Tuesday, August 25, 2020

UIS, LLCC welcome back students to a different kind of school year

Raeann Sherada of Riverton is the senior lead at the University of Illinois Springfield’s Student Union welcome desk.

Sherada, a communications major, greets students, hands out TV remotes, dispenses masks for those who forget them and oversees reservations for the Student Union’s conference rooms.

One day last week, Sherada, sitting behind free standing plexiglass and wearing a UIS mask, was making signs reminding students not to move furniture.

“We’re doing our best to make sure it is safe for everyone,” Sherada said. “I think it will be OK as long as people wear face coverings and maintain their distance. We’re cleaning a lot more around here.”

Three of her classes are now online, plus one class meets in-person periodically, a notion Sherada doesn’t mind.

“I’d be OK with going all-remote, too,” Sherada said. “I’m pretty adaptable. Moving online in the spring was a difficult transition, but we all got through it. We’re more prepared for that than ever, so I think it’ll be good.”

UIS and Lincoln Land Community College began classes at full throttle Monday, but the campuses had a different buzz to them under the COVID-19 pandemic.

About three-quarters of both schools’ course offerings this semester are either online or remote.

Online courses have no scheduled class times. Students can watch a professor’s lecture at their leisure. Remote classes are face-to-face via Zoom or other web sites that meet on regular days and at regular times.

This story appeared in The State Journal-Register on August 24, 2020.