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Spring Break cancelled

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Spring break has been removed from the Florida Tech spring 2021 academic calendar in response to COVID-19.

An explanation for the change and revised academic calendar were sent out to the Florida Tech community in a Sept. 25 email on behalf of Marco Carvalho, executive vice president and provost at Florida Tech.

The email states that the removal of spring break “will promote community health by reducing spring travel while also maximizing instructional time.” 

The shift has also affected the date of graduation for spring 2021, which will now take place on May 1. While fall commencement exercises have been moved online, it has not been announced if the spring ceremony will take place virtually or in-person. 

Adjusted dates in the academic calendar:

Last day of classes – April 21

Study days – April 22-23

Final Exams – April 26-30

Commencement – May 1

Safety takes the lead in campus organization planning

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By Johnny O’Brien

Campus organizations at Florida Tech have commenced with the start of the school year, with organization leaders prioritizing safety as they plan their events. 

Florida Tech’s First Year Experience, spearheaded by Jessica Ha Bittner, offers a 1000-level university experience course, with the purpose of helping out new students during their initial academic and social transitions to Florida Tech. Their office offers educational and social programming throughout the year. The first program in their lineup debuts on Sept. 18, with Oscar-winning film Parasite for the FYE Film Series.

Ha Bittner says that FYE is following all protocols outlined in the Florida Tech Safe: Return to Learn plan. 

“We require masks for anyone to enter our office space, and we also offer in-person appointments for students who are on campus this fall, but highly encourage all students to meet with us virtually through Microsoft Teams meetings or via phone conferences,” Ha Bittner said.

The FYE office works primarily with incoming students who transfer in less than 30 credits and are considered first year students. Ha Bittner mentioned the office is not only providing students with resources and knowledge for first year at Florida Tech, but also ensuring they understand the safety measures in place at the university. 

“All FYE advisees are encouraged to speak with their advisor if they have any questions or concerns about Florida Tech, the transition to college life, or our pandemic response,” Ha Bittner said. “We promise to assist students with any questions they may have, including connecting the student with the appropriate resource needed to provide that assistance.”

The Homecoming committee is also having to adjust with all things COVID, as homecoming committee head Samara Gallion is taking precautions to ensure a fun and safe gathering for this year’s event. Gallion said that last year’s events were extended by a day and a half and the committee plans on doing the same for this year.

“Last year our events included Kick-off, Fall Earth Day, Big Night Out 2.0, Talent Show, Downtown Fest, Homecoming Football game, and Homecoming Carnival,” Gallion said. “These activities provide a lot of diversity for all students to find something to enjoy during the week and also gives them an outlet to destress.”

With COVID-19 still a major concern, the homecoming committee made an executive decision to move homecoming to the spring semester. 

“All of our plans have been shifted back and we will be working diligently to make Homecoming possible this year in an environment where everyone can feel safe,” Gallion said.

Gallion said she cannot make any statement yet if the school will have any limits to who can attend Homecoming activities this year, but the homecoming committee will be thoroughly discussing the implications of the population and safety adjustments that the school will be implementing come spring semester.

“The policies that we set in place this year might not occur in the following, but they are something that should be kept around as a baseline for any event such as COVID,” Gallion said. 

Nicolette Murphey, president of the Marine Biological Society at Florida Tech, and treasurer Erika Kurtzweil said that the organization is unable to gather large groups for their beach cleanups due to COVID-19.

“We’re strongly encouraging people to still go to the beach independently and pick up any trash they find, but it’s not the same group effort we’ve been able to have in the past,” Murphey said.

Kurtzweil said the group is hopeful that they will be able to pick events back up in the spring semester. 

Murphey said the organization has had to make some changes to adapt to the new normal, including cancelling their spring snorkeling trip and placing many plans on hold to keep members safe.

Florida Tech’s fall sports have also experienced delays and changes due to COVID-19. Daniel Supraner, director of athletic communications, said that the department is doing all they can to make sure student-athletes remain safe on campus, with team practices halted from the start of the semester until Sept. 7.

“We are educating and encouraging student-athletes to wear a mask, social distance, and avoid large gatherings and parties,” Supraner said.

Supraner said that practices will be based around small groups of ten or less athletes. 

On July 18, the Sunshine State Conference (SSC) Presidents Council announced that the 2020 fall sports season was being postponed, which included men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s cross country and volleyball. 

“Right now, the plan is to have fall sports compete during the Spring 2021 semester but the exact start date has yet to be determined,” Supraner said.

Supraner said the start date for winter sports, including men’s and women’s basketball and men’s and women’s swimming, has yet to be announced as well. The normal start time for competition is usually in November. 

