As the threat of Covid-19 heightened, the brothers slowly began to make their way back to their respective homes. After an ‘unauthorized’ bonfire to wrap up our time in the house, we were left unsatisfied and uncertain of the future, with our plans for Formal and St. Patrick’s Day celebrations screeching to a halt. As we adjusted to being back home, we once again looked to philanthropy as a way to stay involved and connected. Even from our homes across the country, the brothers of Delta Chi are still working to make a difference, fundraising for Covid-19 relief remotely and through social media platforms. We are working with the Making Lemonade Fund, a “virtual lemonade stand” of sorts, to both fund research and help those in need. Delta Chi has raised close to $2,000 so far, contributing to the $70,000+ that has been raised to date by the cause as a whole. Different schools and greek organizations from all corners of the country have joined the effort. This pandemic is an issue that has affected us all, making it even more important that we come together to be a part of the solution. With the transition to online classes and trips back to our homes, we are working hard to stay connected and continue our education with support from one another.
With such varied classes and course requirements, each department and teacher has handled their method of online classes differently. For larger lecture classes, usually the teacher is streamed on an online platform so that the 100+ students can watch without participation. For other, more personal classes, such as English courses, we partake in “Zoom” or “Bluejeans” meetings where we can see and interact with each other. There is also a feature to split the classes up into groups to make smaller discussions a possibility. Most if not all classes are being recorded so that, in the event of a technical issue or conflict, students can still watch material days or even weeks after they are recorded. Exams have been tricky, with most teachers simply using an honor code for take-home assessments. A few teachers have required that you keep your webcam on while taking the test, mimicking a sort of “digital proctoring” with varied success. For this past semester, the University has decided to use a pass/fail structure, with the option to “unmask” grades. For example, I have the option to include a class in which I got an A, but can also choose to keep a lower grade “masked” and just show a pass on my transcript while receiving credit. A handful of classes that involve hands-on work, like labs, have been postponed or changed so that credit won’t rely on those courses for the time-being. There is really no way to translate a lab to a digital format, but the lessons and theories that would come from the lab are still being taught to students without the physical element of it. For the most part, the majority of classes are making adjustments and not simply pulling the class off the course list.
As far as the future goes, we are very much in the dark. Based on the recent address given by President Schlissel, we can expect next semester to be a mix of online and in-class meetings. Smaller classes may meet in buildings with limited occupancy, while larger lectures will be online. We are also unsure of the future of our sporting and philanthropy events, as the NCAA and U of M have yet to make any final decisions. We are also unsure of how the school will handle students that live overseas. It is most likely that those who can’t physically be in Michigan will have different requirements if travel isn’t possible in the future. There are many of these students still living on campus, but our chapter house remains empty. We are unsure of how the University is handling these students, but believe that many have been given extended lease contracts and are not being penalized for remaining in campus housing. We are also in the dark regarding out-of-country abroad programs for next year. As a soon-to-be Junior, I am hoping that I can still take advantage of the program and study overseas next year or the year after.
We are lucky enough that none of our current Actives have contracted the virus. To our knowledge, none of our immediate families have had health complications either. Some members have lost grandparents, aunts, uncles, and other loved ones to Covid-19. It is even more imperative now to strengthen our bond to each other and stay supportive. This time apart has shown us why we must make the best of our short time together at Michigan, and we know we will come out stronger on the other side. We hope that all of our alumni are staying safe and healthy, and we can’t wait to be back at school making memories in the near future. We hope to see you there soon.
In the Bond,
Andrew Greenberg “E” and the Brothers of Delta Chi at the University of Michigan
