About 40 Syracuse University students, faculty and staff participated in an online forum on Thursday to share their concerns and experiences amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Several professors from SU’s Chinese Studies minor hosted the event via Zoom. The forum aimed to make Chinese students feel more welcome at the university and to foster connection with non-Chinese students, said Gareth Fisher, director of the Chinese Studies program.

The novel coronavirus causes COVID-19, a respiratory disease that has infected more than 595,000 people and killed 27,000 globally. Chancellor Kent Syverud announced March 16 that SU would transition to online classes for the remainder of the semester due to the virus’ spread. 

Many school-wide events were consequently canceled, including a Chinese Teach-in. After the cancelation, assistant professor Dimitar Gueorguiev suggested transforming the event into a virtual discussion to learn more about China during the time of the COVID-19 outbreak, he said.

“Under the stress of social distancing, we would overlook the need for remaining connected as a community,” Gueorguiev said. “China went through what we are experiencing two months ago, and there is a lot we could have learned if we had healthy and robust channels of communication.”

Four student representatives — one American, one Asian American and two Chinese students — began the discussion by sharing their experiences during the COVID-19 outbreak in both the U.S. and China. 

Chinese student representatives Meiyi Liu and Keqin Wang discussed why they chose to stay in the U.S. after SU suspended on-campus learning. Class participation and recent travel restrictions from both the Chinese and American governments factored into their decisions, they said.

“For not only the community but also myself, it’s better to stay and not travel anywhere because it is also a concern of getting the virus on the way back,” said Liu, a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences. She’s unsure of when she can go back to China.

Even though his parents are worried about him, Wang, a sophomore in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, said he chose to stay in the U.S. He’s mainly concerned about where he’ll live after the semester ends if the outbreak worsens. 

Students and faculty during the forum also discussed racial discrimination. President Donald Trump has called the disease the “Chinese virus.” China first experienced a COVID-19 outbreak in November. 

Isabelle Hong, a sophomore in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, said a woman at Los Angeles International Airport a few weeks ago repeatedly asked her why she didn’t wear a mask and why she doesn’t go back to China.

“It just shows that throughout this pandemic, racism still prevails.” said Hong, who is Asian American. “Hearing people copy President (Trump) calling it ‘Chinese virus’ is absolutely ridiculous, and it needs to be addressed.”

Hong urged all of the Chinese and Asian students to stand up for themselves when similar things happen to them.

Several SU students in January launched A Hand for Wuhan, a fundraising project, to provide medical supplies to Wuhan, China. The program received a total of $53,386 within two weeks, and has used a third of the money to purchase canned food and goggles, said Ruohan Xu, one of the students who organized the fundraiser. 

The SU community in China is now returning the support by donating masks and other materials to Syracuse, said Ling LeBeau, associate director of international student success.

As the outbreak grows in the U.S., Yingyi Ma, director of SU’s Asian/Asian American Studies program, said she’s worried about whether international students will be able to come back to SU if travel restrictions are not lifted, and whether new international students will have a delayed enrollment.

American students at the forum also expressed their willingness to help Asian and international students during this time of uncertainty. 

“I want all the Asian students here to know that they are loved, accepted and welcome here,” said Colin Blais, a junior majoring in international relations. “People will stand with you, knowing that we are all together on this, no matter who you are and where you from.”

Gueorguiev said difficult challenges may lie ahead, and tension between the U.S. and China will only make these challenges fester.

“I actually suggest we use the word ‘physical distancing’ rather than ‘social distancing’ because we need to extend support and grace to each other especially during this time of lock down and isolation,” Ma said. 

Published on March 28, 2020 at 12:08 am