Some students are finding the adjustment to online instruction difficult, particularly those who are not equipped to study at home.

“I am not excited at all about transferring to online,” said junior Bradley Knight. “I am taking Editing and Advanced TV, which requires you to learn how to use production cameras. I cannot do that online.”

Like many students studying broadcasting, Knight feels he cannot create Hollywood quality productions, including music videos, documentaries and short films, without the school’s top-of-the-line equipment.

Other students are frustrated they lost access to PNW labs.

“Certain courses I have are hands-on for a reason,” said senior Alicia Napules. “Those courses have labs which I paid to use and am no longer able [to].”

Some students are coping by buying equipment to accommodate themselves better at home.

“I just bought a desk,” said junior Kaitlin Kupiec. “It’s coming in clutch for studying.” 

Many other students are using what’s already available, spreading out on their bed or kitchen table, but they struggle to avoid the distractions of working from home. 

“I try to stay away from doing my homework in my room,” said senior Mackenzie Covault. “Instead, I do it in my dining room. There is not a TV [there].”

The university has restricted access to campus computer labs, but PNW does offer copies of some software free of charge, an extension of its license for the applications.  For example, PNW makes Microsoft Office available free of charge to all its students. And online lectures are being streamed on Zoom or Skype, two readily available applications.

But no matter how well-equipped students may be at home, the closed campus just makes the academic experience very different.

“Some classes, like Advanced Public Relations, [are] a lot harder than if it were in person,” said senior Josh Balcerak.

The changes are forcing students to rework or reimagine their projects.

 “With the changes, I do not have access to my clients or hands-on experience with my teacher,” said junior Ebony Devoe. “It’s super hard to complete a press release for class.”