USC students are concerned about the remote Fall 2020 semester. Local students who do not wish to take online classes have submitted their leave of absences (LOA). International students, hoping to maintain their visa status, are adjusting their circadian rhythm to interact with their professors and peers in real time.
Depending on the program, students may have to take a gap year instead of a gap semester. For instance, the five year architecture program has a prerequisite, fall studio, for its spring studio.
Kevin Lee, a third year architecture student, has decided to take a gap year instead of taking fall studio online.
“We are getting charged more for no access to resources like laser cutters and the general collaborative studio environment,” he said.
Lee originally planned to complete some general education courses at his local university, University of Hawaii at Manoa, during his gap year. However, the architecture department rejected his request due to university policy.
“I completely understand why this policy is disheartening, and your reasons for wanting to take courses somewhere else during a LOA,” the advisor wrote in an email to Lee. “Unfortunately, this is a long-standing university policy that neither the School and its administration has control over. This is why Associate Dean Doug Noble was comfortable enough to share with everyone that taking a LOA would be a ‘very bad decision’ because your studies are literally put on hold during the entirety of an LOA.”
Taking an LOA is not an easy decision for Lee to make, but he prioritizes the quality of his education.
“I wouldn’t take a gap year if they had a crystal clear plan for every course, because right now a lot of teachers aren’t adapting well to the online environment,” Lee added. So far, only one professor had emailed him a detailed course plan.
According to the university catalogue, an enrolled USC student can only take a course at another institution when there is an exception to residence. However, Annenberg Media has confirmed that the university is accomodating students, especially incoming freshmen, on a case-by-case basis.
Both local and international students are aware of the study away program offered at Cornell University, New York University (NYU), Syracuse University, Lehigh University and other institutions. The study away program provides an alternative in-person learning experience for international students who have returned home due to concerns about COVID-19.
Marie Tang, an international student from China majoring in political science and data science, wishes USC would adopt a similar policy.
“I do feel disappointed when I hear that my friend studying at Cornell can go to Peking University [Beijing, China] while I have to stay at home and stare at my laptop all day long for the whole semester,” Tang said.
The fall tuition also perplexed Tang.
“I just have no idea why the tuition goes up even though most of the students would be staying at home and have virtual classes,” she said.
Instead of decreasing the fall tuition, USC has reduced the combined central student fees by approximately $400 for undergraduates.
Although the revised class schedule announced on July 1 might have benefited some students, Tang said the changes did not reflect on her schedule. She had to drop interactive based classes to avoid starting her day at 3 a.m. local time.
Aastha Jani, a communication major living in Dubai, is experiencing similar challenges as there is an 11 hour time difference between her home and Los Angeles.
In a statement to Annenberg Media, USC said, “Faculty will record classes and make appropriate accommodations for students in different time zones this fall, and there will be extended tech support hours convenient to local times...Class schedules for incoming first year students have been adjusted so that seminar courses and high-demand classes (such as chemistry, biology and writing) are available in multiple time-zones for synchronous participation,” the statement continues.
“I’m still debating taking a leave of absence but I am hesitant about losing my CPT [curricular practical training] for next summer,” Jani said.
She is convinced that the study away programs would allow international students to have the in-person learning experience that domestic students will have because of the hybrid possibilities.
“I definitely think that USC should have partnered with local universities to better facilitate the transition for international students,” Jani said.
USC is aware of the study away programs offered by universities such as Cornell and NYU. The Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism has one student “studying abroad locally” at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) according to Georgia Stahl, the International Programs Coordinator at Annenberg.
“We are working internally to determine if a similar program or model would be a feasible alternative for our [international] students,” said Stahl.
For any other USC students currently living in Hong Kong SAR, Stahl encourages them to reach out to the office. Annenberg is working out a study-away plan on a case-by-case basis. Factors such as enrollment deadlines and other eligibility requirements set by CUHK are a primary determinant for a possible study away plan.
According to USC’s statement, there are ongoing conversations with partner universities, and students will receive the options once they become available. The nine international offices will host in-country and regional events such as networking, mentorship and industry investigation through a speaker series once in-person activities are possible.