Mount Holyoke News AN INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1917 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2021
MOUNTHOLYOKENEWS.COM
Student residential staff share pandemic experiences BY REHAT THUSSU ’23 STAFF WRITER
Last fall, Residential Life adapted its student staff to fit the new pandemic setting of both Mount Holyoke’s remote and in-person communities. Employees, formerly senior community advisors and community advisors, are now known as resident fellows and community assistants. This change came with an adaptation in responsibility for ResLife employees. RFs and community assistants are now responsible for both cultivating community and enforcing the student compact, both integral to the success of Mount Holyoke’s COVID-19 reopening plan. The Mount Holyoke News spoke to four students about their experiences as ResLife staff on campus during the pandemic. One student requested anonymity. The interviews below have been edited and condensed for clarity. Maya Mauroof ’22, residential fellow for Brigham Hall Even though I had worked as an RF last fall, I was still nervous for spring since more people were moving to campus. The transition from fall to spring semester felt like doing the same job but on a bigger scale … with more residents on campus. I was the RF for Wilder Hall last semester, which was on duty rotation with Safford [Hall] (meaning every night I am on duty, I have to do rounds in both buildings); this semester, I moved to Brigham, which happens to be on rotation with Safford again, so I am still having to do rounds in Safford in addition to the building I live in. So not much has changed for me. Same role, same pay, just more residents. ResLife does an adequate job [of] making sure that all staff members know the existing policies and protocols through extensive training at the beginning of the year, along with continued practice exercises during our weekly staff meetings. However, I don’t think any amount of training can prepare us to deal with every possible scenario we might encounter on the job. No matter how many semesters or
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years someone might have spent working in ResLife, it is just not possible to be fully prepared to deal with COVID[-19]-related challenges because none of us have experienced doing this job during a global pandemic — not even the professional staff. Fortunately for us, we have the support of professional staff to guide us whenever we … feel lost, confused or need immediate assistance. Natty De Leon Urena ’23, community assistant for Brigham Hall There have been quite a few changes due to the pandemic, which ha[s] significantly changed the role. For example, we cannot hold in-person events, knock on people’s doors or interact a lot outside of a Zoom context. These changes are of course necessary, but they also kind of make my job harder as a community assistant trying to create a small community for my residents. I’d love to prepare events with the help of my fellow CAs and leave my door open for residents to come through to talk, but sadly that isn’t a possibility. I really hope that next semester, things are better and … we don’t need to have so many restrictions. ResLife did a fantastic job in training us for COVID[-19]-related challenges. We did a contact-tracing course training online, then had multiple Zoom sessions where we were able to ask questions on how to deal with COVID[-19]-related situations and where we also received specific orders on what course of action to follow in case of an outbreak. I feel quite prepared to tackle any issues, and we can always reach out to our supervisors for backup if needed. … I feel very prepared to work [i]n a situation like this. Jasna Budhathoki ’23, community assistant for Safford Hall ResLife has been preparing us well with handling difficult situations during COVID[-19]. I feel like my fall training has effectively taught me to handle policy violations during the pandemic. However, I do not feel anyone can be fully prepared during this unprecedented time, and we are learning new ways to tackle the situ-
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Photo by Trinity Kendrick ’21 The work of Residential Life staff has changed significantly since campus reopened to students in January.
When will you be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine? by the Massachusetts Department of Health based on recommendations from “community leaders, health and racial eqAs of Feb. 24, the commonwealth of uity experts” across the state. Each phase Massachusetts has begun COVID-19 vac- includes several groups of individuals, cination for select groups of “priority” which are organized based on an assessindividuals, according to the Massachu- ment of risk. setts Department of Health. The state will Currently, all individuals included in not begin vaccinatPhase 1 of the state’s ing college students vaccine rollout and and employees until Broadly, vaccine rollout in some groups of indiPhase 3 of vaccine Massachusetts has been di- viduals from Phase 2 rollout, slated to beare eligible to receive vided into three “phases” a COVID-19 vaccine. gin in April 2021. In an email sent by the Massachusetts De- These designated prito community mem- partment of Health based ority groups include inbers on Wednesday, dividuals over 65 years Feb. 17, Mount Holy- on recommendations from old, people with two oke stated that em- “community leaders, health or more certain health ployees “who are el- and racial equity experts” conditions classifying igible now have been them as “at increased across the state. supported to receive risk of severe illness their vaccination” from COVID-19,” health and referred students to state guidelines. care workers, first responders and staff It contained no other information on com- and residents in low-income senior housmunity eligibility for vaccination. ing, long-term care and congregate care Broadly, vaccine rollout in MassachuCONTINUED ON PAGE 4 u setts has been divided into three “phases” BY KATE TURNER ’21 NEWS EDITOR
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