The Lumberjack



Students Serving The Cal Poly Humboldt Campus and Community Since 1929

Tag: Asynchronous classes

  • Symptomatic and want to teach online? Steer clear of Cal Poly Humboldt

    by Liam Gywnn

    Dr. Christopher Aberson came into contact with COVID-19 the weekend before he was supposed to teach. He requested the school let him teach over zoom and his request was denied. The school would not let him switch his modality despite the Omicron surge and the numerous COVID-19 cases reported on campus.

    “I was told I was not authorized to change modality. After several emails, clarification came that I could not move online. I have symptoms. I am well enough to teach. Not allowed to,” said Dr. Aberson.

    Dr. Aberson is the Professor of Psychology at Cal Poly Humboldt and came into contact with the virus after one of his son’s friends tested positive. He claims that this issue is larger than his individual case.

    “My issue with the surge has and continues to be that faculty who agreed to teach in person are not being allowed to change to online. Faculty agreed to teach in person at times when it seemed we had gotten over the hump and were headed toward a better situation,” said Dr. Aberson in an email, he continued. “In both the fall and spring semesters, as I understand it, most requests to change to online were denied. Both semesters began during surges.”

    Dr. Aberson has been outspoken about a number of issues on campus and believes that could be playing into why he wasn’t allowed to teach online.

    “I have been outspoken about under-compensation of chair duties — it is a full-time job but during the summer and other off times, we are grossly under-compensated for our time. Also, campus safety and working conditions during both the delta and omicron surges,” said Dr. Aberson.

    The California Faculty Association (CFA) negotiated a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with campus administration regarding teaching during COVID-19. The document was signed by CFA and Cal Poly Humboldt management. Dr. Aberson presented a passage from the MOU that explicitly supports his position.

    “During the time that an employee may be waiting for an appointment or for testing results every effort should be made for them to be able to work remotely,” states the MOU.

    Prior to Dr. Aberson’s situation, the CFA had already made an official statement addressing the administration and their lack of leniency.

    “No faculty member should be forced to work in conditions that put themselves or their loved ones at risk, especially when there are alternatives,” states a press release provided by the CFA.

    CFA Humboldt president Loren Cannon still supports this idea and thinks the administration needs to be more flexible in situations like Dr. Aberson’s.

    “We have urged that Administration approve all such requests for temporary, or sometimes permanent change in modality,” said Cannon.

    Cannon acknowledges that for some cases transitioning to online can be difficult, however for many other classes transitioning online for a week or two is relatively easy.

    “I believe that at this time, as we still are not ‘in the clear’ of this incredible health crisis, we need to trust each other and make decisions that recognize the complexity of individual context,” said Cannon.

    Leadership has yet to make an official statement regarding the MOU breach and has also failed to respond to our request for an interview.

  • COVID-19 cheats the college system.

    COVID-19 cheats the college system.

    Asynchronous classes allow students flexibility at the cost of self-discipline.

    Following the disastrous transition to online learning, students returning this fall express concern about the quality of their college experience moving forward.

    Matthew Moretti is a botany major at Humboldt State University. Moretti took spring semester off after a particularly challenging fall but decided to return because he felt it was his only option in the pandemic.

    “If there’s any time to rush through the rest of college, I feel that online courses are in a way easier, even if they have their unique challenges to them,” Moretti said. “I think the asynchronous classes are particularly difficult and I need to have a lot more self-discipline than I think I have any other semester before.”

    Moretti’s biggest gripe with online learning is missing out on the practical knowledge that comes with the hands-on experience of lab classes. He’s delaying as many labs as possible, in hopes they’ll be held in-person in the near future. Unfortunately, Moretti couldn’t avoid taking an online entomology, study of insects, lab this semester.

    “We will not be able to collect or curate insects,” Moretti said. “Which I feel is a real disservice to really understanding the ins and outs of the insect properly. You lose a lot without being in person.”

    Chris Bignery, HSU wildlife major, plans to become a herpetologist, working with amphibians and reptiles. His online lab means missing out on educational field trips and important labs with species samples, but he couldn’t risk losing his spot.

    “It’s the class I’ve been waiting for, for three years,” Bignery said.

    Bignery came down from Oregon to live on campus this semester because he loves Humboldt’s redwood forests, beaches and small cities. Although claiming the county has everything he needs, Bignery described his life on campus this semester much more bleakly.

    “It’s like a prison,” Bignery said. “It’s very lonely.”

    Sara White, environmental studies major, enrolled in two classes that were moved online at the last minute. Regardless, she’s carrying a positive attitude into the semester.

    “Honestly, I’m really excited, I like all of my classes so far,” White said. “I mean, I wish that things were different obviously but I’m still happy to be here.”

    White was attending community college last semester and like other students was forced to convert to online learning mid-semester. Her only concerns are the three asynchronous classes she’s signed up for.

    “I feel like it’s a little bit harder to keep track of things,” White said. “I think that’s true of being online in general. It feels like things can get lost in the void.”

    Drake Woosley, HSU mathematics major, believes asynchronous classes are much more efficient because he doesn’t have access to an internet connection at home, so he has to walk to campus every time he has class. He feels, generally speaking, there’s a lot less being covered this semester than in normal circumstances and the tuition should reflect that.

    “It’s an online school, it shouldn’t be the same tuition. That’s kinda ridiculous,” Woosley said. “There’s almost nothing— no facilities are open. You’re not getting anything other than the accredited university online degree.”