Furloughed Employees Return to Campus for Fall Semester
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The independent newspaper of Washington University in St. Louis since 1878 VOLUME 142, NO. 5 THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2020 WWW.STUDLIFE.COM BACK TO THE GYM TIKTOK STAR DANCING ZOOM WU volleyball On using internet Dance students senior reflects on a fame to raise political go on with the fall without awareness ahead of show with virtual competition November election classes (Sports, pg 3) (Scene, pg 4) (Cadenza, pg 6) Furloughed employees return to ‘Out of the campus for fall semester classroom, into the streets’: WUGWU joins with other local organizations to march for police abolition JULIA ROBBINS STAFF REPORTER Chants of “No justice, no peace, no racist police,” could be heard last Thursday afternoon during a march led by the WashU Undergraduate & Graduate Workers Union calling for the reform and eventual abolition of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. Students and other St. Louis com- munity members gathered together at 4 p.m. on the Medical School Campus before walking about four miles to City Hall. Local activists and government leaders, including a rep- resentative from the Coalition Against GABBY HYMAN we cannot address the challenges “[The furloughs] did coincide Antinolfi explained that through- Police Crimes and Repression CONTRIBUTING REPORTER of this situation without taking a with the stimulus that the govern- out the furloughs, there was an (CAPCR), spoke about the necessity hard look at ways to cut spending ment gave… From a financial point understanding that they were tem- of reforming the current policing sys- Nearly all of the Washington in this area,” Chancellor Andrew D. of view, people who were on fur- porary and all the faculty would tem throughout the demonstration. University employees placed on Martin wrote in the email to faculty lough for those 12 weeks did not, on come back to their positions after “I think it was kind of symbolic furlough over the summer have and staff in June. average, suffer financially,” Chair 13 weeks. The University decided that it went from Med campus to City returned to work for the fall. According to Martin, drawing of the Department of Economics to end the furlough a week early Hall because it’s bringing us to City On June 11, the University from reserve funds and the endow- Gaetano Antinolfi said. because 12 weeks is an important Hall, it’s showing our commitment to issued a report to faculty and staff ment would help relieve some of Fortunately, the vast majority of benchmark for unemployment go beyond just our school from now announcing that over 1,300 univer- the financial burden of the COVID- furloughed employees returned to benefits. on,” senior Jessica Yu, a member of sity employees would be furloughed 19 pandemic, but furloughs would work in July, according to Interim “Unemployment benefits are not WUGWU, said. for up to 13 weeks. also be a necessary part of the Vice Chancellor for Public Affairs forever: at some point… you are This past summer, amidst nation- The furloughs were among the cutbacks. However, Interim Vice Julie Flory. expected to provide evidence that wide protests calling for police most notable of several finan- Chancellor for Student Affairs Rob “No faculty members were lost, you are looking for a job… and reform, WUGWU made advocat- cial adjustments that Washington Wild said that the University would and nearly all staff who were fur- you have to take a job if it comes… ing for police abolition one of its University implemented to relieve do its best to support furloughed loughed returned to work almost these things put a person in fur- main goals. According to Executive the more than $150 million lost faculty over the summer. three months ago,” she said. lough in a very difficult situation,” Chair Trent McDonald, WUGWU due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “Furloughing members of our The majority of furloughs came Antinolfi said. “believes in bargaining for the com- Factors such as refunded student team through the summer provides from Medical Campus employ- On the Danforth Campus, nearly mon good, and police unions have dining and housing, the cancel- them continued access to their ees, as the elimination of elective every department furloughed at used their militant organizing only for lation of elective surgeries at the Wash. U. employee benefits as well surgeries greatly reduced revenue. least a few employees. Departments their narrow self interest.” School of Medicine and new tech- as unemployment compensation According to Flory, most of the such as dining, campus services and WUGWU collaborated with the nological expenses all contributed from the State of Missouri and the furloughs from the medical campus student affairs, in which employees Black Law Students Association, to the significant loss. federal government,” Wild