Opinion: I’m a student and I know your school is lying to you about safely re-opening

Now, more than ever, the institutions we’ve been taught to trust are taking advantage of us.

Aug 13, 2020

August 13, 2020

Now, more than ever, the institutions we’ve been taught to trust are taking advantage of us. In the face of a global pandemic, some students are being asked to return to in-person instruction as if nothing has happened, while others are being forced into awkward hybrid models and sub-par online platforms. To add insult to injury, those of us online are being asked to pay full price for a half-baked service, and we can’t do much about it. The college experience has been lost, along with all of the connections and resources that make a modern education what it’s supposed to be. But of course, the mounting expenses remain.

Universities planning any kind of “in-person” instruction push for plans that are unrecommended, unrealistic, and unsustainable. In Spring 2020, like most schools, business was running smoothly until the panic raced its way through the country faster than the virus. All schools were forced to close down and make an ungraceful switch to online instruction. In May, immediately following the campus closure, my school, the University of Portland announced plans for in-person instruction for the Fall semester of 2020.

Even in the worst of times, my university was staunch on their original plans. They told students that in-person/hybrid instruction took up every ounce of their time and effort. Yet, when involved in the creation of said plans, the lack of organization was shocking. There was never a backup plan. There was never an acknowledgment of what could be. There was only a desperate desire to convince students that in-person instruction was feasible.

As I spoke with faculty and administrators personally over the summer, their evaluations of the situation consistently contradicted that of the public plan. Most of whom I spoke to were in full confidence that an online switch was inevitable. The odd thing was when I spoke to friends, peers, and students from UP, none of them had a clue that an online transition was even possible. Every school-wide email throughout the summer spoke only of in-person instruction, leaving out any and all transparency to those that give thousands of dollars to this institution. It wasn’t until 3 days before our tuition deadline that the school announced a fully online pivot, while in tandem asking for full-priced tuition. This has sent each of UP’s 4,000 students into chaos as they struggle to salvage their plans and their money. My university waited until the last possible second to tell the truth to their students as they soaked up every dollar they could. Many other universities are attempting to do the same.

If your school is anything like mine, they are planning to charge full-priced tuition, or even increase it. My university has increased tuition a whopping 18% over the last four years, totaling an increase of over $7,500 per student. Such a drastic hike in prices is completely unacceptable in any case… yet during a pandemic, this is an example of systemic corruption. “Why are schools doing this?”, you might ask. The answer is one word: greed. Students want transparency; this should not be too much to ask for when they are expending tens of thousands of dollars each year to their university. After contributing so much to their institution, there is a clear expectation that students and their finances will be respected. The unspoken moral contract signed when a student commits to their school has been broken. Fraudulent behavior by universities will not be tolerated.

As an Executive Board member in my school’s Student Government, I have had the privilege of meeting with countless administrators and professors; most of whom agree that any form of in-person schooling will not be sustained for even 3 weeks, sending Universities into a frenzy similar to the traumatic chaos of COVID Spring 2020. This said, schools are knowingly stealing students’ money without an ounce of transparency.

Most institutions have an invoice tuition deadline in August, just days away. Many universities, like mine, are likely planning to charge full/increased tuition for this Fall for online education, without even an asterisk next to 2020. The full truth is hidden to the student populace.

Universities fully know that a 100% online switch is not only guaranteed, but inevitable. COVID-19 continues to surge and escalate around the US, as we are setting new records for deaths/cases daily. Colleges are aware of this and what it will do to their finances, yet, sadly enough, they care more about their wallets than the health of their students.

Blatant disregard for student well-being has been uncovered through COVID-19, and it seems that schools are likely to blame their students for the inevitable online switch. In an article published by The AtlanticThe Atlantic, students will “get infected, universities will rebuke them for it; campuses will close, students will be blamed.”¹ There is no feasible way that students could be monitored for their behavior, no matter how careful the collective student body is. Universities are planning to put their students at risk in order to make their ends meet, and they are under the assumption that they can get away with it; which, terrifyingly enough, they most likely will.

