COVID-19 has affected every aspect of life at the University of Idaho, from how classes are being held to where students are going to live for the semester.
In emails from President C. Scott Green, students learned the university would be going from testing online courses to being online only and then being told they did not have to come back to campus after break.
“Given the looming threat of infection, the risk of death to some populations, and guidance from our public health professionals, we believe engaging students in classes is an important way to reduce downtime and hinder the overwhelming desire to gather socially and risk further transmission of the virus,” Green said in a university email Sunday.
Green said in the email classes would start up again Monday.
“We will begin online/remote classes as planned on Monday but ask that everyone remain understanding and flexible as we finish our semester,” Green said the university email.
Raquel Marboe, a Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority member, started her spring break knowing she might not be able to go back to her sorority but didn’t think it would play out like this.
“(Chapter Presidents and Nationals) just told us that they’ll do what they can, they’ll keep us informed,” Marboe said. Then on (March 19) we were told that we have next week to completely move out and get all of our belongings and then go to wherever we are needing to quarantine or do online classes or be for the rest of the semester.”
Nationals are the organizations that oversee the chapter houses of each fraternity or sorority.
In a message from Rebecca Armstrong, risk management specialists, members were informed of new changes to how their houses were going to be run to when they were expected to move out.
Moving out would take place anywhere from noon on March 22 until March 27 and if members did not get their belongings by March 27 their things would be thrown away.
“I know other houses have been accommodating like they’re only letting four girls at a time go into the house and move their stuff out, making sure that they’re in different rooms and hurrying moving it out but that limits them to having to sign up for a specific time,” Marboe said.
Greek Chapters across UI have been taking their own actions to keep members safe.
Nick O’Neal, interim director of fraternity and sorority life, said at least 12 houses on campus have closed.
A full list of Greek houses that are closing has not yet been released, as each chapter is a private organization.
He said they have encouraged UI’s chapters to work with their members who need accommodations.
But Marboe said she isn’t the only student who this is happening to.
After learning this, Marboe sent an email to Green and the Dean of Students, Blaine Eckles expressing her concern — not just for Greek students, but all UI students.
The email Marboe sent, which was posted in full on the UI Memes for Socially Distanced Teens (formally UI Memes for Scott’s Tots) details what Marboe thinks other students across UI might be feeling upon returning to campus on Monday.
“Thinking of having to simultaneously complete upcoming assignments, attending virtual class lectures at specific times and having to pack up all our belongings within 24 hours, seems close to impossible and will limit our ability to give our full efforts in completing all given tasks,” Marboe said in the email.
The post on the meme page was accompanied by a petition asking for spring break to be extended by a week so students could grab their things and get set up with new housing.
Marboe said she did receive a response from Green Saturday after she posted it to the meme page.
In the email, Green stated that 20% of UI students are Greek and while he said he believes they are an important part, the majority of students have no restraints on picking up their belongings.
“To expand spring break and extend the semester seems a bit like taking a sledge hammer to a finishing nail,” Green said in the email.
Marble’s sorority is asking their members to move out within 24 hours of their arrival to the house, but not every house is working the same way. Some houses that are closing have given their members until March 27 to move their things.
“They have told us that they will accommodate those that are unable to move out on the day assigned. We are also working with the other Greek houses to ask them to accommodate those that need more time. Having the Greek houses relax their rules for moving out is a much better solution and more sensitive to the majority of students that do not face this same issue,” Green said in the email.
Marboe said she and a few of her sorority sisters will be returning at the same time to move their things out.
“It’s not all Greek students — we’re only a small portion of it so I didn’t want to seem like I was only advocating for us. I wanted to definitely be known I’m advocating for all U of I students that are going through a hard time right now,” Marboe said.
*This story has been updated to include more information for clarity.
Kali Nelson can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @kalinelson6