Being Denied the Expected Experience
Despite the loosening Covid-19 restrictions around Connecticut, some places remain closed due to one reason or another. One such place being the University of Connecticut Law school. Due to lack of ventilation in the old buildings, among other issue, the school is limited to a few in person classes. The school moved to the campus in the 1980’s and have been fitting the buildings for its uses since. The grounds themselves were constructed almost 100 years ago as apart of Hartford seminary placed across the street.
The school has a strong focus on technology and connecting students to the classroom, however the rooms which hold up to fifty people are still empty. With only five buildings on the small campus, there is simply not enough room to maintain social distancing with some of the bigger classes. The library stands as one of the few buildings that is open, yet only for reserved appointments and to pick up materials.
A key factor in the learning experience in any graduate program is the in person interactions that accompanies class on campus. The ability to participate in a face to face dialogue is major component of not only getting a law degree, but simply being an effective lawyer. Not only that, but the combination of international students and no dorms makes the decisions regarding online classes all the more important. Each of these factors raise important questions that many students faced over this past year. Especially in the case of Uconn, is it truly worth the financial investment for an incomplete experience?