It must be said that many universities function just like businesses. They provide jobs for thousands of employees, they donate to greater causes, and they offer services to their entire community. However, just like any other business, they should not be allowed to get away with scheming and conniving practices. College is already absurdly difficult to afford, and when those same institutions that charge thousands of dollars lie to their students, it turns educating into profiteering. I, along with many other students and university staff, cannot imagine a scenario where this “in-person/hybrid” model operates and achieves its intended purpose. It is too much to ask of students to decide between continuing their education like “normal” under unprecedented circumstances, and keeping themselves, their peers, and their loved ones safe. I hear every day that students have felt robbed of their money from colleges pre-pandemic, yet now that universities are making empty promises and spewing white lies, this by many students is considered theft of the highest degree. I understand schools need to keep tuition prices high to keep up with increasing housing prices and economic inflation, but now is not the time to play games with the financial status of thousands.

Students across the country that rely on their school for services such as housing, food, and healthcare access are now left wondering, what’s next? It disturbs me to know that universities would put their finances before the well-being of their community. Students are being treated like pawns in a chess match, and administrators don’t think they have the power to fight back. Now, students are left scrambling for answers. Those that have had their universities come out with honesty in this situation are scrambling to change their plans and figure out their next steps, with classes just weeks away. This leaves another group of students that blissfully believe their untruthful university, only to be ripped of all hope and tuition just weeks into the school year.

Many universities have largely untapped funds that are saved for emergencies or prominent projects, yet many of those same universities have not come out with plans to use those funds in what seems like a substantial emergency. In no way do I want to shut down any school, but I cannot stand idly by while students are getting ripped off left and right, not at all receiving what they set out to pay for. By refusing to lower tuition, universities are knowingly exacerbating the equity gap in today’s education system.

I find it wrong that universities feel that they can bleed the pockets of their students in the face of a global pandemic. Students pay for the experience, the activities, the events, the community: not just the education. To charge the full price for something the buyer did not intend to purchase is unethical. Colleges need to roll back any increases in their tuition, tap into their emergency funds, and lower the cost of tuition especially for those in financial distress.

To every student: this news is daunting, yet there is a better way forward and this is possible to navigate. I urge each affected individual to consider their options at hand. Reach out to your academic advisor and financial aid office to see what alternatives are available, and act accordingly.

I, for example, am planning to take part-time courses this semester, while working part-time. I am doing this because:

a.) I choose to save thousands of dollars.

b.) I cannot afford private school tuition for online classes.

c.) I refuse to let my University rob me of my money.

My decision is in no way a one-size-fits-all option, but it is possible for some. I am able to say that my scholarships and financial aid will stay intact due to my school’s policies, although I cannot say the same for others. This said, I highly encourage you to look at what is presented in front of you, and assess all your options. Reflect hard about if your school is being honest with you and question their motives. Evaluate what makes the most sense for you. You and your friends’ emotional and financial well-beings are at stake, at risk, and in the hands of your lying university. Take the power back.

“Drew Jones is a student and the Speaker of the Senate at the University of Portland. You can send feedback on his piece to his Instagram account here.

Add to Google News

More for You

Photo credit: Leigh Prather/Shutterstock.com – Dogs often react with great fear to July 4th celebrations. Border collies such as this dog are especially sensitive to loud noises.

Health, Well-being

Every dog has its day, but it’s not the Fourth of July

How to protect anxious pups from holiday booms.

Good Partner

6/25/2026
Christine Calder

The Fourth of July can be a miserable day for dogs. The fireworks make scaredy-cats out of many canines.

That’s because dogs, like humans, are hardwired to be afraid of sudden, loud noises. It is what keeps them safe. Some dogs, though, take that fear to the extreme with panting, howling, pacing, whining, hiding, trembling and even self-injury or escape. And, unlike humans, they don’t know that the fanfare on the Fourth is not a threat. Dogs hear the fireworks and process it as if their world is under siege.

