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Florida Tech confirms seven student cases of COVID-19, recommends students get vaccinated

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Sonja Michaels | Editor-in-Chief

Florida Tech confirmed seven new cases of COVID-19 among students this week, with no new cases among employees.

“The first half of Spring Semester is behind us and I remain pleased that things are going well overall—thanks to our ongoing precautions and vigilance.” Florida Tech President T. Dwayne McCay stated in the weekly update, “The last thing any of us would want is a surge in COVID-19 cases across our campus community.”

According to the update, four of the students are isolating on campus, with three isolating off-campus.

Florida Tech also recommended students to get vaccinated as soon as possible, through a message from the Pandemic Response Team.

“While there is no federal or state mandate to receive the vaccine, Florida Tech recommends all Panthers to get vaccinated as soon as they are eligible,” the email stated, “In addition to protecting each recipient against infection, it is essential that a large enough percent of the populations receives the vaccine in order to achieve “herd immunity” to prevent the continued spread of the COVID-19 virus.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides information on COVID-19 vaccination on their website.

Florida Tech announced virtual commencement for spring 2021 earlier this week, due to COVID-19 precautions.

Remembering Alan Rosiene

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Radamés Tirado | Staff Writer

Alan Rosiene, associate professor of English and languages at Florida Tech, passed away on Jan. 16 as a result of COVID-19. 

A photo of Alan Rosiene. He is smiling. Rosiene is wearing a dark shirt standing in front of a blue background.

Born in 1960 to Harriet Rosiene and Alan I. Rosiene, Rosiene grew up in Preston, Connecticut. A year after obtaining his doctorate from Northwestern University, he joined the Florida Tech community, dedicating the next 28 years of his life to his work. 

Rosiene’s teaching addressed a diverse group of topics. These topics ranged from dystopian science fiction and post-apocalyptic fiction, to ancient and medieval rhetorical theory. Through his teaching, he took his students on a variety of adventures towards faraway places, and introduced them to concepts in popular culture. He took the time to make these topics as nuanced and varied as possible.

His skill in the classroom, and the effect it had on his students, earned him many awards. These awards included the Florida Tech Student Ambassadors Outstanding Faculty Award in 1998 and the Kerry Bruce Clark Award for Excellence in Teaching in 1999. 

Rosiene received the President’s Award for University Excellence three years in a row, between 2013 and 2015. 

A music enthusiast, Rosiene was a member of the Florida Tech faculty band, Twitchy. In 2008, he donated sheet music to begin a library at Florida Tech in his father’s name.

Gordon Patterson, a professor in the School of Arts and Communication at Florida Tech, shared his thoughts after Rosiene’s passing.

“Alan Rosiene was a principled man.  His intelligence, his sensitivity, his compassion touched all who knew him.” Patterson said. “He was a marvel.  He made a difference in all of our lives. I mourn his loss.” 

Annie Caza, an associate of Rosiene’s and acting head of the English as a second language program, said his death was “a shock to all of us, for sure”.
Former students of Rosiene responded to the news of his death on the Florida Tech Alumni Association’s Facebook page with memories of Rosiene and condolences to his family. 

“To this day, I still remember the lessons he taught me” Facebook user Murilidhar Areti commented.“He was patient when I was struggling and an amazing teacher! Rest In Peace.” 

Rosiene’s family and Florida tech have created the Dr. Rosiene Liberal Arts Scholarship, an endowment intended to help fund students pursuing a liberal arts education at Florida Tech. Donations to the scholarship fund can be made here.

Rosiene is survived by his wife of nine years, Sandra, and his daughter, Kate. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, no funeral services are being held at this time.

Social distancing leads to social disconnection

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Juliana Gonzalez | Staff Writer

Students were welcomed back to Florida Tech’s campus two weeks into the spring semester, but many students are attending remotely. For some, it has become more difficult to make social connections. 

“COVID is the life sucker of everything,” Cat Nanney, the director of student activities and Greek life at Florida Tech, said. “It’s really changed the human experience and the college experience.”

Nanney said she believes that students are exhausted from constantly seeing screens and feel the same way about virtual events.

“We’re sitting in front of a camera and it’s more exhausting than being in a classroom. It comes easier when you are around people,” Nanney explained. 

