COUNTERPOINT: USC must offer resources to marginalized students

On November 9, 2016, I woke up to a house full of somber roommates. I then went to my classes, full of somber classmates and somber professors. Some students missed class, and a few of my professors provided class time to discuss how we were feeling.

Given the exceptional nature of this year’s political climate, and USC’s responsibility to provide students with the resources they need to succeed, the University’s decision to direct students to events and programs which could help alleviate stress surrounding the inauguration is justified, if not necessary.

For many students and faculty, these feelings returned during inauguration week, and USC attempted to mitigate them by directing students to programs such as diversity rallies and Mindful USC. On the Wednesday before the inauguration, a group of USC faculty held the Rally for Inclusion and Tolerance. A description of the rally was posted on the official USC Dornsife Events Calendar, which stated  that “a group of USC faculty will hold a rally demonstrating faculty solidarity with students and staff who are feeling vulnerable in the current political climate.” On Inauguration Day, USC students received an email from Provost Michael Quick reminding them of Mindful USC, a program which focuses on stress reduction and being fully present.

While the timing of Provost Quick’s email and the inclusion of the rally as a campus event make it appear as if like the University is taking a side politically, USC is simply fulfilling its duty to inform students of resources that could be useful to them.

In a typical election year, holding a rally that seems to assume that students and faculty feel vulnerable due to the election of a certain president would be absurd. If students simply were disappointed that their candidate didn’t win, it would be inappropriate for the University to hold an event that seemed to support this group of students in particular.

However, this is not a typical election year. Students aren’t just disappointed that their candidate didn’t win; many are fearful and feeling threatened.

Following the election, over 40 percent of Americans described one of their reactions to Trump’s victory as “afraid.” Of those who voted for Hillary Clinton, this percentage was much higher — 76 percent. And odds are that the majority of USC students fell into this category, since a plurality of young voters chose Clinton. Of course, most USC students wouldn’t need to see the statistics to recognize that the mood of the majority of their classmates after the election — and immediately preceding the inauguration — was generally negative. Ignoring the feelings of these students would be a disservice to the University because they inevitably could impact their performance in the classroom.

USC is a diverse campus, and it is in the best interest of the individual students and the faculty and the University as a whole for everyone to feel their best. If a large group of students feel upset, then the University has every right to take steps to help students feel more comfortable in order to improve their learning abilities. In terms of the rally, this meant providing a gathering space for students to discuss their feelings in a comfortable environment.

Similarly, Mindful USC has several programs which are meant to help students manage stress or anxiety to thrive in their learning environment. While the timing of the email definitely suggested that the USC administration was assuming students would need this service around Inauguration Day, this was a way for the University to be proactive in addressing potential issues on campus.

On a day when many students may be needing the exact services of Mindful USC and other programs, why not send a reminder? Maybe a student feeling particularly down on Inauguration Day who had never heard of Mindful USC decided to sign up after that email and used it as a way to lower post-election stress. Even one student getting valuable services should be enough to look past any potential political connotation of these University reminders.

USC should put student and faculty needs ahead of fear of a political rebuttal. When a large portion of students feel fearful or stressed, the University should take steps to address the issue. This isn’t crossing the line of political advocacy. It is being proactive in alleviating student stress, which in turn will improve students’ learning environment. If the University had allowed fears of appearing to choose a side politically to stop it from informing students of these programs, it would have deprived students of valuable resources exactly when they needed them.

Erin Rode is a junior majoring in journalism and political science. “Point/Counterpoint” runs Wednesdays.