According to Supraner, fall sports will do a conference-only schedule and winter sports will likely do the same.

“At this time, none of our teams are able to schedule contests outside the state of Florida,” Supraner said.

Social distancing measures on Florida Tech’s campus

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By Arianna Schuck

Precautionary measures regarding COVID-19 are visible around Florida Tech’s campus, as students attend classes in person or remotely. 

Florida Tech President T. Dwayne McCay announced Friday in the weekly COVID-19 update that there were two new student cases, with no new cases among faculty and staff.

As of Saturday, the Florida Department of Health listed over 640,000 total cases in the state, with 3,773 new cases reported among Florida residents from the previous day. The website features a banner advising social distancing, face coverings, and for individuals concerned about their status, getting tested.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, buildings like Crawford and Skurla were crowded during transition times. Now, instructions are on display directing students to move through the buildings while social distancing. 

Staircases are labeled with decals, instructing students on which side of the staircase can be used to go up or down. Doors are indicated strictly for exiting or entering with signs.

Decals on the main staircase in the Crawford building. Photo |Arianna Schuck

Rosalia Gray, a sophomore majoring in forensic psychology, said it was nerve-wracking at first to hear that Florida Tech would be opening for the fall semester. 

“I believe that the school is handling the situation very well, the university is doing everything in their ability to keep the campus community safe,” Gray said.

Ryan Hayden, a sophomore majoring in business administration with entrepreneurship, said he thinks Florida Tech is doing a good job of keeping on-campus students safe, but that more precautions could be taken such as temperature checks before each class or required testing for the virus.

Doors in Crawford are now marked specifically for entering or exiting. Photo | Arianna Schuck

“I did not have any worries about crowding in lecture halls because all of my classes in previous years were small,” Hayden said.

Students and employees are required to wear face coverings on campus, according to the Florida Tech Safe website. Exceptions apply for individual students in enclosed study rooms or in their residence hall rooms. The question and answer page states that individuals who do not follow the policy will be asked to do so or leave the area, with potential disciplinary action in the case of “repeated refusal” to comply.

International students adjust during COVID-19 restrictions

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by Brianna Forte

Due to the complications related to the COVID-19 pandemic, international students at Florida Tech had major decisions to make when it came to their travel plans and method of learning for the fall semester. 

International students were faced with a series of options for this fall semester as travel restrictions, visa issues, and COVID-19 precautions were taken into consideration. 

When classes switched to online in March, some international students decided to return home. 

“First, I planned to stay until the end of the semester, but when our government announced that they will close the borders of Hungary [my family and I] decided the best for me was to go back home,” explained Liza Lutter, a junior majoring in biology from Budapest, Hungary.

Since returning to their home countries, some students now have to deal with the global travel restrictions that have been installed in response to COVID-19.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website, travelers from China, Iran, European Schengen area, United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, or Brazil are prohibited from entering the United States.

Students who cannot return to in-person classes for the fall semester have been able to attend online classes synchronously or asynchronously. 

Brian Ehrlich, vice president of enrollment management, reported that as of Aug. 28 there are 381 international students across all levels of learning that have requested remote access.

“I decided to take classes online because I want to see how Florida Tech can control the COVID-19 situation,” said Lutter.

The only issue Lutter has encountered so far is with her internet connection, “but the problem is with my internet usually so it’s not the school’s fault.”

Nicole Rautemberg, a sophomore majoring in business from Asunción, Paraguay shared her difficulties adjusting to online learning. 

“For me it’s hard to understand english, and I feel like I learn more in a classroom setting because I can ask questions and I won’t be afraid of speaking out,” Rautemberg said.

Although Florida Tech has provided many options for international students, there is a decline in enrollment among international students from this fall semester compared to the fall semester of 2019. 

According to Ehrlich, the number of enrolled international students for this year is just over 1,300, which is close to last year’s number of approximately 1,500 students. Ehrlich emphasized that official university numbers don’t come out until the census in September, meaning the numbers may vary.

“I’m positive and encouraged by the number. And I think a lot of that has to do with the offering remote access to people that couldn’t get here,” said Ehlrich.

In addition to those adjusting to online learning, there are also international students who opted to stay within the United States this summer so that they could attend in-person classes. 

Over the summer, junior Marcello Mattei explained that he wanted to go home to Caracas, Venezuela but could not because the COVID-19 pandemic lead to the Venezuelan border being closed. 

Gregory Dunn, a sophomore majoring in aeronautical science with flight from Kingston, Jamaica explained the difficulty of deciding to stay in the United States over the summer.

“That decision to stay in the U.S. means I won’t be able to see my family and friends back home until December and that’s only if the pandemic eases up. This is one that has been made by many other international students as well,” said Dunn.