How a dog responds to noises may be influenced by breed, with German shepherd dogs more likely to pace, while border collies or Australian cattle dogs are more likely to show their fear by hiding.

While we veterinarians don’t know exactly why some dogs are afraid of fireworks and others not, many dogs that react to one noise often react to others. Therefore, early intervention and treatment are essential in protecting the welfare of these terrified dogs. Here’s how you can protect your dog from fireworks.
- Take your pet to the vet. If your dog is afraid of fireworks, the first step is to have your veterinarian evaluate him or her, especially if your dog’s noise sensitivity is relatively new. One 2018 study found a link between pain and noise sensitivities in older dogs, indicating that muscle tension or sudden movements in response to a loud noise may aggravate a tender area on the body and thus create an association between the loud noise and pain, causing fear of that particular noise to develop or escalate.
- Create a “safe haven” in your home with a secure door or gate, preferably away from outside windows or doors. Close the blinds or curtains to reduce outside noises, and play some classical music to help reduce stress by creating a relaxing environment for your dog during the show. A white noise machine or box fan may also help reduce anxiety, along with a pheromone like Adaptil sprayed on bedding, a bandanna, a collar or from a diffuser plugged into the wall.
- Consider noise-canceling headphones such as Mutt Muffs to muffle the sounds and further reduce noise sensitivities.
- Find a food your pet will love. This could be cut pieces of boiled chicken or squeeze cheese. Sit with your pet and feed him with each boom. You can also use a long-lasting food-dispensing or puzzle toy to release food continuously during the show. This is to help your dog make a positive association with the noises for the future.
- Consider anxiety wraps, fabric wraps that exert a gentle pressure on your dog’s body. These may help to lower heart rate and other clinical signs of fear and anxiety, operating on the belief that they swaddle a scared animal and thus calm its fears. These work best, however, in conjunction with a complete behavior treatment plan including medication or behavior modification, or both.
- When it comes to comforting your dog, the jury is still out. It is difficult, however, to reinforce an emotional response with comfort. Therefore, it is OK to pet your dog when frightened by a noise event so long as the dog appears to be comforted and not more distressed by the attention.
This article originally appeared on The Conversation. You can read it here.
Keep Reading →
Photo credit: Alex Cofaru/Shutterstock.com – A girl in a field of flowers.

Health, Well-being

Pollen is getting worse, but you can make things better with these tips from an allergist

Simple steps can ease spring allergy misery

Good Partner

6/25/2026
Kara Wada

Blooming flowers signal the beginning of spring, but for millions of people, they also signal the onset of the misery: allergy and asthma season. Itchy, watery eyes; sneezing, runny nose; cough and wheezing are triggered by an overreaction of the body to pollen.

Every spring, trees and grasses release billions of buoyant pollen granules into the air, using the wind to disperse across the countryside in an effort to reproduce. It’s all about survival; plants that release more pollen have the survival advantage.

As an adult and pediatric allergist-immunologist in the Midwest, the onset of spring signals my busy season treating hundreds of patients for their seasonal allergy and asthma symptoms. If you suffer through the season, know that you are not alone. Throughout history, pollen has taken the fun out of spring for many. In modern times, however, medical science has identified practices and treatments that help.

Older than the dinosaurs, as wide as the world

Fossilized specimens of pollen granules have been found predating dinosaurs and alongside Neanderthals.

And, sinus and asthma symptoms and treatments are documented throughout history and across the globe. People just didn’t know exactly how to treat the symptoms, or exactly what was causing them.

For example, over 5,000 years ago, the Chinese used the berries of the horse tail plant, ma huang (Ephedra distachya), to relieve congestion and decrease mucous production associated with “plant fever” – a condition affecting people during the fall.

In Egypt, the “Papyrus Ebers,” written around 1650 B.C., recommended over 20 treatments for cough or difficulty breathing, including honey, dates, juniper and beer.

