University of Illinois Springfield junior Lexi Dhamrait of Springfield was in New Orleans with UIS administrator Mark Dochterman on an annual spring break service trip when they got word from the university system that in-person classes were canceled for the rest of the semester.
Focused on running the trip and doing their service projects, Dhamrait was aware of all the news about the coronavirus — the NBA season getting canceled, the stock market crashing and cases of COVID-19 popping up across the country — but didn’t grasp the seriousness of the situation.
“It wasn’t reckless because we didn’t know too much, so in our minds, it was still safe for us to do what we were doing,” Dhamrait said.
“When we got home and I started to see just how many things were changing, it became very real,” said Dochterman, the UIS assistant vice chancellor of student affairs, who deals with all aspects of life at UIS outside academics.
UIS extended spring break for students an extra week to give professors time to move their in-person classes online. Students were allowed to remain on campus. But, on March 17, students were given a 72-hour notice they had to go home for the rest of the semester. In the blink of an eye, graduation, spring festivals and time with friends were canceled.
A year later, many students are back on campus and in the classroom, but life on campus is quiet. Most classes and campus activities are virtual. Everyone must wear a mask. Anyone coming to campus must take a COVID-19 salvia test and those who are on campus more than once a week must be tested twice. Even with all the restrictions, students have adapted.
“Those who really want to be here have followed the regulations as they are,” said Student Government Association President Aislinn Diaz, a junior from Chicago.
Going forward, the future at UIS is still uncertain. The state’s positivity rate dropped under 3% at the end of February to its lowest point since July and the number of people getting vaccinated is steadily increasing. At UIS, two or three students and staff test positive for COVID-19 each week, keeping the university’s positivity rate around 0.2% while still processing 400 tests a day. Despite the good news, the situation is still fluid.
“What happens in the world affects Springfield,” Interim Chancellor Karen Whitney said.
UIS will be cautious moving forward. The steps taken to keep students safe are unlikely to change before the semester ends. Alternative plans are being explored for May’s graduation under the assumption it will still be unsafe to gather in large groups like UIS normally does for commencement at the Bank of Springfield Center.
This article appeared in The State Journal-Register on March 14, 2021.