FIRE
COVID on Campus: The Pandemic’s Impact on Student and Faculty Speech Rights
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I: Introduction ▲
It’s difficult to find any aspect of our lives that has not been impacted by COVID‑19. Travel, holidays, business, entertainment, and much more look completely different today than they did a year ago. As K–12 and college students, faculty, teachers, and administrators know all too well, education has been deeply changed perhaps permanently by travel restrictions, school closures, and the switch to online education.But COVID‑19’s consequences for education have not been limited to location, access, or, in the University of California, Berkeley’s case, temporary bans on outdoor exercise. On campuses across the country, speech and due process rights have been challenged, too, as administrators struggle to respond to the pandemic. At the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), we have been paying careful attention to how these
New Ice Skating Rink Opens at Montana State University
A brand new open sky ice skating rink has been installed on campus at Montana State University for the Spring 2021 semester. The outdoor ice rink was made possible by the MSU Office of Student Engagement and the ASMSU Outdoor Recreation Program.
The new ice skating rink is located south of the Marga Hosaeus Fitness Center. It s located between the parking garage and the fitness center. It will be open to the public on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
If you d like to get on the ice, pre-registration is required. To review the available slots and reserve a time, click here.
Rozlin Opolka stands in front of a piece she created for her senior showcase depicting her grandmother.
KALAMAZOO, Mich. No. It s a word that has the power to change the trajectory of someone s life. In
Rozlin Opolka s case, it gave her a blank canvas to paint a new vision of her future.
Initially intent on working in theatre, Opolka, who grew up in Fowlerville, Michigan, applied to Western Michigan University s stage management program her senior year of high school. She didn t get in, but instead of getting discouraged, she saw it as an opportunity to pivot and pursue visual arts.
KEARNEY â Paige Kristensen has been a Loper for as long as she can remember.
The 22-year-old basically grew up on the University of Nebraska at Kearney campus, where her father Doug has served as chancellor since 2002. Her late grandmother Mary Lou earned two degrees from the school, known then as the Nebraska State Teachers College, and her older sister Morgan is a 2015 alumna.
âUNK has always been a really special place,â said Kristensen, who still has the plush antelope she carried during her fatherâs installation ceremony.
The Minden native can share plenty more childhood memories â there were UNK-themed Halloween costumes, homecoming parades, countless athletic events, even a family Christmas card with Louie the Loper. But her decision to attend the school her father leads was about more than nostalgia.
Despite the changes made to the program sometimes at the last minute to accommodate the changing public health guidelines, each department has gone above and beyond to assist their families. We are so grateful for their participation in this challenging year.
Tess Morrissey, director
Has Santa set up his workshop in Bissell Hall?
Well, kind of. Santa’s elves at University Police have filled the building’s conference room with gifts gathered for a local veteran family adopted through WNY Heroes Inc.
“The outpouring of support from our department has been overwhelming, especially during this year,” says UPD Officer Shannon Sweeney, who is coordinating the effort with Officer Alexandra Ince and Investigator Wayne Colton. “It just shows that no matter how bad things can get, we can still come together and make a beautiful Christmas for a deserving military family.”