The Lumberjack



Students Serving The Cal Poly Humboldt Campus and Community Since 1929

Tag: cover-19

  • Letter to the Editor: This Bus Driver Misses Students and Faculty

    Letter to the Editor: This Bus Driver Misses Students and Faculty

    A note from a local bus driver longing for a crowded bus again


    This is a letter to The Lumberjack from local bus driver Mark Condes. The letter has been edited only for grammar and punctuation.

    I drive a bus around Arcata, California. I frequent the Library Circle and the 14th Street & B intersection. Lately, on very infrequent occasions, I drop off an HSU student at one or the other. But this has been dwindling down to rare moments. I’m writing this because I just wanted to say that I miss all the students and faculty who have been my passengers for over a year now.
    .
    I miss making the rounds on LK Wood down to Camp Curtis, rolling out to Sunny Brae for my three stops there, the long drive down to Greenview Market to pick up the handful of students and a professor in that little corner of Arcata, and out to the Valley West loop where we scoop up the largest busload of students along Alliance and Foster streets, packing them in like sardines, as we like to say, with a call out to the back of the bus, “Do we have room for just ONE more?”
    .
    I’m a lucky person lately because I’m still working, still driving all over town. During these times, we only run what’s called the ‘Orange’ route. No more Red, no more Gold, just a mashup of both.
    .
    Truth be told, I feel a bit unlucky also. While we still pickup a handful of Townies going about their ‘Essential Needs’ business, nothing replaces all the bustling energy, the fantastic smiles, the mix of voices of my student riders.
    .
    I suppose I’m getting to the point, or heart, of the matter… ‘My’ student riders.
    Maybe I’m just a softie. I know I’m not some old lonely guy grasping at any human interaction, desperate for some validity that I still exist and matter. But yeah, I suppose I’ve formed an attachment at some level. Perhaps it’s a mix of all things that make me who I am, that have allowed me to feel some level of connection with the younger people heading off to HSU and their open road to the future.
    I have had the pleasure of watching my own kid go through the same process and life experience of college, and that was just a few years ago. I’m sure there’s a relationship here also.
    .
    While I ride around, one large circle each hour… hour-after-hour, I will often feel that tinge of loss, that nudge of sadness as I reflect on how alive this lumbering conveyance once felt, and now how hollow and empty it’s become.
    And then there’s that other factor, an anomaly I hope… the separation of driver from passengers via a vinyl wall. So impersonal, a clear Berlin Wall, if I may.
    .
    As I arrive at each stop, in particular the ones where I would pick up students, I still pause while glancing out in the distance. I find myself looking for those waving arms, that transition from a walk to a full-bore run, as a student realizes they may miss their bus ride to school. I grew to know a number of them well enough that I could only grin and patiently wait for them to arrive, panting, fumbling for their student ID to swipe once they clambered up inside. 
    .
    I realize school will return to business in the future, and students will once again ride the bus. Yet, as with so many derailed aspects of our lives currently, there’s no firm date on when that will take place.
    .
    So I drive. I still take in those sweeping views as I top Union Street on my way to the Parkway Apartments, coax the bus up steep grades, and round the circle at the HSU Library. And when I pick up a familiar student, I still take off my sunglasses, pull down my mask, and with a smile call out through my plastic membrane, “Good Morning!”
    .
    From time-to-time as I roll through town, I catch a glimpse of a former, frequent student rider or professor, who no longer rides the bus. 
    In those transitory moments, we may glance each other’s way at just the right instant. As recognition unfolds, so do the smiles, the nods, the waving of the hands, and I am granted a brief respite from the isolation imposed upon me by this COVID-19 experience.
    .
    While I am grateful to still be working, still driving, I am even more grateful for all the friendly smiles, the greetings, the eye-rolls, headshakes, and laughter over my bad jokes and puns, that I experienced these past semesters. I wonder how ‘My’ students are doing, how they are faring during these trying times… I care.
    .
    I look forward to life resuming in a more normal manner, and the days of a busload of students once again bringing their energy, excitement, and friendliness through the doors.
    I honk and wave whenever I see students in graduation caps and gowns getting their pictures taken by the gates of the university. I shake off that bit of sadness and drive on.

  • HSU Health Center Remains Open

    HSU Health Center Remains Open

    Students on campus can still reach out to medical services

    The Humboldt State University campus is closed to the public, but the Student Health Center expects to remain open for the remainder of the semester to help any students remaining on campus. The health center is limiting face-to-face contact as much as possible, but is still helping students without physical appointments when possible.

    “We’re doing everything we can to help minimize the risk of exposure for students and Student Health and Counseling staff by limiting as much face-to-face contact as possible,” HSU Director of News and Information Aileen Yoo said. “For emotional support, for instance, students can talk to a CAPS counselor over the phone and, in most cases, if preferred, Zoom.”

    The Health Center is still offering other essential services like prescription refills and COVID-19 testing.

    “For those who are sick or suspect they have COVID-19, we have urged them to call before visiting the health center,” Yoo said. “When it comes to COVID-19, our main focus is assessing the student and collecting swab samples if we think that’s necessary.”