Now that the COVID-19 response team at Florida Tech has given the go for in person events again, Nanney and her team have been working on getting students as involved as possible. 

Nanney explained that Student Involvement looks to the students to voice what they are comfortable doing as far as activities. 

She explained that her team takes student response seriously, whether the feedback is positive or negative. They encourage students to reach out to them for activities or event ideas.

Natalia Velásquez, outreach coordinator for the Student Counseling Center, explained that students may be choosing to stay remote since there is a lot to consider about safety.

“People are really concerned about their safety and figuring out what they feel the most safe with and what other people feel the most safe with,” Velásquez said. “While we are trying to socialize, we also have to keep in mind the community and ourselves.”

She explains that there has been a notable increase around the country in students seeking services from counseling centers.

“A lot of counseling centers have increased in the amount of students who are coming in with different things,” Velásquez said. “Whether it’s depression or anxiety, relationship difficulties or socialization difficulties.” 

Aaliyah Thomas, the Greek life coordinator at Florida Tech, explained that it is simply harder to have that “in-person” connection in the current situation. 

“Some people aren’t able to connect as well through a computer screen,” Thomas said.

Yet, Thomas explained that the Greek life at Florida Tech had successful recruitment among remote interaction. She said that Greek life members can communicate their most authentic selves over a screen.

Velásquez provides ways to socialize while maintaining distance, such as multiplayer games, Zoom yoga, and taking “walks” together over the phone, in a previous Crimson article.

New COVID-19 cases at Florida Tech decline

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Sonja Michaels | Editor-in-Chief

New COVID-19 cases at Florida Tech declined last week, according to the university’s weekly update.

Three new cases were reported among students, with no new cases among employees.

Three new cases were reported among students, with no new cases reported among employees.

So far, 37 students and 15 employees have tested positive in the spring semester. Of the 37 students who tested positive, 18 were on campus students and 19 were off-campus students.

Some heightened restrictions are currently in place at Florida Tech, such as the suspension of in-person events.

Students can report symptoms through CampusClear and this form.

Brevard K-12 schools find rhythm again amid COVID-19

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Tessa Dury | Staff Writer

Brevard K-12 schools are some of many that have had to change and adapt so students can continue attending school in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Tania Pippin, a third grade teacher at Covenant Christian School in Palm Bay said that about 90 percent of its students are attending in person classes and 10 percent are attending online. 

Covenant Christian’s current policy requires that if several students in one class test positive, the entire class will go online until students receive negative tests and are given the all-clear to return safely to in-person instruction.

Pippin said that online learning can be especially difficult for elementary age students, who may find it difficult to sit still and pay full attention to a computer screen. 

“But on the other hand, I have a student who has excelled with his work because his grandfather lives with his family, and they have been working on the homework assignments together,” Pippin said. “It’s a very sweet and encouraging thing to see them working it together.”

Covenant Christian has changed its school day hours from 8:00 a.m. through 3:15 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. through 3:30 p.m., giving the students more recess time outside. Students are required to wear masks at recess, in line with the school’s policy that masks must be worn at all times other than eating. 

The extra recess allows teachers to give extra attention and assistance to students who are attending virtually and may need additional help with work. 

Olivia Zajac is a mother with two children, a seventh and a fifth grader, attending online classes at Covenant Christian. 

“At first in the winter it was difficult for them to transition back to the feeling that they were in school. They still had that summer frame of mind,” Zajac said. “But the slower pace of online seems to have decreased some of their anxiety, they have less peer conflicts, and more family time.” 

Virtual learning has also had some positive effects on school events at Covenant Christian, such as grandparents day.

Grandparents day, normally held in person, was held virtually this year. Students’ grandparents, whether located in other states or nearby, were able to safely view art and other student work in an online format. 

“That was really special,” Pippin said. “No grandparent got left out because of distance.”

Viera Charter School has also implemented COVID-19 safety measures once in person classes started again in the fall. 

“Their usual activities have been changed so that the children aren’t in contact with each other,” Melissa Asafo-Agyei, whose children are a second grader and a first grader attending Viera Charter, said. “They play pool noodle tag, instead of regular tag, flag football, and their cafeteria seats have three-way plexiglass dividers.” 

Viera Charter school’s COVID-19 return plan, found on its website, details further preventative measures such as limiting the number of parent volunteers, screening staff for symptoms regularly and modifying emergency protocols with respect to social distancing.

