The University has taken notice of the traction this petition has gained. They released a statement acknowledging the existence of this petition. In that statement, they turned the blame on the student body. After all, this mass burnout from a scheduling debacle is the student's fault! It is the students' fault for not “planning ahead” to take the correct course selections and workloads. It is the students' fault that we are not coordinating more with our professors! It is our fault we don’t use our spare time away from a screen to make use of UB’s existing online student resources!
We expected some pushback from UB, but this statement was a new low. We are still waiting for President Tripathi to accept our invitation to an emergency zoom meeting. To establish a conversation between the students and administration about how the University can address this mass burnout crisis. However, with their statement, UB’s administration has revealed that they simply don’t care about the crisis they unleashed upon their students.
Responsibility and accountability for this crisis lie with the faculty senate and University stakeholders who voted for this insufficient schedule, as well as the administration which has enforced it. They made a mistake and they know it. You might imagine they would feel sorry for their error and provide accommodations, but they chose to turn a blind eye.
We must continue to demand change from UB’s administration that brought us into this crisis. They have ignored the students' voices. Their spokesperson brushed off our petition and they hope us students can continue on as is. At the end of the day, we are not human lives to them; We are simply dollars and cents.
We maintain our understanding of the complexities involved in planning this semester. However, there is more that can be done. The University must innovate new solutions in response to this mental health crisis. They are comfortable letting students suffer. We need policy implemented that encourages and allows professors to reduce assignment loads to compensate for the week we were stripped of. We are still living through this pandemic; they need to accommodate. Professors must be encouraged to be more lenient with late assignments to accommodate the students who are falling behind.
They mention that being a research institution impacts their ability to permit any kinds of breaks. However, SUNY Binghamton and SUNY Albany are also research based universities. They were all able to build in mental health days throughout the semester. UB makes it sound like these ideas are inconceivable. This is because the university knows they made the wrong decision. They know this and they are too afraid to admit it.
We encourage you to call and leave a voice message at the Office of the President, to ask what kind of relief they are planning on giving the student body in this crisis. You can also email them.
**WHEN CONTACTING THE ADMINISTRATION WE REQUEST YOU SPEAK RESPECTFULLY AND POLITELY. LEAVE A SHORT MESSAGE WITH YOUR NAME, NUMBER AND A BRIEF MESSAGE EXPRESSING YOUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AND THE NEED FOR CHANGE.**
UB’s spokesperson had nothing useful to say about this petition. We're including what they had to say below, as well as what we have to say about it.
“The main factors in considering the current academic calendar were the health and safety of the campus community, a focus on students’ academic success and the need to align with academic guidelines issued by SUNY."
None of our requests jeopardize anyone’s health or safety. What HAS jeopardized our health are your decisions. UB could have kept our mental health in mind while still complying with SUNY guidelines.
"Multiple, complex considerations needed to be taken into account when determining the calendar for this semester. Various options of the calendar were reviewed by university stakeholders, and after significant deliberation the faculty senate approved the currently published spring calendar. SUNY guidelines state that spring holiday periods are notpermitted given the associated risks pertaining to the spread of COVID-19. While SUNY guidelines state that reading days are permitted, they also state that they must be “single-day midweek reading days” (reading days cannot be held on Fri. or Mon.) “Uneven” days off, mid-week, would impact labs, clinical days, etc. A single Tues. or Wed. off would impact course sections. Accommodating reading days on Tues, Wed, and Thurs., may have resulted in further modifications to the calendar, for example extending the semester by a week which would interfere with clinical experiences, internships and summer classes, and would also delay degree conferrals. It is important to know that university officials also needed to ensure that the calendar met all accreditation, federal and state education department, and financial aid requirements for contact hours and allowable number of weeks during a semester. Changing the schedule once the semester begins would result in once-a-week sections of classes, clinical experiences, lab sections, etc. being cancelled “unevenly.” These changes could potentially impact financial aid and accreditation requirements. Students were encouraged to plan ahead; to assess their course selections and workloads; to communicate regularly with their advisors and professors; and to seek support whenever needed. A variety of resources are available."
We have planned ahead. We do communicate with our advisors and professors. But this isn’t their fault, and it isn’t our fault. Let’s not blame shift.
"from academic support services [buffalo.edu], to virtual wellness workshops [buffalo.edu], to mental health counseling options [buffalo.edu]. Student Life and UB’s counseling center offers online workshops, resources and events, focused on stress management and personal health. Resident Life staff are planning events throughout the semester with a special focus on stress-relief and wellness."
The resources cited can be helpful for those who are struggling, and I highly encourage anyone who needs support to reach out to friends, professors, mental health services, or whomever you feel comfortable with. We do however genuinely believe that this is the University’s poor attempt to cover their ass. We also don’t think many of us have the time to reach out for help. They are side-stepping the real issue.
"Students can visit the calendar of events [calendar.buffalo.edu] for more information.”
Yes. We’ve seen the calendar. To summarize: School begins, school ends. That’s about it. Their statement is full of subtle gaslighting, sidestepping, and invalidation. UB- do better. More action is being taken soon. The petition is past 2,700 signatures. Do not give up hope. We will keep fighting until they hear us.