OPINION: Students’ academic experiences suffer as core classes remain online

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Danny Murnin is a sophomore studying journalism and an opinion writer for The New Political. 

Please note that these views and opinions do not reflect those of The New Political.

As I enter the second week of my fourth semester of college, I ask myself a question that has never crossed my mind before: What is the point of college? 

Although college’s importance may vary by person, I’d argue that every college student would agree that obtaining a degree qualifies them for jobs in one or more fields. I attend college for the opportunities to network with successful alumni and distinguished faculty, to make new friends and form lifelong bonds, to go out and live it up on weekends, to join interesting clubs and attend crowded sporting events filled with passion. 

I cannot possibly see myself doing any of those things anywhere else but in Athens, Ohio. But the degree comes first doesn’t it? At the end of the day, that’s what the thousands of dollars I pay in tuition each year is going towards. 

While some may disagree with the line of thinking I am about to put forward, a valid degree needs to involve work from two parties. It is up to me to do well in my courses and pass them, preferably comfortably. It is up to me to seek out help from my professors, friends or other available resources if I am struggling. It is up to me to stay disciplined and not engage in reckless behavior that could threaten my future. 

However, I am also entitled to basic effort from Ohio University to make the degree not just complete and awarded, but meaningful. I expect the university to create and enforce a learning environment that is challenging and rewarding to students, especially ambitious high-achievers such as myself. I expect them to do this all of the time, not just some of the time. After a very mixed first year when it came to the quality of my courses, I was pleasantly surprised last semester to finally feel like I was actually living the life of a typical college student during the weekdays. 

But this semester, I have lost patience. Just two of my five classes are in-person. After a grueling fall semester, a small part of me is glad to have more free time. But most of me recognizes that I will never have this much free time once I graduate and start a job, and that my time would be better spent doing more learning. Especially considering that two of my online classes this semester, Strategic Communication Theory and Research and Graphics of Communication, are both journalism courses I am taking to fulfill my major requirements. Even if I didn’t necessarily have to take them, these two courses are extremely relevant to my career focus of public relations. It would have been a mistake for me not to take them with what I want to do, so I had no choice but to take these crucial courses online, as they were the only sections being offered. 

How is this possible? How can a university consider the course offerings for its most prestigious academic department and assign classes entirely online? Is it a pure lack of care? The evidence doesn’t refute that theory. Are there not enough professors willing to teach these courses? It can’t be a coincidence that my instructors in these courses are both adjunct, both working hundreds of miles away from Athens. 

These courses are not “classes,” by definition. There is no instructing or guided learning going on here. I say this because real instruction and guided learning takes place in-person. One of the courses does not even meet, and the other one meets once a week for a short group discussion. This isn’t how important major classes should be taught to students who need real-world experience.

Professor Kyle Ranally, my instructor in Strategic Communication Theory and Research, who attended Ohio U as an undergraduate student in 2011, said he took the very same class in-person. 

“The course itself wasn't originally designed to be an online class. I actually took this course in-person when I was an OU undergrad student in 2011/2012,” Ranally said.

This was over 10 years ago. Today, Ohio U is offering two sections of this class for the spring semester, both online. Ranally said this is part of an effort by the university to diversify the backgrounds of instructors. 

“The reason why my class specifically is online is because I'm a part of the adjunct instructor pool that the school has been building out to get more industry professionals as teachers,” Ranally said.

To be clear, I have zero issues with the instructors themselves and hold no ill will toward them on this matter. I doubt they have any real control over it. Both of my professors seem like smart, kind individuals looking to make this semester as good an experience as possible for students. I also appreciate the university’s effort to have professionals give lessons to students. But why is this at the expense of a critical in-person education?

The problem needs fixing. I know I am far from the only student with this dilemma, and our numbers will continue to grow unless someone takes accountability and delivers on the promise of high-quality, fully in-person instruction.