Although Homer’s “Iliad” describes the loud noise of breathing in battle as “asthma,” Aretaeus of Cappadocia of the second century A.D. is credited with the first clinical description more consistent with modern understanding of this condition. He wrote of those who suffered that:

“They open the mouth since no house is sufficient for their respiration, they breathily standing, as if desiring to draw in all the air which they possibly can inhale… the neck swells with the inflation of the breath, the precordia (chest wall) retracted, the pulse becomes small and dense,” and if the symptoms persist, the patient “may produce suffocation after the form of epilepsy.”

Tobacco leaves were exported to Europe for experimentation in treating the symptoms of spring time coughing and sneezing. Jeep 2499/Shutterstock.com

By the time Columbus landed, indigenous populations in Central and South American were utilizing ipecacuanha, a root found in Brazil with expectorant and emetic properties and balsam, which is still used in some cold remedies today. Coca and tobacco leaves, used medicinally by the Incas, were later exported to Europe for additional experimentation for the treatment of rhinitis and asthma.

Aside from the “plant fever” described in China, the first written description of seasonal respiratory symptoms is credited to Rhazes, a Persian scholar, around 900 A.D. He described the nasal congestion that coincided with the blooming of roses, termed “rose fever.”

Symptoms noticed, but no cause identified

As scientific advancement was stifled during the Middle Ages, in large part due to the plague, it wasn’t until 900 years later, in 1819, that Dr. John Bostock published a description of his own seasonal allergies. But he didn’t know what was causing them.

Having suffered from “summer catarrh” since childhood, Bostock persisted in his study of the condition, despite an initial lackluster response from the medical community.

In the nine years between his first and second publications, he found only 28 additional cases consistent with his own seasonal allergy symptoms, which perhaps demonstrates the lower prevalence of the condition at the time. He noted that nobility and the privileged classes were more often afflicted by seasonal allergies. This was thought to be the consequence of wealth, culture and an indoor life.

Societal changes with their roots in the Industrial Revolution, including increased exposure to air pollution, less time spent outdoors, increased pollen counts and improved hygiene, all likely contributed to the increased prevalence of allergies that we continue to see today. They also helped form the hygiene hypothesis, which states that in part decreased exposure to particular bacteria and infections could be leading to the increase in allergic and autoimmune diseases.

The source of seasonal symptoms at the time was also thought to be caused by the smell of new hay. This led to the coining of the term “hay fever.”

Bostock instead suspected the recurring symptoms were triggered by the summer heat, since his symptoms improved when he spent the summer on the coast. It would later became common for nobility and aristocrats to spend allergy season in coastal or mountain resorts to avoid bothersome symptoms.

Identifying the true culprit

Through methodical study and self-experimentation, Dr. Charles Blackley identified that pollen was to blame for allergy symptoms. He collected, identified, and described various pollens and then determined their allergic properties by rubbing them into his eyes or scratching them on his skin. He then noted which ones resulted in redness and itching. This same technique is used in skin prick testing by allergists today.

Inspired by discoveries related to vaccination, Dr. Leonard Noon and John Freeman prepared doses of pollen extracts for injection in an effort to desensitize patients with allergic rhinitis in the early 1900s. This effective treatment, called allergy immunotherapy, also known as allergy shots, is still used today.

Antihistamines first became available in the 1940s, but they caused significant sedation. The formulations with fewer side effects that are used today have only been available since the 1980s.

Pollen counts likely to grow

Pollen on a street in Atlanta, March 31, 2019. Lynne Anderson, CC BY-SA

Though recognized by ancient civilizations, seasonal allergic rhinitis and allergic asthma have only increased in prevalence in recent history and are on the rise, now affecting 10 to 30 percent of the world’s population.

Fueled by warmer temperatures and increased carbon dioxide levels, pollen seasons are longer, and pollen counts are higher. Many experts believe this will worsen in the coming years due in large part to climate change.