Another huge issue that international students are running into is obtaining a visa interview among the rising freshmen class. In order to conduct a visa interview, prospective students must go to a U.S. embassy, many which were closed during the summer due to COVID-19 restrictions.

“A number of students that have been admitted are not able to complete the embassy interview process, which is a critical component of receiving a visa,” Ehrlich explained.

Admitted students unable to obtain their visa were instructed to defer their entry into the U.S. to spring 2021, according to Ehrlich.

Erin Graham, from Johannesburg, South Africa, had to defer her entry.

Graham had a visa appointment scheduled for July 6, which was then cancelled and moved to July 30, before it was cancelled again. 

The cancellation “made it impossible for me to make it on time for my fall semester,” Graham said.

Graham explained that COVID-19 may have also affected the attitudes of some international students. 

“I think COVID-19 has made international students a lot more cautious in the idea of going to study abroad, as many of us will have even less time or chances to visit our families due to flight restrictions,” Graham said.

Mindful Adjustments with Self-Care as a Priority

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Natalia Velásquez, M.S., Outreach Coordinator || Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS)

Whether this is the first semester of your freshman year or your last “first” semester here at Florida Tech, the start of any new experience can be an exciting, and sometimes stressful, adjustment for anyone. Currently, you might be adjusting to moving away from home, learning how to use Zoom for an online class, wearing a mask in the hallway, making new friends “at a distance” or virtually, and many other adjustments. 

Regardless of the new experience, it is important to not judge yourself and practice self-care during periods of adjustment. There is no “right” or “wrong” way to adjust to any new experience, as each adjustment period varies in severity and duration. Coping effectively with adjustment may take trial and error. Adjustment may look different from person to person, and that is completely normal.

A beneficial way to begin effectively coping with any kind of adjustment is to take some time to bring awareness to what you might be adjusting to and how this may be affecting you in the present moment, specifically noticing any thoughts, feelings, or bodily sensations that may arise. You might experience thoughts such as “I cannot learn over the computer,” feelings such as worry and nervousness, and sensations such as shortness of breath. 

During these times, it can be helpful to take a few deep breaths and bring your full attention to your breathing. Taking some time to slow down, label your experiences, and relax can help to push the “restart” button in order to help you focus on what is likely to be supportive in your adjustment process. 

One essential coping strategy for any kind of adjustment is creating structure in your daily routine that includes self-care as a priority. Not only am I giving you permission to add self-care time into your agenda, but I am also encouraging you to give yourself permission to prioritize self-care in order to facilitate effective coping and to improve your psychological health.

Self-care can be identified as maintaining a healthy relationship with yourself by taking care of your mind, body, and soul through the engagement of activities that reduce stress and promote well-being. Examples of self-care activities that are beneficial for specifically coping with adjustment include connecting with friends and family (even if it’s “just via Zoom”), enjoying nature and the outdoors, exercising, cooking a healthy meal, meditating, listening to music, taking a bath, and gratitude journaling. Setting time to prioritize self-care during periods of adjustment can significantly reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, as well as enhance overall psychological well-being. 

If you find yourself having adjustment difficulties that cannot be resolved with setting routines and engaging in self-care, please reach out to someone for support. While some adjustments may be personal to you, others are likely to be shared by many.  Reaching out and sharing in this common humanity can help you gain valuable support from those around you, as well as learn additional coping mechanisms that could be helpful in your adjustment. You can also reach out for professional support. 
CAPS is your student counseling center that provides a variety of mental health and wellness services to assist you and other students in successfully reaching personal, academic, and career goals. Please take a moment to visit the website, Counseling And Psychological Services. Many students utilize our services, and we encourage you to do so you can be the healthiest Florida Tech Panther you can be!

Florida Tech Safe: CAPS Teletherapy Services

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This article was provided to The Crimson by Counseling and Psychological Services.

Welcome Back Florida Tech Panthers!  Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), powered by the Division of Student Life & Alumni Affairs, is your student counseling center here to provide a variety of mental health and wellness services to assist you with your overall health and wellness, so that you can successfully reach your personal, academic, and career goals.  

In an effort to maintain the health and safety of our campus community, this fall, CAPS is excited to offer you teletherapy services through use of a secure platform.  Continued telephone support will also remain available.  These teletherapy services are for individual counseling and available to students who will be residing on campus, in the local area, and throughout the state of Florida.  CAPS is invested in increasing access to mental health services and support, while remaining Florida Tech Safe. 

