Formal Report Proposal: Reassessing Access to Equipment and Labs….

To: Dr. Erika Paterson

From: Zachary Goldman

Date: June 20th, 2020

Subject: Reassessing Access to Equipment and Labs for Applied Coursework at UBC during Covid-19

Introduction

Covid-19 has thrown UBC into crisis mode. During the transition to an online class format, courses which normally use standardized equipment or on-campus computer labs were forced to rely on the equipment students had on-hand, resulting in precipitous drops in the quality of coursework, and creating an unfair learning environment which favored those with financial means.

If UBC is going to maintain an equitable learning environment, UBC needs to reassess students’ access to university equipment. UBC needs to expand on current services provided for the upcoming Winter 2020/1 year so that students can have access to university grade equipment without paying 3rd party vendors out of pocket.

The audience for this project is the UBC Senate and Student Body

Statement of Problem

Applied or Lab based courses are a fundamental part of UBC degree planning, but access to the necessary equipment to complete those courses has changed in the wake of Covid-19. Laptops and Cameras are no longer available to rent, and access to computer labs has been significantly reduced or in some cases, completely restricted. This loss of access puts additional strain on students who cannot afford the equipment needed to complete their coursework and subsequently, their degrees.

Proposed Solution 

The proposed solution to this issue is multi-faceted, with many measures being relatively minor changes. The BCCDC has recommendations intended for businesses which UBC can implement right away in libraries and computer labs such as social distancing measures, access to hand sanitizer, and facial mask requirements that will help alleviate some of the stress on students. Other proposed solutions will require a reallocation of funds to purchase more equipment which students will be able to rent for the duration of their courses. Still other proposed solutions will suggest incorporating the cost of university grade equipment into the Bursary program. By incorporating some or all of these measures, UBC can ease the financial burden of students during the transition to an online format.

Scope

I plan to explore the following areas:

1. What hygienic measures can UBC adopt to create access to labs and equipment for students living on or near campus?
2. How much additional equipment would the university need in order to create equitable classes for students?
3. How can UBC reassess their rental programs, which currently only allows students to rent laptops for a maximum of 24 hours?
4. How can students living far away from campus get access to university grade equipment without paying out of pocket?
5. What are the costs of implementing the measures proposed, and where should the funding come from?

Methods

The primary data sources will come from preliminary online interviews with professors, students, and UBC employees directly engaged in courses which require equipment and computer labs. This primary research will be followed up with a survey as UBC takes measures to deal with Covid-19 for the Winter 2020/1 year. 

Secondary sources will be drawn from the BCCDC, freely available UBC financial resources, and relevant publications.

Qualifications

As a student currently enrolled as a student in a film course at UBC there would have been access to high grade camera equipment for little additional cost before the onset of Covid-19. As a result of Covid-19 and the transition to an online environment, the university’s equipment is inaccessible to students and can only be purchased via non-reimbursable 3rd party vendors.  

Conclusions 

As it stands currently, the transition to an online format for courses that require equipment or computer labs has been particularly rough on students. Many students do not have the funds to purchase such equipment, nor should that be their responsibility. If UBC wants to maintain an equitable learning environment in the wake of Covid-19, it needs to adopt measures which will help make that a reality.

Reassessing Access to Equipment and Labs for Applied Coursework at UBC during Covid-19