Teaching Through Disruption (Again)

Five years ago, a deadly global pandemic forced many of us to transform our teaching in the middle of the academic term. The long-term impacts of COVID-19 on physical and mental health (as well as on college readiness, enrollment, and retention) are still with us. Two and a half years ago, when the pandemic turned endemic and many (but by no means all!) of us were able to regroup, OpenAI released ChatGPT, precipitating a different kind of large-scale disruption. This year, we find ourselves under an onslaught of executive orders that are disrupting the work of higher education on multiple levels. While the orders face claims of unconstitutionality and long-term legal challenges, academic communities on the ground are struggling to respond in the moment. Drexel University has launched a dedicated website that provides updated information and FAQs on Drexel's response to executive orders and actions, including answers to questions regarding federally funded research, immigration, and inclusion and access. The Chronicle of Higher Education has been tracking impacts as well as gathering impact data via a nation-wide survey. Like all system-level disruptions, the current situation affects not only individuals (students or colleagues) but also the quality of our learning environments as a whole. How do we muster the energy to teach through this fraught moment?

How do we handle the multifaceted uncertainty? How do we stay grounded when students and colleagues find themselves beleaguered by worries about potential program closures, the future of research projects and scholarship funding, access to student aid, access to medical care, bias, harassment, deportation, and ongoing threats to our academic freedom, our freedom to teach, and our shared values? There is, obviously, no single answer to these questions, especially given the pace of the changes and the uncertainty of the outcomes. We can, nevertheless, help our students navigate the current disruption by acknowledging its impacts, gathering relevant resources, and knowing how to respond:

1. Acknowledge (again): In a previous TLC tip focused on teaching during contentious elections, we recommended avoiding a "business as usual" attitude in favor of honestly acknowledging the situation (an approach strongly preferred by students). The same principle applies to the current moment.
   
   
2. Gather resources: Make an inventory of resources and support systems available on campus and beyond. Know how to connect students to Drexel University's mental health support, bias reporting tools, and international student services. (Re)connect with your professional societies, both disciplinary and transdisciplinary (e.g., AAUP), to follow the current conversation. Cultivate your extraprofessional networks. Remember that informal networks and associations play an important role in weathering difficult times, for students and faculty alike.
   
   
3. Know how to respond: Drexel public safety has issued a set of recommendations on how to respond to requests from external law enforcement agencies who might approach us in the classroom or other campus settings. Be aware that all immigrants have legal rights under U.S. law, regardless of immigration status.

While we cannot predict the future, we can remain committed to our students and our mission. We can continue teaching critical thinking, information literacy, and civic engagement-skills that students need now more than ever. Most importantly, we can lean into building community and resilience together.