Despite the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis, several lectures at Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU) proceed offline. However, as confirmed cases continuously occur in the school, worries about offline lectures are being amplified. Therefore, the Sungkyun Times (SKT) decided to talk about the complaints regarding offline lectures and suggest possible solutions.
SKKU Offline Lectures Policy
This semester, SKKU is offering both online and offline lectures. When social distancing is below level 2, offline lectures can be operated; however, offline courses are turned into online when the level goes back to level 2.5 or above. For offline lectures, the school observes quarantine rules, such as measuring the temperature through a face recognition camera before entering the buildings and boarding the shuttle bus. Moreover, by operating the COVID-19 comprehensive homepage, the Emergency Response Committee (EMC) announces the current status of the confirmed cases in school, the guidelines of infection prevention, and texts to Kingos and staff about the confirmed cases.
Kingos’ Complaints about the Corresponding Strategy
Not Providing COVID-19 Comprehensive Homepage in English
Currently, the EMC posts various notices related to COVID-19 on SKKU main homepages; however, in the English version, it only offers guidelines under the COVID-19 social distancing rule. As the EMC does not provide specific notices in English, exchange students staying in Korea could not get proper notices that are needed in school life. The small inconsideration has made it difficult for foreign Kingos to get informed unless they translate notices into Korean. As the COVID-19 crisis is still in a dangerous state, there are criticisms that all Kingos should be able to check the notices more easily.
Offline Lectures Causing Worries
Currently, the manuals about the professor’s class operation methods are not fixed. Therefore, on March 3rd, even though there were confirmed cases in the Business Building on the Humanities and Social Sciences Campus, several lectures were held offline at the same building on March 4th, which resulted in Kingos feeling unsafe. Furthermore, even though the pandemic has not settled down, some Kingos must attend the class offline for attendance. For the lectures that only operate offline, there are no options for Kingos to take those lectures online. Confusing class operations after confirmed cases reported and no options to take lectures online amplify Kingos’ worries.
How to Get Through Wisely
SKKU should seek solutions to minimize students’ anxiety as the school continues to offer offline lectures. All Kingos should be notified about COVID-19 related announcements easily. Therefore, first, providing detailed notices in English should be prepared. Second, the school should announce, not recommend, to ensure a guideline to replace a relevant week’s lectures online if there were confirmed cases identified. Last, Kingos should be able to choose to take lectures online even when the lectures are offered offline. To protect Kingos from COVID-19, SKKU should handle the countermeasures wisely.