by Theresa Charron
11:14 a.m.
Thursday, April 3
Goddard Library
Subtle vibrations carry through the floor as small waves of students enter and leave the library. Fragmented sentences float through the air and ricochet off of the flat green carpet and white concrete pillars. Fluorescent lighting reflects off of the shiny plastic covers that wrap around the books, left untouched on the shelves. Indents have formed in the flooring from wheeled chairs remaining stationary for days on end. A banner, tall and clean-cut, advertises a corner of the library meant to serve as a quiet refuge from the weight of academic tasks. Patterned armchairs and artificial plants encircle the space, blocked off from the rest of the library by a wall of metal shelving. To the left, students seek tutoring help for math.
This is where the weekly Conversation Corner, hosted by educator and writing center tutor, Lisa Gray, was set to take place. However, after weeks of little to no attendance at these Thursday meetings, it may not be an option for students anymore.
Despite its welcoming and educational environment, provided to “non-native English speakers” to “improve their conversational English,” the corner’s success has been limited. Gray has echoed a sentiment that fellow instructors, and possibly even other students, feel: where is everyone?
Regarding campus activities, she says, “I don’t see a lot of participation because I’m not seeing a lot of students.”
She speculates that this lack of student presence on RCTC grounds may be due to difficulty in bringing people back after the Covid-19 pandemic, or even because “there’s more classes that are offered online.”
It may be due to effects of the current political climate as well, though this is more difficult to say for certain. Either way, Gray has hope for future student activities becoming available.
9:32 a.m.
Tuesday, April 15
Cafeteria
Five students sit in the cafeteria, two studying at a table, one on her computer in the corner, another by the window, and a fifth with his Airpods in. One student drifts into the Twizt’d Café and leaves with a breakfast burrito and Diet Dr. Pepper in hand. A lone janitor makes his way through the space, spraying and wiping down tables as he goes. The chairs of each table are tucked in neatly, left undisturbed and vacant. The only sounds are the scattered words of the Café’s employees and the hum of its appliances. A bulletin board hangs to the right, highlighting upcoming and ongoing student activities. The colorful flags of various world nations hang from the upper deck. In a space meant to be teeming with life, there is very little.
This is where Student Life’s weekly “What’s Up Wednesday” program is held. According to Student Engagement Specialist Lexi Fernandez, this “high traffic” area “helps reach a wider audience” and is why the Wednesdays have been relatively successful.
With activities like “trivia, bingo, karaoke, and more,” students are given ample opportunity to connect with their peers. “Offering incentives like free food, prizes, and giveaways” also boosts attendance, according to Fernandez.
However, she also notes: “I wouldn’t say there’s a lack of activities on campus, but rather a challenge in getting students to participate and engage.”
According to her observations, campus tends to be much busier in the fall semester than the spring semester, which is likely due to a variety of factors. It is also busier on Mondays and Wednesdays currently. This pattern is something that affects the sense of community and overall student involvement here at RCTC.
Fernandez remains aware that academic burnout and lack of on-campus housing are driving forces in the waves of students who leave campus right after their classes are done, but she remains positive about finding future events that will resonate with more students, like an outdoor block party event featuring free food, activity booths, and warm sunshine..
9:49 a.m.
Tuesday, April 15
2nd Floor Atrium
Hinges squeak on the entrance doors. A student talks quietly on a phone call, his words dissipating in the still air. A soda bottle is opened and a whoosh of carbonation splits the near silence. The blue and gray patterned carpet stretches along the hallways that branch off of the small section of couches and tables. There are more students here, some sitting quietly, others walking swiftly to class, and a pair talking loudly
with one another. Yet in a place able to accommodate dozens of learners, the most noticeable detail is not the learners themselves, but rather the static environment surrounding them. The warmth of the red-brown bricks and filtering sunlight do little to mask the metaphorical coldness of the college entrance.
For some students, remaining on campus in between or after classes provides a great opportunity to chat with peers or attend activities. But for most, there doesn’t seem to be enough time in a day.
Based on testimonies from Esmira, a second-year student going into the Dental Hygiene program, and Jacob, a spring graduate, being a student at RCTC may not look like the traditional college schedule.