To keep you and your loved ones safe from pollen, close windows and change out of clothes exposed to pollen as soon as you come indoors. Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock.com

What can you do? Often, those who are allergic need a multifaceted approach.
- Find out what allergens are causing your symptoms. Take note of when your symptoms start by making a note in a calendar or planner.
- Minimize exposure to allergens. Track pollen counts. When pollen counts are high, keep the windows closed at home and in the car. After spending time outdoors, shower and change clothing to prevent ongoing exposure to pollen.
- Take a pro-active approach to treating symptoms. Starting medications before symptoms develop can prevent symptoms from getting out of control. This can also decrease the amount of medication needed overall. Long acting non-sedating antihistamines are helpful for itching and sneezing. Nasal corticosteroid sprays are more helpful for stuffy noses.
- Consider a visit to see a board certified allergist/immunologist. She or he can help you determine which particular pollens maybe the source of your symptoms.
- Explore the role of immunotherapy with your doctor. Immunotherapy changes the immune response through administration of small regimented doses of allergens over time. This induces a state of tolerance, eventually helping people become less allergic over time.
While pollen season is coming, taking a multifaceted approach can provide much needed relief from the symptoms that have plagued humankind throughout the millennia.

This article originally appeared on The Conversation. You can read it here.
Keep Reading →
Photo credit: Canva – 3D printing can help dental patients.

Care, Health

22-year-old gives out toothy smiles by providing free 3D-printed dentures to those in need

He could make dentures within a day.

Erik Barnes

6/25/2026

Much like anything else, the cost of dental care has risen as need grows. A report from the American Dental Association found that, in 2024, dental spending grew by $7 billion from 2023. A young engineer is making a difference, though. He has helped put a smile back on the faces of folks in need by providing free dentures made with 3D printers.

Connor Gibson isn’t a dentist or even an expert on 3D printers. He’s a Tennessee community college student who wants to help people. While studying engineering at Walters State Community College, Gibson volunteered with Remote Area Medical (RAM). RAM is a nonprofit that provides mobile clinics offering free medical, vision, and dental care through volunteers.

An issue that bites

A common issue the clinics found was that many people needed dentures. The cost of dentures can be very pricey, ranging from $452 dollars to over $6,500 depending on the patient’s needs and their insurance coverage. Another issue was availability. Even if a patient could afford dentures, it could take weeks or even months before they could be delivered.

But Gibson had an idea. He thought that if he could 3D print pairs of dentures, it would save money and time. After all, having a 3D printer on-site would allow the dentures to be made within hours rather than weeks. A patient could get a free set of dentures the same day as their visit.

Great idea…but how?

There was a setback: Gibson had no experience in dentistry or 3D printing at all. In spite of his inexperience, Gibson used his engineering and design skills to teach himself how to use a 3D printer. He also got dental experts to teach him how to make dentures the old fashioned way. This way, he was sure to accurately recreate every detail via 3D printing. After taking an impression, Gibson was then able to design specific dentures per patient.

“Honestly, if you told me three years ago this is what I would be doing, I would have called you crazy,” Gibson said to CNN. “I made it my mission and studied up like I was doing a test, studying up on videos and documents — anything I could find on how to make a denture using this specific software and how to 3D print it.”

After Gibson successfully completed a pair of 3D-printed dentures for the first time, he knew it was something special. Seeing the tears of joy on the patient’s face was enough to confirm he was doing the right thing.

“That first delivery was really a huge eureka moment,” Gibson said. “To see that raw, human emotion and just know that I played a change in this person’s life… it’s very humbling, and I’m beyond blessed.”

Gibson has since been helping RAM develop more denture mobile clinics that can quickly develop dentures for patients who drop in.

How to find low-cost dental care near you

If you or someone you know needs low-cost to free dental care, there are options. In addition to Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP, you can find local and state programs online. You can also dial 2-1-1 for information.

Another option dental schools and dental hygiene schools that provide supervised, low-cost care from their students.

Keep Reading →