As the university is adapting to COVID-19, several organizations, events and traditions are being affected by the change at Javelina Nation.
While most students looked forward to the festivities in the Spring, new guideline have caused major adjustments. The Annual Spring Fling, Miss TAMUK, Ring Ceremony and Graduation are some of the events that have been cancelled due to COVID-19.
“Most events have been canceled on campus as we are moving to practice social distancing for the health of the university community,” Department Chair of Arts and Sciences Todd Lucas said. “The events that have been canceled [in Jones Auditorium] were just a few. We had outside events from school so those were easy to deal with. The largest two events were Miss TAMUK and Jazz Fest.”
Miss TAMUK and Jazz Fest are annual events that keep the Javelina pride shinning bright. However, due to COVID-19 students have lost the opportunity to experience those events, and are faced with adjusting to change.
The majority of organizations look forward to the Spring semester to participate in Spring Fling.
“The Spring Fling was not only a financial opportunity for us, but an outreach one as well. We like to use the event to educate, and let those interested, know what the Pre-Vet Club is and what we do. Without the Spring Fling, we’ve lost a way to interact with our members and the community,” President of TAMUK Pre-Vet Shyana Rodriguez said.
Communication in organizations has also shifted in order to abide with the new guidelines set by the university. Organizations are hosting virtual meetings through Skype, using their group chats more in order to provide the best experience out of a club.
“We’re having to postpone activities in order to comply with social distancing and respecting the guidelines set by the university,” Brenda Revett, treasurer of TAMUK Pre-Vet club, said. “Our annual trip to TAMU vet college open house has been cancelled as well. This means that we keep all our funding from this semester and last semester for the next year. So, funding wise it’s not a huge loss for our organization. It is disappointing that we won’t be able to give our member the experience that has been provided in previous [years].”
With safety in mind, the university has cancelled events to safeguard the health of Javelina Nation and the community.
“Perspective is everything,” Madeline Maltais, engineering major, said. “Of course, I get sad when I think about my graduation being postponed, but I try to shift my mentality to the bigger picture. I think of how everyone is affected to some degree, from the athletes who had their season taken from them to the people across the country being laid off from their work. Everyone is validated in their struggles and sadness due to this pandemic.”
In efforts to halt the spread of COVID-19, the university is implementing social distancing and advising students to avoid crowded places. Javelina Nation encourages students to be mindful of basic public health recommendations such as washing your hands and avoiding touching your face.