USC should not suddenly switch synchronous classes to an online format

Back in March, the University made it clear that classes would be in-person for the 2021-2022 school year. After over a year of online learning, most students made the decision to return to brick-and-mortar classrooms this fall in order to stimulate a more interactive and intimate educational experience. 

Students who registered for certain courses under the impression that they were in-person, synchronous lectures and labs are now discovering that the University unexpectedly switched said classes to hybrid or fully online formats. Because the University did not originally notify those students that their classes would be hybrid or online, it is unfair of them to implement those unanticipated changes.

If the USC administration was truly confident in its execution of the “swiss cheese” coronavirus defense model — including measures such as enforcing daily Trojan Check wellness assessments and weekly saliva testing — then there would not be a concern for in-person classes. And if the school was comfortable enough to hold crowded social events, such as the Welcome Concert, and consequently boast footage of hordes of unmasked attendees on their Instagram page, then surely the preservation of physical academic spaces would be of an even higher priority. 

The University’s focus is backward. Over the past few weeks, the dining halls have been egregiously crowded, with long lines, overworked staff and little to no enforcement of social distancing. Pair this with a lack of disciplinary action against members of Greek life who have been endangering the USC and South Los Angeles communities with excessive — and unmasked — partying. It seems like the University is using the switch to hybrid and fully online learning as an eleventh-hour opportunity to save face — and money. 

It is also worth pointing out that the University waited to announce these changes until after tuition for the semester was due. In fact, on Aug. 5, President Carol L. Folt announced in a fall semester update, “We are on track for a return to the full breadth of in-person academic, research, clinical, and service activities after nearly 18 months of video classes and Zoom meetings.” If nothing else, this statement was misleading to students who were yearning to break free from Zoom fatigue.

Besides, with a current positivity rate of 0.4% for students and 0.9% for employees, it appears that USC has the virus relatively under control on campus. There should definitely be an option for students who are immunocompromised, otherwise at risk, or just uncomfortable with in-person instruction to join classes via virtual format; students must be given that choice instead of being caught by surprise when their courses change formats to hybrid or fully online models.

Additionally, these swift adjustments could negatively impact students with disability accommodations that are incompatible with online learning. U.S. News & World Report details a survey from the Association on Higher Education and Disability that found that “students with disabilities were more likely to experience difficulty with accessing the internet, technology training and support, course materials and assessments, as well as using learning management systems and communicating with instructors.” Reporters for Axios describe how certain students with disabilities depend on in-person learning in order to “pick up on social cues and further develop socially and behaviorally.” 

In an article for CNN, special education specialist Sara Finegan explains that “what works in general education doesn’t work for special education students. New concepts must be broken down into manageable parts, taught in isolation and practiced a lot. That’s really hard to do in digital learning, even if you’re a terrific teacher.” Students facing learning challenges cannot be left behind.

USC must reconsider its transition of classes from in-person to online formats and instead offer students the choice to access their courses virtually. This will make academics more accessible to students with disabilities. Given the context of the school’s coronavirus policies and its relatively successful test rates, this option makes the most sense as an important step forward in returning to some sense of normalcy.