Hannah Lonergan, Staff Writer |
Staying involved with the campus community is a good way of reducing stress from classes and the political climate. Many SUNY Oneonta clubs have altered the way they operate so that they can continue striving towards their goals and connecting with other students.
The Audio Production Engineering Club (APEC) has moved to Zoom and meets every Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. APEC’s president, Zanida Banks-Rollins, joined the club when she was a sophomore. Now a senior, she’s trying to keep the club centered around its core of showing people how to mix music.
In the past, APEC was more hands-on and showed students how to mix in their studio. Due to COVID-19, all of the mixings are done online. Now, the club operates by asking the attendees what they want to learn, letting them ask questions and showing them how they can mix. Banks-Rollins explains that they talk about other people’s processes of mixing.
One of the biggest obstacles, besides being online, has been community engagement and club consistency. Although the club gets the same people in attendance, it is not always consistent weekly. Another issue this semester has brought up was the lack of budget. Banks-Rollins says the club had wanted to bring in other audio production engineers but now there is no funding for the clubs to do so.
APEC is an environment for all, as the meetings are advertised as an open space where there is no pressure to attend every single meeting. Even if you don’t make music, the club welcomes all who are curious and have questions about audio production. Students can follow APEC on Instagram at @apec_oneonta.
Another club that has been returning to our virtual campus is Art & Scope. Art & Scope is Oneonta’s student-run literary and art magazine. They meet every Friday at 3:00 p.m. on Microsoft Teams.
Usually, Art & Scope publishes a new magazine every semester. They have a call for submissions, where students can send in a few pieces of either art or writing. Then, the club votes on submissions and works on a layout in InDesign. Once the layout is done, the finished Art & Scope magazine is sent to the school’s printer and distributed throughout the campus.
Since last semester was cut short, the spring edition of Art & Scope was put on hold. However, the club is now incorporating last semester’s issue with the Fall semester, creating a “2020” Art & Scope digital magazine. Although this edition will not be printed, it is still giving students an opportunity to get their work published.
Arianna Goggin, the Vice President and Managing Editor of Art & Scope, explains that when the issue comes out, it will be “a great opportunity for students to feel unified by art and writing in a time of isolation.” The magazine is projected to be published later in 2020 or early 2021. You can follow Art & Scope on Instagram at @artandscope
Events on Campus Connection are updated every day, providing students diverse experiences and even LEAD credit. Many clubs are still adjusting to the virtual environment, students should check Campus Connection for the most recent information on when clubs are meeting and what events are being held.
Whether they are learning from home or at school, middle and high school students are sharing their love for reading through book clubs. In the spring, the middle and high schools hosted virtual book clubs for their students. This year, with the expansion of the WCS Online program, the meetings are a mixture of in-person and Zoom calls.