientation is also offering virtual activities such as trivia nights, virtual Pictionary, and virtual scavenger hunts. For more information or questions, send them an email at cselo@ newhaven.edu.
Disparity in Remote Teaching Styles and Learning BY LINDSAY GUILD CONTRIBUTING WRITER
A
common trend I have observed over these first few weeks of online classes is the increase in the amount of assignments students receive. Obviously, not all courses can be taught the same way online as in person, but is it fair to give students multiple assignments for one chapter they told to read and review on their own? In some classes, many assignments are being given, with little to no instruction.That leaves students more in the dark than ever. We
may all be stuck in quarantine, but schoolwork should not be the only thing consuming our days. Plenty of students think the transition to online learning went well, while others disagree. They worry that information is not being retained through online teaching. With face-to-face learning, you can come early or stay after to ask questions. You are able to take notes during a PowerPoint presentation or take pictures of the slides. Not all professors understand and utilize Blackboard or Zoom to give assignments or meet as a class. When transitioning to online courses, some students received
updated syllabi, new folders on Blackboard filled with the content for the rest of the semester, and a set schedule of due dates and assignments for the remainder of the semester. For other courses, if you didn’t think you needed your textbook before, you may need it now. This can be frustrating for students who rely on visuals,
like PowerPoints, and in-depth explanations. While the teaching styles vary during this transition, one thing we can agree on is this is not an ideal situation for anyone. Teaching a course online that is meant to be held in person is difficult, especially for the labs and courses that require materials students do not have
access to at home. Many are still adjusting and trying to find what works best for themselves and their new schedule. If students don’t feel they are getting what they should be out of a course, it’s important to let instructors know, because unless you do, nothing will change.