wrote in were voluntary, and no employees were unable to work on campus, White Coats for Black Lives and a St. “As difficult as this is to acknowl- an email to the University commu- permanently lost their jobs after the were most affected. Louis advocacy group called Expect edge, we must face the reality that nity on April 29. furloughs ended. SEE FURLOUGH, PAGE 2 SEE WUGWU, PAGE 2 Virtual programming replaces college visits for COVID-era high school seniors CLARA RICHARDS she said, explaining that while there attempting to expose students to the after attending this event, Wash. U. is interest in being accommodating to STAFF REPORTER were virtual resources available, University’s atmosphere in the best my top choice,” according to a quar- students given the impact of COVID- she hadn’t been engaging because way that they can. Programming terly report provided by Wair. The 19,” said Emily Almas, aAssistant When high school senior Grace she’s still trying to narrow down her directed at high school seniors for increased accessibility has allowed vVice pProvost & dDirector of aAd- Martin was thinking about applying options. the fall includes mock classes, virtual students with underrepresented missions. Both Hargrove and Martin to college, she envisioned the process Hargrove worried that “a lot of campus visits, online high school vis- backgrounds in rural areas to engage said that they planned to take advan- involving campus tours and official [the process] is just firsthand experi- its and academic theme days, where with the University, which has been tage of the policy. visits at a few schools, as she con- ences, like just stepping foot on the students can take the opportunity to exciting despite the unfortunate cir- In addition, Alms said that the sidered where she could best pursue campus and falling in love or just learn more about curriculum. cumstances, Wair said. University will continue their holistic rowing at a collegiate level. However, hating it.” And while her high school In addition, they have been work- However, Adam Litwin, a former application review and dedication her reality this fall has looked very has had admissions officers visit vir- ing to connect current students with tour guide, doubts that virtual tours to meeting 100% of demonstrated different as she juggles sports, school tually, she has been in class during prospective students, as “[prospective can give the same quality of infor- financial need. and applying to college in the turbu- many of the visits she would have students] want to engage with current mation to students that an in-person Ultimately, however, the lent time of COVID-19. Seniors like wanted to attend. Instead, she has students a lot more than they want to experience can. University is not completely sure Martin across the world are in the resorted to looking at the TikTok engage with us,” Tiara Wair, dDirec- “You can certainly get the surface- how much of an impact the unprec- position of trying to decide where trend where other college students tor of the vVisit wExperience, said. level ‘Tthis is what it looks like,’ but edented removal of campus visits to apply without being able to spend show off their college to get a “vibe The statistics for the number of you can’t really get the feel as much, will have, and they acknowledge that any time on campus or even talk to check,” she said. students connected with is strong— especially when you could walk visits are extremely influential in admissions officers face-to-face. Martin echoed a similar sentiment, a report shared by Wair showed around and go up to students and decision making. Wair said that until Claire Hargrove, a senior in saying that she felt more comfortable that the University’s feedback has interact with other people,” he said. Eearly Ddecision applications are Charlotte, N.C.orth Carolina, is applying to schools in her vicinity been exceedingly positive. Where “[What’s valuable about on-campus received, University administrators another student who is consider- because they were a known quantity, typically summer admissions pro- tours] is that it’s not the same thing won’t know how this new program- ing Washington University, but and she knew people who had gone gramming sees about 600 people every time, and you can divert based ming will impact the number of has struggled with applications. there. per event, the virtual event had four on the actual space.” applications. “[Applying to college] is confusing Washington University’s admis- times the number of participants. In terms of applications, the “We’re all kind of holding our as it is. And it’s even more confusing sions team is acutely aware of After the Virtual Summer Theme University has adopted a new test- breath to see what really stuck in our with all the COVID stuff around it,” these barriers, and they have been Day, one student said that, “now optional policy “driven by our efforts this fall,” she said.