College can be a complex time for students, characterized by growth and change.  While there are many benefits of an advanced education, it also brings with it many challenges that can feel overwhelming.  CAPS continues to focus on offering increased accessibility, flexibility, choice, and control over mental health treatment, to help students learn how to work through life’s challenges, heal emotional pain, and develop the necessary skills to lead healthy and balanced lives.  Some reasons students may seek support from CAPS include coping with the increased academic demands, homesickness/adjustment concerns, relationship changes, stress management, and managing their own mental health condition.  To request services, please contact CAPS at (321) 674-8050 or go to the website at:  https://www.fit.edu/counseling-and-psychological-services/.  Additional self-help resources and 24-hour crisis support can also be found on the website.  You are not alone!  CAPS is here to help you be the most emotionally well Florida Tech Panther that you can be!

CAPS Presents – Stop Feeling F.I.N.E.

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As we inch closer to exam week, it is easy to feel F.I.N.E.—Freaked out, Insecure, Neurotic and Emotional. 

While the stress of exams and the holiday season might cause overwhelming feelings of needing to “get it all done,” it is important to remember that only so much can be completed in one day. College students are often faced with the temptation of pulling “all nighters,” assuming that the less sleep one gets, the better their performance will be on an exam. Instead, lack of sleep can actually decrease cognitive performance and memory, leading to more forgetfulness and mistakes while completing tests or papers. 

Rather than running on fumes, take a moment to consider taking care of yourself this exam season so that you can show up with a clear mind and put your best foot forward.

Here are some self-care tips to help you keep a sharp mind and positive attitude:

Work in shifts: Even if you are cramming, it’s hard to retain a large amount of information without giving time for memory consolidation. Consider taking short breaks between 5-15 minutes for every 45-60 minutes of studying/working.

Play study music: Music without lyrics can help break up the monotony of studying without being distracting. Consider free study tunes on YouTube, such as classical music, Chillhop or coffeehouse jazz.

Remember to eat: Being busy can easily turn into forgetting to eat, or eating too much junk food. Try to balance between the two by planning a break to go to the dining hall, or meal prepping. Even simple healthier quick snacks, like nuts, fruit, sparkling water instead of soda or protein bars can help keep you fueled and focused without the sugary crash.

Catch some Z’s: Resist the all nighter! Even a little bit of sleep is better than no sleep at all. If you find yourself having trouble overthinking while you try to sleep before an exam, try taking a moment to tense up your muscles, then slowly relax them. Do this for different muscle groups to help take your focus off of your thoughts. Or try paying attention to your five senses while taking slow, controlled breaths. Lastly, calming music or white noise can help with relaxation. Even searching “ocean waves” on YouTube and playing it while you fall asleep can be helpful.

Manage your worry: Some worry about exams is healthy and productive. It might help you to start studying NOW (*hint, hint*) as opposed to last minute. Unproductive worry comes when we have difficulty focusing on work or completing tasks. It might cause us to feel overwhelmed and lower confidence. Challenge the unproductive worry with helpful reminders that you will be okay, no matter the results:

“I studied as much as I could, now it is time to perform as best as I can.”

“My worth does not lie in any single course, assignment or test. I am still a good person even if I don’t perform as well as I would like.”

“Rather than overthinking, I am going to take this time to cope and reset so I can get in some productive study time later.”

We hope you find these tips helpful in navigating your end of semester to-do list. On behalf of CAPS, we wish you a successful end to your semester and a relaxing winter break!

Walking with Gratitude

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Halloween is over, so you know what that means … Christmas! Just kidding. In between these two widely celebrated holidays, there is a meek holiday called Thanksgiving. 

While the face of Thanksgiving has changed over the years, many continue to celebrate traditions of remembering things for which they are grateful. This may seem a bit cliché, but the process of gratitude can actually help with managing stress, anxiety and depression. That’s right—the age-old tradition of being thankful is, in fact, a coping skill.

This November, take a moment to practice gratitude to help get you back to living in the moment and being mindful of the good things. Here are some gratitude activities/ideas that you can practice:

Gratitude Jar/Box: Decorate a jar or a tissue box in whatever way you wish. Then, on strips of paper, write at least three things throughout your day that you are grateful for and place it in your jar or box. It can be something as simple as your morning tea or coffee or as grand as your best friend. Over time, you will have a jar full of many reasons to be thankful for what you have. If you are ever feeling down, you can turn to your jar and read a few notes to remind yourself of who, and what, is good in your life.

