Vol. liv iSSUE 24 www.umassmedia.com the massUMass Boston’s independentmedia student newspaper Corona Time - April 5, 2020 Baker extends Democratic National Convention pushed stay-at-home back due to advisory pandemic By Genevieve Santilli By Claire Speredelozzi News Writer News Editor ith growing cases and fatalities of COVID-19 nationwide, oston’s stay-at-home advisory has the Democrats decided on April 2 to push back their been in place for almost three weeks convention one month. with the original date of it being lifted WOriginally scheduled July 13 to 16, 2020 in Milwaukee, Wis., the occurring in mid-April. On Tuesday, new plan is for the Democratic National Convention to occur Aug. BMarch 31, Gov. Charlie Baker announced that the stay-at-home advisory for the state would stay in place until May 4. Massachusetts’ stay- at-home advisory is different than California’s shelter in place ordinance. Shelter-in-place is different than a stay- at-home order. A shelter-in-place ordinance means almost what the name says, “shelter in place.” Don’t leave home, stay inside. Non- been banned in the state of Massachusetts and essential businesses, such as shopping centers especially in the city of Boston until further or other retail stores are to be closed to avoid the notice due to the spread of the virus. The stay- gathering of groups of people of more than ten at-home order does not restrict citizens from people. Essential businesses are still allowed to going outside and talking walks, but highly be open during a shelter-in-place order, which encourages people to stay inside and not go out include grocery stores, pharmacies and medical unless absolutely necessary. buildings and people are still allowed to go out For the state of Massachusetts and the city these places if absolutely necessary. of Boston especially, the stay-at-home order A stay-at-home order is less strict than is important to curb the curve of the spread of a shelter-in-place, but still requires non- COVID-19. Gov. Baker extended the stay at essential businesses to close and urges people home order until May 4, which means that all to stay home and only go outside if absolutely non-essential businesses and schools will remain necessary. People in a stay-at-home order are still closed until May 4. The decision by Gov. Baker allowed to go outside to go grocery shopping, comes shortly after President Trump announced get take-out food, and to go out for walks as an extension of social distancing until the end well. Gatherings of more than ten people have of April. Gov. Baker also addressed to the state Continued on page 3 Continued on page 3 Changes to pass/fail with Emily McDermott By Abigail Basile News Writer pril 3, 2020—After an email was for Academic and Student Services was sent out to all students, faculty, and involved, the Registrar was involved; it was staff on March 25 regarding new sort of an all academic affairs kind of set of Apass/fail and withdrawal policies for the discussions. Certainly faculty were involved, 2020 spring semester, Interim Provost and because the faculty had brought a motion, a Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Emily similar kind of motion, to the faculty council, McDermott, was contacted for an interview. so they brought that motion while we were Abbey Basile: Alright so, you reset the already discussing doing it. So it was a pass/fail and withdrawal to May 13, and you confluence of interests, the faculty bringing lifted the limit of one pass/fail per semester. it on students’ behalf because students had Emily McDermott: Yeah, for this come to faculty, and the deans and others semester only. bringing it on students’ behalf because they AB: This semester only, yes. Who was had decided it was a good way to go. involved with those decisions? AB: Yeah, awesome. So, obviously, the EM: Oh my, well, all the deans were pandemic was a big factor in this decision, heavily involved, and the Vice Provost were there any more specific factors? 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I’m hoping people read the policy and say, ‘Oh, I can But we can’t tell other countries As it became clearer in the couple won’t opt for it too precipitously, take all five of my classes pass/fail that they should relax their rules weeks coming up to spring break it may be that they’re able to make this semester,’ and then get burned for their international students. that we might have to go remote, the transition ... We’ve been talking because they didn’t think about the There can always be some kind m we were deeply concerned about to faculty, suggesting they be very fact that they wouldn’t be able to of financial aid impact, so we ask how that transition would work. flexible in this transition, and so I count them towards their major. people, if they’re gonna do it, just Contact: Because although we have a lot think more students are going to So, the deans in the departments to check in with the Financial Aid of faculty who are already quite be able to finish their classes [on have been working very hard, Office and make sure that they don’t [email protected] technically capable, and a lot of a] regular graded basis than might and today we’re posting a list on have requirements from financial students who are quite technically feel that that’s possible right at this the coronavirus website, and it’ll aid, or that they wouldn’t get EDITOR-IN-CHIEF capable, we have some that are moment. And that’s the purpose of be sent out to all students by the unintended effects if they moved more challenged in that area, both delaying the withdrawal deadline, Registrar as well, of how this pass/ to a lot of pass/fails. So those are Kelsey Hale faculty and students. And as a and the pass/fail deadline to the last fail is going to be implemented cautions that students should think result, we were very concerned day of classes. within every major on campus. So about, and they should liberally Managing Editor about how we would make this AB: That makes a lot of sense. ... in it, we say what the rules are for consult their advisors and relevant work. So the first couple weeks we I guess my last question is, is each department, but we also say, offices: Office of Global Programs Meghan Connolly spent trying to educate faculty that there anything else regarding this ‘consult your advisor, consult your for visa issues, Veterans’ Affairs for are not already users of Blackboard decision that’s important to note? advisor, before you make these veterans’ issues, and Financial Aid PRODUCTION editor or other remote methodologies in EM: Yeah, I think there is ... decisions,’ because there may be ... how to do that, and as soon as we One of the things that the deans hidden traps, one of which is what On Friday night, the Registrar Kaitlynn Castillo made the transition and there was and I have been continuing to work we’ve been talking about: whether sent out an email containing the no catastrophe, we started turning on, since we approved this policy the courses count towards your aforementioned list regarding pass/ Social media Manager to thinking about the impact change, is a list of how that really major or not. Another is if you’re fail requirements within certain on students. And certainly we will affect anybody in their major an international student, you might colleges and majors, along with Mikayla mACKAY figured that students’ lives were as courses, because there are limits have visa requirements for a certain other relevant pass/fail information.