After the new circumstances and sudden shift to online classes teachers were faced with in spring of 2020, Pippin is glad things are beginning to find their rhythm again. 

“It was so good to see the kids when they started to trickle back into in person classes,” Pippin said. “It really is so different teaching online, and it was really wonderful to have them back and to be able to see them again.”

Testing and Training: Panther Athletes Return to Practice

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Elena Ciulli | Staff Writer

Students have made their way back to campus, among them student athletes looking to get back to training.

The athletic department outlines the strategy for mitigating the spread of COVID-19 to guarantee the safety of student athletes, coaches, and athletic trainers. Florida Tech implemented a sport-specific phased resocialization approach for each team, starting with the arrival of student athletes at the beginning of spring semester. 

The priority was to get student athletes traveling back to campus safe and healthy. In order to be allowed to return to campus, student athletes have been required to submit a negative COVID-19 test. Testing has been double-layered, with follow-up tests acting as the green light for team practices. 

“I have been very impressed with all of the measures that the university has taken as a whole.” Luis Velez, head athletic trainer at Florida Tech, said. 

Once competitions start, athletes and staff will be subjected to different protocols, depending on potential transmission risk factors as outlined by the NCAA. 

The nature of the sport and whether it is played indoors or outdoors are determining factors. Based on these guidelines by the NCAA, as competition approaches athletes and staff will be tested regularly starting the week prior to competition and throughout the season and postseason.

 “I want to also thank Brittany Collins from the Health Center, Krishna Patel from the PRT for their help, our athletic administration, and our athletic training staff for their assistance in creating and implementing our policies,” Velez said. “Our coaches and student athletes have done a great job communicating with me and my staff if any concerns arise.”

Players and coaches are expected to strictly adhere to COVID-19 protocols throughout the semester.

John Reynolds, head coach of the women’s basketball team, says that he is following the protocols to a “T.”

“This is the best way to create as safe a practice environment as possible, and I have complete trust in the precautions that we have instituted,” Reynolds said.

Florida Tech introduces online learning period, additional COVID-19 precautions

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Brianna Forté | Copy Editor

The Florida Tech Pandemic Response Team announced on Jan. 6 that Florida Tech would follow a two week online learning period from Jan. 11-24 along with other precautionary measures for COVID-19 in response to the spike in cases following the holiday season.

“We believe this two week ‘self-quarantine’ will allow us to minimize any type of outbreak from occurring on campus,” said Krishna Patel, Florida Tech’s COVID-19 case manager. 

Bino Campanini, chair of the Pandemic Response Team at Florida Tech, said that based off of the pattern of cases following Halloween and Thanksgiving where many people were traveling, the idea behind the two week online learning period was to, “stop a lot of people coming back when they may be positive and then bring it back to campus and spread it out.”

    Campanini said that he met with Patel on Jan. 5 to draft a plan for Florida Tech’s return to learning before introducing the plan to the rest of the response team.

    “We came up with a plan, sent it out to the PRT, got the feedback in, put our plan together, gave it to the president for approval, and the message went out the next day,” Campanini explained.

    The Pandemic Response Team consists of representatives from all departments of Florida Tech, including Executive Vice President and Provost, Marco Carvalho, who suggested to Campanini that labs be excluded from the two week online period.

    “The number of students using the labs is a small number compared to anyone going to class so it’s much more controlled, and the labs are a little harder to obviously do remote,” Campanini said.

The email announcement regarding the online period also stated that Florida Tech will be taking additional precautions during this two week period.

The precautions included the Panther Dining Hall switching entirely to takeout service, orientation consisting of a drive-through check in and online presentations, the Clemente Center being closed for the two week period, no in-person meetings for student clubs and organizations, and room reservations and campus tours being suspended until Jan. 25.

    Patel explained that, “these additional precautions help keep large groups of people from gathering and exposing fellow students, faculty, and staff from those showing symptoms due to travel and holiday events.”

“Hopefully by the 25th, we’ll be back to normal and in a manageable situation,” Campanini said.

    Michaela Foley, a senior studying genomics and molecular genetics and biotechnology, believes that Florida Tech took the necessary precautions to further prevent the virus spreading amongst students.