Gratitude Journaling: Take a moment, maybe 2-3 times per week, to write down things you are grateful for. Try these prompts:

  • I am grateful for my family because…
  • Something good that happened this week…
  • I am grateful for my friendship with_________ because___________.
  • I am grateful for who I am because…
  • Something silly that I am grateful for…
  • Something else I am grateful for…

Gratitude Rock: Pick a rock, or another small object, such as a shell or a button, that represents what you are grateful for. Be sure to pick something you like to make it special for you. Carry the rock around in your pocket, place it on your desk or maybe wear it on a chain. Whenever you see or touch it, let it be a reminder to pause and think about at least one thing you are grateful for—whether it’s the sun shining on you or being able to go to college. When you remove the rock at the end of the day, take a moment to remember what you were grateful for throughout the day. Repeat this in the morning when you put it on again, remembering what you were grateful for yesterday.

Taking time to remember things you are grateful for can help bring focus off of anxious and negative thoughts. It can help you find a calm moment, which can help you better tackle your day-to-day life. Enjoy these gratitude activities or try some new ones you create on your own. Happy Thanksgiving!

CAPS Presents – Don’t Let Your Light Burn Out

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You’re busy, right?

Think of all the times you have used that as a reason to not do something.

“I can’t, I’m busy” or “I wish I could, but I’m busy” are phrases that are part of a typical college student’s vernacular.

Being busy is not a bad thing.

Many students thrive on having schedules, “to-do” lists, and several activities or responsibilities in which they are involved.

However, being busy can easily boil over into feeling stressed out, overwhelmed, or even burned out.

Many of us are familiar with feeling stressed or overwhelmed but burnout is a different type of feeling that many experience without knowing the lasting effects it can have.

Burnout occurs when you lose touch with the reasons why you are doing something in the first place.

You might feel apathetic, even cynical towards your work or people around you.

There is no clear cause of burnout, but the factors that influence burnout can include feeling overwhelmed or lacking control over your time, lack of social support, and school-life imbalance.

Feeling like you or a friend might be burned out?

Take a moment to reignite your flame.

Self-care is essential for managing a hefty course load along with other obligations, such as a part-time job, extracurriculars or volunteer work.

A great resource for students on-the-go is the Florida Tech Campus Wellness website.

It is loaded with resources to help you find and maintain balance and wellness.

Think of it as all of our campus resources packed into one site.

There are self-help resources for studying, career development, exercise, sleep, health, eating, and emotional wellbeing.

With the right resources, many students can make the minor adjustments they need to stay on track.

Campus Well is here to help connect you with those resources, whether from your phone, tablet, or laptop/ computer.

Take a moment to download the Campus Well app or visit the website and see how these easily accessible resources can prevent or reduce burnout and help you shine your brightest!

College of Business hosts Rett syndrome fundraiser

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Every year since 2010, Florida Tech has seen a fundraiser hosted for Rett Syndrome.

This is because Henry Perez, the dean of the College of Business, has a 23-year-old daughter named Lily with the syndrome.

According to rettsyndrome.org, Rett syndrome is a rare non-inherited genetic disorder that occurs mostly in girls, although it can rarely occur in boys.

Rett syndrome tends to have an affect on brain development. Perez’s fundraiser, known as the Florida Strollathon, benefits rettsyndrome.org.

The organization invests in research, educates about the syndrome and calls for volunteers to help with fundraisers.

The Strollathon will be held on Saturday, Nov. 2, at the Space Coast Field of Dreams.

Many people across the state, including families who are affected by Rett syndrome, will gather together at the Strollathon.

A Rett syndrome awareness week at the College of Business and a pancake breakfast fundraiser at Lucky’s was held beforehand to spread awareness. Funds were collected during the events.

Graduate student Kristi Stephens is participating in the fundraiser for the first time, and will be assisting Perez. Stephens got the opportunity to meet Lily, which inspired her to participate.

“I am particularly inspired to support families and children who face daily challenges because I am fortunate to have two healthy children of my own,” Stephens said. “I believe an entire community benefits when people are willing to help each other with kindness, generosity and compassion.”

Stephens has played a major role with the fundraiser, as she has “planned details of the event such as catering, entertainment and booking hotel accommodations.”

With Stephens’ interest in volunteering, she said she enjoys helping others and getting to know new people, such as the families that attend the fundraiser.

“The most rewarding part of my contribution so far has been interacting with families who have daughters with Rett syndrome,” Stephens said. “It has been a pleasure to support them in a small way, whether by setting up their fundraising pages, helping them post photos and letters, booking hotel rooms or answering general questions about the event.”

Stephens said she looks forward to meeting the families in person and will be proud to have contributed to their enjoyment of a fun day while supporting a cause that can make a difference in their lives.

The fundraiser’s goal is to raise over $100 thousand this year.

If this goal is reached, the fundraiser would raise one million dollars over the course of the Strollathon’s ten-year period.