“I have to spend the day with my children first and then I have to get to work,” says CSUSB student, Miriam Barajas. “It's tiring and I know it is my responsibility as a mother, but that does not make the situation any less difficult.” Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the university will continue with the virtual semester in the fall, while the fate of K-12 school learning mode remains to be determined. Miriam Barajas is 1 in 5 college students, who according to the U.S Department of Education, are parents. She is one of the parent students who are facing the struggle of having to be active members in their classrooms and that of their children. It’s important in times like these to … [Read more...] about Work, teach, study, repeat: The life of CSUSB parent/student during the COVID-19 pandemic
zoom
Will the show still go on?
CSUSB's 2020 Spring musical “Once Upon A Mattress" is in a state of limbo on whether or not the live performance will take place on campus. The hard-working cast and crew of the musical are pressing on forward given the current pandemic crisis. They hope to perform an actual live show during the Fall semester 2020, with a hint of the possibility of a cancellation again. Thomas Provenzano, the director of the spring musical, said, "We are open to many ideas -- but nothing is certain." There is discussion about how and what can be done concerning the presentation of the musical given the unknown nature of the pandemic timeline. Approximately a year of planning has gone into the … [Read more...] about Will the show still go on?
Students strive for distraction-free learning at home
Zoom meetings have become the new norm for many college students throughout the nation. However, this new way of learning can become very distracting for the students and professors. There are many potential distractions at home for students to succumb to in the middle of lectures. Some distractions might include the TV being on, the phone pinging with notifications, and pets and children who are seeking attention. It is difficult for everyone to not be on a college campus, inside a classroom where there are minimal distractions, and to know that there are consequences to be faced for those who conduct disruptive behavior for trying to distract others. While Zoom meetings are … [Read more...] about Students strive for distraction-free learning at home
Faculty senate held its first remote meeting
Senators and prominent guests discussed policies from a pre-approved agenda, questions on campus access, spring parking fees’ reimbursement, and the possibility of grading all students as pass or fail. The meeting took place on April 7, 2020. President Morales did not participate. Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Shari McMahan, and Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs and Development, Seval Yilderim, along with the deans of various colleges, were in attendance. Senators and other meeting participants struggled to unmute and mute the microphone for when they were to speak. Quite often, the screen glitched making it difficult at times to hear when a Senator was … [Read more...] about Faculty senate held its first remote meeting
Simulated classroom learning
By Robert Klimper |Staff Writer| Faculty and students discuss the challenges and advantages of online courses in the light of students' demands and quality factors. Though online courses offer a more flexible schedule, it is not unheard of for students to feel a somewhat of a disconnect to the instructor of the courses as they can just be a wall of text with no face to face interaction. “I probably won’t take another [online course]...I would rather be able to speak to the teacher myself,” said Joscelyne Baisa, a freshman at CSUSB taking her first online course this quarter. CSUSB offers opportunities for professors and students to hold a simulated classroom environment with … [Read more...] about Simulated classroom learning