Students express concern over face-to-face learning, risk acknowledgment

Students returned to USC Aiken Thursday, Aug 20, with some expressing concerns over learning methods.

Daren Timmons, provost and executive vice chancellor of academic affairs, provided insight on the process of remote learning applications and safety concerns. A method offered to replace in-person lectures was remote learning. 

This method was designed for students that preferred remote options over face-to-face. Students were instructed via email to seek out their advisors to help go through the process of finding courses that satisfied this method. These variations include fully online courses, either synchronous or asynchronous and blended, which is a combination of face-to-face and online learning.

“If a student said I don’t feel comfortable coming to class, we will work with the student the best we could,” said Timmons. 

Not all courses were able to have remote learning options, Timmons remarked. Courses like organic chemistry, clinical nursing or other laboratory classes require in-person attendance. 

Timmons described his satisfaction at the process. “I can’t count for you the number of hours that the deans and department chairs worked on individual students’ schedules, trying to give them the best advice.”

Students on the USCA Student Life Facebook page expressed concerns over the current options, many expressing worry over the school not taking responsibility if a student catches COVID-19 and was denied remote learning. “How can the university make some course in-person only, then make us agree to a death waiver?” said Brown.

Ahmed Samaha, vice chancellor of student affairs, clarified the purpose behind the agreement in-person students signed prior to beginning classes. 

 “It’s not a waiver. It is an acknowledgment that you could potentially catch a disease.”

USCA’s consultation with a legal team led to the creation of the acknowledgment. The purpose was to make students aware of the risks of potentially catching COVID-19. 

“I appreciate the student point of view,” Samaha said. “... maybe the students felt like it was a waiver, but the legal team was very clear that it is not a waiver.”