Working students of the Palm Desert Campus (PDC) shared the changes in their time management caused by the shift to online learning. “I used to work two jobs and now I only work for one, which is for our school,” says Vianey Abraham, a fourth-year communications studies major. Abraham said, “I worked for a small business in Palm Springs, but since we were all too exposed to the virus, everyone had to stop working in that area. My family got paranoid, so they told me to not return to work. They wanted me to stay home safe and healthy.” The paranoia over the pandemic caused millions of Americans to quarantine while simultaneously being at risk to lose their jobs. “It didn’t … [Read more...] about Work, study, late nights, repeat: Students in PDC shed light on balancing work and school life in a pandemic
Education
Opinion: Looking back on CSUSB’s transition to semesters
CSUSB's transition to the semester system in the midst of a pandemic has brought upon mixed feelings. As the fall semester comes to an end, a professor and a few students share how they endured the transitions. Brandon Johns, a full-time lecturer in the Department of Philosophy, sees semesters as something he will have to get used to. Johns says, “I like quarters because I like the quicker pace of a 10-week term.” Because of the added five weeks, Professor Johns has found himself having to assign more homework, causing him to be swamped with grading. Along with the added weeks, the transition to online has been a challenge for him to keep students engaged and interested in the course … [Read more...] about Opinion: Looking back on CSUSB’s transition to semesters
Advice: How to combat virtual spring semester
Some students at CSUSB are new to online schooling and therefore still adapting to this difficult transition. How can we make the most of it, you may ask? Think about it this way: if you have made it this far in online schooling, you will get through it next semester, too. 2020 has been a very weird year. I confess I did not expect it to be as bad and strange as it currently is. It is difficult to stay attentive in a virtual school, especially with all of the available and easily-accessible distractions in a house. Some of the best pieces of advice I can give is to stay disciplined and motivated. One way to do this is to take about four or five hours a day and dedicate it … [Read more...] about Advice: How to combat virtual spring semester
CSUSB introduces winter intersession
The Center for Global Innovation is providing students with an opportunity to complete more units by offering a winter intersession between fall and spring semesters. The 2020-2021 academic year marks CSUSB's transition from the quarter to the semester system. Instead of having three quarters for students to be enrolled full-time, they can now only enroll full-time for two semesters. According to Dr. Tatiana Karmanova, Associate Vice Provost and Dean for the College of Extended and Global Education, "It’s a great opportunity to make progress toward the degree, concentrating on just one course." Vanessa Davalos, Program Coordinator, has a few tips for students who decide to sign … [Read more...] about CSUSB introduces winter intersession
Advice: Six tips and tricks for finals week
We are nearing finals week, Yotes! Here are some tips and tricks to help you survive the coming week. Know your finals' schedule Take an extra look at your syllabus and make sure you have the correct dates and times for your finals. Something this simple can help ease the stress and help keep you organized. Study time Set time aside so you can review any test material at your own pace. Create a study schedule and decide on a time and day to take your finals. Study for your first test first and set priorities. Allow yourself some breaks but don’t get too carried away. According to Neurosciencenews.com, “In a study of healthy volunteers, National Institutes of Health researchers … [Read more...] about Advice: Six tips and tricks for finals week
Students receive more guidance about grant writing
A CSUSB Zoom workshop demonstrated how to improve one's grant writing abilities with additional information and tips on how to be successful. The event was hosted and led by Michele Skilijan, who serves as executive director of the Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship’s Inland Empire and Coachella Valley Women Business Centers. Skilijan guided viewers through a power point presentation which covered topics such as resources, tips and advice for writing a grant, the do’s and don’ts, and other topics. Skilijan said that the biggest takeaway she wanted from those who attended was, “Successful grant writing is about research, preparation, and answering the questions … [Read more...] about Students receive more guidance about grant writing
Restrictions of virtual learning during a pandemic
The lack of face-to-face modes of instruction raises concerns about how students will succeed academically. Karen Escalante, an assistant professor for teacher education and foundation at CSUSB, states that the virtual learning environment is different from what she is used to. “There are things that we’re not able to do because we’re not face-to-face, but there are things that we are now able to do in this virtual space that we couldn't if we were face-to-face,” said Escalante. Because of the virtual environment, instructors are now able to invite guest speakers from afar in their classes via Zoom, which wasn’t an opportunity they had before. Maria Medina is an algebra teacher at … [Read more...] about Restrictions of virtual learning during a pandemic
Opinion: Students struggle with funding their education
The increasing rates of tuition and living expenses in California are making it difficult for CSUSB students to have financial control. The journey to financial freedom for most college students begins with a detour of student loan debt. According to Experian, forty-four million students today are in debt due to student loans, which is about 70% of all college graduates, averaging to about 1.7 trillion in student debt. Since 2017, 81% of students attending CSUSB are first-generation students and 58% of undergraduates are low-income students who receive financial aid, according to the CSUSB facts and statistics web page. Financial literacy is typically taught by parents, guardians, or … [Read more...] about Opinion: Students struggle with funding their education
Freshmen adapt to college in the midst of a pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed the lives of people around the world and, aside from its negative impacts on our health, has also affected the way students receive higher education by having to adapt to the new virtual learning environment. A lot of people are not fond of change because it can be nerve-wracking, stressful, and overwhelming. However, for most college freshmen, the transition from high school to university is what they have been waiting for, for years. Although they’re still able to attend classes online, COVID-19 has been a roadblock in their ability to achieve a college experience. For Thomas Napolitano, a freshman marketing major and baseball player, the … [Read more...] about Freshmen adapt to college in the midst of a pandemic
Pfau Library extends its online services
With distant learning continuing in the Spring semester, Pfau Library finds ways to further meet the campus community's needs for resources in the virtual space. Cesar Caballero, Dean of Pfau Library, said, “As soon as the pandemic hit and the campus had to pivot to an online mode, the library acquired as much digitized library content (e-books, e-textbooks, etc.) as we could afford since print copies of books were not initially available. That’s the reason we started planning on the retrieval service, which was implemented this semester." Among several resources, Dean Caballero thought the most essential needs to students would be equipment rentals and research assistance. Dean … [Read more...] about Pfau Library extends its online services