“I’m only here two times a week,” for one class, says Esmira. Because
of increasing online accessibility, she isn’t required to be on campus as often as one might assume.
Even for Jacob, who likes “doing all [his] classes in person,” and tends to avoid online options, if possible, campus activities aren’t on his radar.
“I have work afterwards,” he says, meaning that his schedule generally does not allow for campus connections, like the Student Life-sponsored May 6th Block Party, for example.
“The only reason why I would be going is because our class would be going,” says Jake on the topic of the Block Party.
That being said, Esmira claims she would be more open to attending events if her friends were there as well.
With more and more students participating in extracurricular activities or student life events solely because it is a requirement for a class, what will this mean for the overall life on campus?
10:58 a.m.
Tuesday, April 22
1st Floor East Hall Entrance
The jingling of keys and thud of footsteps echo off of the metal staircase. Natural light streams in from the glass doors as threads of young students pass through. Loud, laughing voices swirl together in the air as groups of people congregate. The crowds shift like ocean waves, continually heading further into the school. The doorway to a P-Tech classroom feels the passing of hands over its sturdy frame, ready for class to begin once again. Various faculty stand together in the hall, discussing the day’s upcoming work. The white walls that surround them cradle their words with care. Soon after the hour begins, learners tumble out of the doorway once again, ready for a hands-on experience outdoors. The carpet beneath their feet is trampled over, the rug by the door worn down by dozens of pairs of feet.
It is a place of movement of sound, not only an entryway into the school but also an entryway into a brightly educated future.
According to RCTC President Jeffery S. Boyd, who has over 20 years of experience in college administration, there is a customary drop-off in student activity during spring semester. However, this building seems to be bustling with energy. Part of this is due to the transition between morning and afternoon P-Tech students, high school learners in a career-oriented pathway created by the partnership between RCTC, IBM, and Mayo Clinic. Yet while the P-Tech community may be prevalent on RCTC’s campus today, Boyd notes that the school serves more than just this group.
RCTC’s goal is to be a “beginning foundation for many students… [to] get a better life,” he says. Even for students who transfer before earning a degree, it is considered a success for “that student and… for us.”
One of the biggest priorities of the administration is not only to retain students, but also to provide them with the resources they need based on RCTC data the school gathers about popular class times and other student needs. According to Boyd, one part of this process includes analyzing the busiest times and days in order to schedule required classes during those periods, specifically including “more face-to-face classes.”
In-person classes often provide students with better learning environments. They also allow for more connection with professors, many of whom, according to Boyd, “allow a student to become who they want to become.”
But with fewer in-person classes, like many of the required English courses, there is a smaller chance of this happening. Additionally, with less foot-traffic, students have fewer chances to bump into each other and connect.
Yet what they lack in social connectivity, online classes make up for in convenience. Students with jobs, families, and other life obligations outside the classroom appreciate the opportunity to save time traveling to and from campus. Thus, they can engage in learning when it best suits them. Boyd notes that “the patterns of students have changed,” but it’s “always the student first.” Covid-19 has had a significant impact on these student patterns as well, overall making the decisions of administration a “balancing act.”
Furthermore, student activity and RCTC’s sense of community is affected by the separation of the Main Campus and the Heinz Center. “The divide has always been there,” between career-tech students and gen-ed students, but President Boyd remains dedicated to furthering the connection between the two.
Epilogue:
11:42 a.m.
Tuesday, May 6
Outdoor Atrium Block Party
Steady currents of students stream out of the Atrium doors and into the energetic bustle of the Block Party, awaiting the promise of free food. A food truck, the words “Lil’ Fox Wagon” emblazoned on the side, is parked in the reserved spots at the front of the school. Scents of cooking meat and melted cheese waft through the air, and friendly smiles greet students as they filter into the food line. It wraps around truck, funnels past the club and activity tables, and reaches the edge of the main parking lot. With classes winding down, a newfound abundance of warmth and color outside, and an opportunity to get a hot meal, students have finally found a way to connect with one another. Folding tables, lined with metal chairs, along with various picnic tables, crowd the sidewalks and green space. Students linger in the shade and sun, sitting and laughing together on the grass. Some decorate crisp white T-shirts with designs of their choice, while others make beaded keychains or study for final exams.
Here, today, the question “where is everyone?” has its answer.