    “It is normal to have ebbs and flows with your mood and productivity levels but if you get “stuck” in a dark space for an uncomfortably long time, consider reaching out to get help such as from a counselor at CAPS.”

    Jennifer Sanford, director of Counseling and Psychological Services and associate director of student health and wellbeing

    The Health Center set up white triage tents in front of the building to help students check in and get assessed. If a student tests positive for COVID-19, the Health Center will work with county health services to make sure the student gets the treatment they need.

    During a pandemic, the disease itself isn’t the only medical problem facing students. The Center for Disease Control warns the stress of a pandemic can cause or worsen mental health problems, and recommends calling a health care provider if symptoms persist.

    The Director of Counseling and Psychological Services and Associate Director of Student Health and Wellbeing Jennifer Sanford asked students to consider reaching out to Counseling and Psychological Services if they feel their mental health is deteriorating.

    “Pay attention to how your thoughts and attitudes in any given moment are impacting your mood and overall wellbeing,” Sanford said. “Talk with others, connect. It is normal to have ebbs and flows with your mood and productivity levels but if you get “stuck” in a dark space for an uncomfortably long time, consider reaching out to get help such as from a counselor at CAPS.”

    Sanford said that this can be an uncertain time, but it’s important to see social distancing as community care.

    “The reality is that in our physical distancing, we are displaying compassion and care for our elderly and medically compromised,” Sanford said. “We are allowing our healthcare system to better manage the flow and care of patients, and we are caring for ourselves by lessening our own risk.”

  • With Future Unknown Amid Pandemic, HSU Plans for Enrollment Drops and Budget Cuts

    With Future Unknown Amid Pandemic, HSU Plans for Enrollment Drops and Budget Cuts

    HSU, like all colleges, prepares for tough times and serious measures

    Humboldt State University is preparing for an enrollment drop of around 20% for the fall and a budget cut of around $20 million by the 2022 fiscal year, according to a joint press release from HSU and College of the Redwoods.

    Before the COVID-19 pandemic, HSU projected an enrollment drop for total students of around 14% for the fall and had proposed a budget cut of around $5.4 million by the 2022 fiscal year. 

    Given the uncertainty of the next year, HSU is planning for an even larger enrollment decline and budget cut. HSU currently projects new student enrollment to drop by 30%. The specifics of what the budget cuts will mean are still being worked out.

    “Many options are being looked at, including combinations of a hiring chill, spending freeze, operational changes, incentives for retirements, travel reductions, and more,” the press release said.

    In a Zoom interview, HSU Vice President of Enrollment Management Jason Meriwether said a worst case scenario projection might be only 500 new students and 500 transfer students admitted to HSU in the fall. 

    These numbers, to be clear, are projections. No one knows exactly how the next year will play out. Meriwether hoped HSU could keep enrollment and retention as high as possible.

    “The sad part is, I don’t know,” Meriwether said. “There’s no benchmark. There’s nothing to project against. We could be doing all this and, you know, 1400 students show up—which would be wonderful.”

    HSU is not alone. As noted in Meriwether’s Tuesday enrollment management report to the HSU Senate, colleges everywhere are facing enrollment drops amid the pandemic. The report cited articles from Forbes and the Associated Press along with some early data suggesting one out of every six college-bound students won’t attend college in the fall.

    With education expected to shift to a more local focus, Meriwether pointed out that HSU already shifted to local recruitment in the last year with measures like the Humboldt First Scholarship.

    Compared to an average of about 32 local students attending HSU per year in the last three years, HSU currently has 208 local students confirmed to attend HSU in the fall with the Humboldt First Scholarship. 

    “The good news is we’re not starting local recruitment today because there’s a problem,” Meriwether said. “That’s the best part of all this—is that we already have a really solid foundation that we built in the community over the last eight or nine months.” 

    The enrollment management report includes a graph of enrollment scenarios, with red lines for lower enrollment scenarios and a blue line for a growth scenario. Meriwether hoped for HSU to remain close to the blue line.

    “Essentially, pray we get as close to the blue line as possible,” he said. 

    Meriwether pointed out that, since COVID-19 has hit everywhere, current students might not have much reason to transfer. If classes are still online in the fall at HSU, they will presumably be online everywhere. 

    “Let’s say a student says, ‘OK, well, you know, I want to transfer because I didn’t want this experience,’” he said. “OK. Well, the question will be, ‘What school are you going to transfer to?’ Because every school is stuck in this scenario right now.”

    Nevertheless, the pandemic will likely temporarily derail HSU’s efforts to improve enrollment. 

    “Long term, you know, prior to COVID-19, prior to this hit, we had a plan of getting to an FTE of 7600 students [full-time students] in about four years,” he said. “So now, what if the COVID-19 environment says, well, gosh, it can make us take eight years to get there.”

    Meriwether was optimistic that eventually, HSU would get through this.

    “I believe that we will bounce back, and I believe we will bounce back strong if the hit is really bad,” he said. “This is a marathon. Enrollment is a marathon.”

