Since the long-weekend break, students have started noticing stronger enforcement of rules on campus. AUI’s Dean of Student Affairs, Dr. Abdessamad Fatmi, also shared in a recent email to students that “A dedicated committee will be carrying out regular health and safety rounds across campus and will be issuing direct fines for non-compliance cases. Any form of partying or large gatherings shared meals, and smoking in the presence of others is strictly banned as they have proven to be serious causes of contamination”. These recent developments are a signal that restrictions on campus are being more seriously enforced compared to the beginning of the semester.
As we have reported at the beginning of this Fall semester, many noticed a lack of seriousness from our student community when it came to abiding by the rules. The recent increase in enforcement of rules is, for sure, a positive step towards ensuring the safety of AUI students. Though the question we are attempting to analyze in this article has proven to be a subject of discussion amongst many. Therefore, to which extent, if any, is the enforcement of safety measures on campus consistent.
Make no mistake, our analysis’ goal is not to reduce the seriousness of the pandemic, nor is it to justify students’ behavior on campus. We are simply pinpointing a number of inconsistencies that create a sense of confusion within the student community, and therefore, lead to either tensions or more transgressions.
“Taba3od hna, Taba3od l’hih”
One of the most noticeable areas of confusion when it comes to the enforcement of rules is the social-distancing rule. On campus, it seems that social distancing, as a concept, is still not clear either for students or for the security agents who try to enforce it. The issue is not that students should be allowed to be gathering either in front of the restaurant or in the labs, the issue is that no consistency is ensured in the enforcement of those rules. A clear example of this problem can be seen through the increased presence of security agents at midday/afternoon, especially near administrative buildings, while at night things appear to be much relaxed.
In addition to social distancing, having shared meals is also a blurry point. While it is categorically not allowed to do so according to the Dean of Student Affairs, the enforcement of this rule is not noticeable, especially that there are designated areas for that matter near NewRest and ProxiRest. Student clubs also suffer from a tradeoff that hinders their ability to operate. On one hand, they rely on attendance to judge the success of their events, and on the other hand, rule enforcement on campus is very unclear when it comes to attendance, spaces, type of activities, etc.
Long weekend break, a trigger?
As these events get more and more noticed around campus, one might ask themselves what is the role of the long weekend break in triggering such attitudes. It was recently reported that 47 AUIers tested positive during the long weekend break, and many are speculating that the figure is much higher as more and more students are reporting their inability to go back.
This situation could have been a reminder for all members of our community, including the administration and the security department, that the threat of an infection on campus is imminent. These events will ultimately push the university to reconsider different options, including a potential campus or city-wide lockdown.
Providing a campus experience for students, mais…
One of the main reasons that the university considered bringing students back on campus is to provide a pleasant campus experience for new students at AUI. This decision, while it was subject to controversy especially for old students, the rationale is to immerse students in a campus experience that is unique, while making sure that health measures are respected. Recent events have shown how confusing the achievement of this goal can be. Between increased pressure on club leaders to launch clubs and perform activities and the necessity for the university to enforce rules, the university has found itself in a confusing situation.
Students spend the majority of their time on campus, a unique opportunity for clubs to thrive and fill the gap when it comes to activities. The lack of consistency in terms of rules reduces the visibility of club leaders, and their ability to come up with concepts that would be interesting for their audiences. In the end, motivation can be lost and student engagement is therefore at risk. Our community might have to accept that the tradeoff between student life and health measures is inevitable, a conclusion that totally goes against the rationale set by the administration before the beginning of this term.
This calls us to re-think how we approach this matter on campus. While our choices are limited, we have to ensure that decisions (and their enforcement), are consistent. On one hand, students are in great need of socializing spaces in a nearly closed campus, and limiting that will deeply affect the well-being of students. On the other hand, the university has a duty to ensure the safety of students, given these limitations.
One must acknowledge that we will have to decide between guaranteeing an enjoyable campus for students or enforcing a stricter prevention protocol. While it might seem obvious for some, making life on campus difficult for students might have effects on their willingness to stay for the remainder of the semester. It could also affect their decision to return on campus next semester if the epidemiological situation does not improve.
