By: Scott Hause
In March of 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic swept across the world, impacting humans’ daily routines, and putting the world on pause. The pandemic caused closures of businesses, schools, restaurants, as well as our beloved campus. It is now September of 2021, and there is still no absolute resolve insight. Though the Covid-19 virus and variants are still surging throughout the United States, most universities saw mandates that permitted them to reinstate in-person classes if faculty and students agreed to wear masks and maintain social distancing protocols. Eastern New Mexico University was included to participate following these mandates. The university opened its campus to students this past fall for the first time in a year and a half. This had me thinking about how the return of students has affected the faculty members and how students feel about returning to campus.
In this article, I will explain the impact that the student’s return to campus has affected faculty members within the communication department at Eastern New Mexico University and how communication majors have been impacted by their return to campus. I will use interviews from faculty members as well as students within the communication department to depict how the return to campus has affected them personally.
During my time interviewing, I talked to Evelyn Ledbetter, an administrative assistant for KENW within the communications department.
When asked how she felt about the initial impact she felt when students returned, Ledbetter stated, “I was thrilled… that’s what we’re here for is the students and you guys getting the education you deserve.”
Ledbetter also went on to state,” When you don’t have access to the people working with you… let’s just say I’m thrilled to have them back.”
Mrs. Ledbetter shared a common belief among students that the online transition was difficult for students and professors alike, especially those who thrive with being social. I was also able to catch up and interview Ayesha Martinez, a broadcast journalism major who works on the news at KENW.
When asked how she felt about returning to campus, Martinez expressed, “I was really excited because it’s hard for me personally, I’m one of those students that struggles learning online and I’m also involved in a lot of extracurricular activities and organizations, so I was really missing the social aspect. It’s really not good for your mental health to never see people and the main time when I can see them is when we’re physically involved in something.”
Martinez went on to state,” I was excited but at the same time I was nervous because it’s a new situation that no one has dealt with. But I’m excited and hopeful that it works out the way it should.”
In my final interview, I asked Marilyn Upchurch, a senior within the communication department, what her initial thoughts on the return to campus were.
Upchurch stated, “I thought it was a good idea because I feel like it has been a very depressing thing without being on campus and without seeing other students because I’ve been on campus for a while but not seeing other people is what really made me sad, but I’ve also been thinking, it probably won’t last long because there’s probably going to be an outbreak, but I try to stay hopeful.”
I would have to say I agree with Marilyn that the possibility of an outbreak that shuts down campus becomes increasingly likely with the Delta variant being highly contagious, all it takes is one student to show up to a single class and infect the entire class, each student from said class goes on to the next class and infects them and so on.
Based on the interviews from this small sample of the communication department, it’s fair to conclude that faculty members are filled with joy now that students have returned. The students are excited to be back in person as well as college students are naturally social creatures, however, the fear of campus shutting down once again still looms large over student and faculty alike.