  • Updated: HSU Suspends Classes After Spring Break, Also Cancels Sports and Large Events

    Updated: HSU Suspends Classes After Spring Break, Also Cancels Sports and Large Events

    Classes will be taught remotely starting March 26

    Latest press release from HSU:

    • All classes are canceled on March 23-25.
    • Classes will be taught in alternative modes starting March 26 to April 17.
    • The campus will remain open and all student services will be available.

    Humboldt State University will suspend face-to-face instruction and move to alternative modes of instruction on March 26. This will follow the regularly scheduled Spring Break and an extended three-day faculty preparation and development period (March 23-25) during which instruction is canceled. Based on the parameters set forth by the CSU system, this suspension of face-to-face instruction is temporary and currently scheduled to remain in place through April 17. 

    The schedule and agendas for three days (March 23-25) of mandatory faculty preparation and development is forthcoming. Lecturer faculty will receive a stipend for participation. 

    The schedule and agendas for three days (March 23-25) of mandatory faculty preparation and development is forthcoming. Lecturer faculty will receive a stipend for participation. 

    Alternative modes of instruction will include use of Canvas, Zoom, and other instructional technologies. For more information on preparing to use alternative modes of instruction please see the Keep Teaching website. 

    Students: Please look for email and Canvas-based communications from your instructors about plans for individual courses. Please also see the FAQ page on the HSU COVID-19 web page: https://covid19.humboldt.edu/faqs for general information. 

    The decision is intended to mitigate spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), and is based on current guidelines from the CSU system, Office of the Governor, as well as local and state health officials. It was made following consultation and meetings of the academic department Chairs, Deans, Provost and Chair of the University Senate. 

    The decision was not made lightly. The goal of these changes is to minimize the need to gather in large groups or spend prolonged time in close proximity in spaces such as classrooms.

    The University remains open. Residence halls, dining, student support services, health, counseling, disability services and other related offices remain fully available in support of all students. Students who need computers, Wi-Fi, or other technological support can continue to use the Library and computer lab spaces on campus. A social distancing policy is likely to be in place on campus following Spring Break. More information on HSU’s social distancing policy is forthcoming. All staff are expected to report to work. Student employees should return to their normal work as scheduled following Spring Break unless alternative arrangements are made with their supervisors.

    There is currently no community spread of COVID-19 in Humboldt County. There have been no cases of COVID-19 on campus. Because information about the virus is changing rapidly, please check your humboldt.edu email and HSU’s COVID-19 websitefrequently during the break for announcements from HSU and California State University system.

    Don’t forget there are basic steps you can take to protect yourself and help prevent the spread of COVID-19. 

    • Stay home if you are sick or have a fever. 
    • Wash your hands frequently and avoid touching your face and eyes, nose, mouth.
    • Routinely clean your home, particularly high touch surfaces like doorknobs.
    • Consider limiting attendance at optional large gatherings because this is where colds, flu, and other respiratory viral infections are spread.

    It’s important to remember to treat each other with care, respect, and empathy as the virus continues to disrupt daily life. 

    Please know that support and health and wellbeing services are available on campus. Students who would like to talk with a counselor can contact Counseling & Psychological Services in Student Health & Counseling at 707.826.3236 anytime. Staff or faculty seeking additional support may call the Employee Assistance Program at 707.443.7358.

    Old press release:

    Humboldt State University acknowledges its important role in the North Coast in bringing thought-leaders, visitors, artists, musicians, and entertainers to campus and the local community. In an effort to mitigate the possible spread of COVID-19, HSU continues to assess the impact of hosting large events on campus.

    There is no one response that works for all events. HSU understands that each event is different.

    HSU leadership, consistent with CSU guidelines and guidance from local health officials, continues to assess events and their relationship to HSU’s core mission. This ongoing assessment looks at event outcomes and whether postponement or other alternative modalities (such as virtual) can be used, participants’ ability to travel, participants’ relationship to high-risk areas or populations, local health standards, size of the event, fiscal and opportunity costs related to the event, and any other unique campus contexts that warrant consideration.

    Subject to change, effective Saturday, March 14 until Friday, April 17 all on-campus large events (greater than 150 attendees) are suspended. Event planners will be asked to cancel, postpone, or use an alternative modality (virtual). Events after April 17 will continue to be assessed on a case-by-case basis, with additional information and campus decisions made as more information becomes available. 

    All HSU-sponsored athletic events are scheduled to continue. However, based on strong guidance from CCAA, events will now be “fan-less,” meaning there should be no fans at the events and only essential personnel are permitted for the event.

    The campus continues to assess the most appropriate guidelines for smaller events, and will communicate new guidelines when available.

    This is a difficult decision, but the University asks the community and event planners to support these efforts in trying to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

    • Please consider staying in Humboldt during Spring Break.
    • If you leave during Spring Break, plan carefully about where you travel.
    • After Spring Break, classes, assignments, and exams are cancelled on March 23-24.
    • Instruction resumes as normal on March 25.
    • Stay home if you are sick or have a fever. 
    • Wash your hands frequently and avoid touching your face and eyes, nose, mouth.
    • Routinely clean your home, particularly high touch surfaces like doorknobs.
    • Consider limiting attendance at optional large gatherings because this is where colds, flu, and other respiratory viral infections are spread.