    “I hope everyone remembers that the university makes these decisions for the safety of its students, faculty, and staff. We will never officially control or slow the spread on campus if students do not do their part to ensure the safety of their peers’ health,” Foley said.

Florida Tech confirms 12 COVID-19 cases | Nov. 20 update

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Florida Tech reported 11 new cases of COVID-19 among students and one employee case in the Nov. 20 weekly update.

“I’m pleased to report that we are doing far better this week than previous weeks, with a dramatic decrease in COVID-19 cases.” Florida Tech President T. Dwayne McCay said in the email update.

This week’s number is a substantial decrease; the total number is just over one third of last week’s reported spike of 35 cases.

McCay once again encouraged students who are traveling for Thanksgiving to complete the remainder of the semester remotely.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that the safest plans for Thanksgiving take place at home, with your household.

The CDC has provided guidance for those who do travel, stating that measures such as outdoor gatherings, refraining from sharing food or utensils, and keeping guests to a minimum can make things safer.

35 new COVID-19 cases at Florida Tech amid nationwide increase

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In the week ending on Nov. 13, Florida Tech confirmed 35 new cases of COVID-19 among students and employees.

This is the highest number of confirmed cases among the Florida Tech community in a single week, exceeding the previous spike of 18 cases reported on Oct. 16.

“Yes, it may have felt worth it to head to that crowded party or bar, or to take your mask off for a dose of ‘how-it-used-to-be’ freedom.” Florida Tech President T. Dwayne McCay said in the Nov. 13 weekly update, “Yet think about what you risk for that fleeting bit of enjoyment. “

McCay stated that students have the option to switch to remote learning for the reminder of the semester after the Thanksgiving break, advising students who plan to leave campus for the break to do so.

This increase in cases comes during a time of nationwide increases, with a recent trend of daily cases over 100,000 in the U.S. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that weekly hospitalization rates have been increasing since the week ending on Sept. 26.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the Johns Hopkins Center for Systems Science and Engineering reports that Brevard County has seen 13,452 confirmed cases, with 409 deaths. The CDC reports that 37,059 new cases have appeared in Florida in the last seven days.

This story is developing. Additions may be made as more information becomes available.

Panther athletes work(out) from home

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Elena Ciulli | Staff Writer

From staying ready to quarantine if an athlete tests positive, to getting their workouts through apps, Panther athletes have had to adapt to a “new normal” in the face of COVID-19.

Florida Tech athletes have taken a unique and challenging hit due to COVID-19. Athletes’ daily lives have been drastically changed, with the majority of their time now being spent maintaining fitness levels and skill training. 

To combat this unexpected off-season, athletes are seeking creative new ways to maintain their skills remotely. Sophomore Nolan Penn, a member of the men’s lacrosse team, had to quarantine after testing positive for COVID-19.

During his time in quarantine, Penn focused on working out in his apartment with training that doesn’t require equipment.

 “Our team got shut down immediately after finding out the first positive case. Quarantine was different for each athlete and it was mainly contained to a few off campus houses,” Penn said. “During our isolation period, my roommate and I have been trying to maintain our shape working out in our apartment as much as we could.”

According to Florida Tech strength and conditioning coach Carl Putman, making sure athletes maintain good physical and mental health is the major goal of their recovery journey. 

“We tried to send creative workouts for the athletes to try at home using regular household items through a training platform on a phone app”, Putman said. 

So what do athletes in quarantine or who tested positive have to do before they return to practice? 

According to Putman, athletic trainers have been implementing “return to play” protocols for athletes coming off quarantine. This is added to lower intensity workouts specially designed for those recovering from COVID-19. 

All of these changes have presented challenges to Panther athletes.

Luis Moriyon Jr., a junior on the baseball team, has experienced some tough moments, but said he has full confidence on the coaching staff. 

“The hardest part was going back to phase one as soon as we found the first positive case in our team. At this point it’s tough to know what would be our next move, but we follow what our coaches say and we trust the process.” Moriyon said.

Moriyon said extra precautions have been taken, such as avoiding sharing equipment with other athletes. 

Putman emphasized that for any athletes exposed to COVID-19, returning to health is most important. He explained that hydration, proper nutrition, and sleep, along with stretching and mobility work, take priority. 

 “Recovery is very important and vital, particularly if our immune system has been busy fighting the virus,” Putman said.