Friday the 13th
It’s Friday the 13th, which normally is a bad omen, but the sun is shining for the first time in days, and it’s the weekend, so I am calling it a victory. Several quick hits for you today:
Your students got their Your Corona Chronicle late yesterday and it includes a video from Dr. Ohl, our infectious disease specialist, about traveling and safety. Definitely worth a watch.
Parking and Transportation has released its parking rules for break here. This includes when/how first-years, sophomores, and off-campus students can move their cars to campus for the break if needed.
Our fantastic philosophy professor, Christian Miller, has an op-ed in the New York Times today about college students and cheating. In it, he poses the question “In this time of widespread online learning and home-schooling, what can be done to curb cheating on exams?” The answer, turns out, is beautiful and simple:
“I suggest that a practice that has been used widely in other educational contexts be extended to the world of online testing: pledging one’s honor. Honor pledges not only are surprisingly effective in curbing cheating; they also promote honesty. Students who abide by them refrain from cheating not because they can’t, but because they choose not to.”
Wake has an Honor Code, of course. It’s good to see that the research supports the idea that Honor Codes do their job. And I am proud to be an alumna of a school that prioritizes honor in this way – hope you feel that pride too for your Deacs.
Speaking of exams, students should know that DeaconSpace reservations for College classrooms as reservable study space will be open through December 12. Only students approved to stay on campus after 11/24 will be able to reserve rooms after 11/24, and reservations will not be processed 11/25-11/29, so students should plan ahead if they need to reserve study space early in the week of 11/30. Students can also find study spaces at the ZSR Library and the Wellbeing Center.
And as we think about the end of the on-campus portion of the semester, it is important to do some level-setting: while your students will be coming home to complete the semester, the semester is not over. The time between now and final exams is typically a very busy time, with students finishing classes, working on final projects and papers, and studying for exams. So as your Deacs come home, you can best support them by remembering that your Deacs are still in school, and their top priority is to finish the semester. The more you can keep your expectations and demands for their time in line with the reality of their class schedules, the better you’ll be. And as exams approach, you may be seeing them exhibit higher stress than usual – so a lot of their favorite meals and TLC would be in order 🙂
As we close out for the week, please remember to be safe: wear your mask, wash your hands, social distance – and urge your Deacs to do the same.
— by Betsy Chapman, Ph.D. (’92, MA ’94)