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Setting Examples for Empathetic Teaching in the Virtual Classroom

18Sep

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Features

Setting Examples for Empathetic Teaching in the Virtual Classroom

By Syeda Aiman Zehra When the pandemic forced classes to go online, Maha Zainab Saeed ‘22 found herself in a crisis. A family member was battling cancer. Her work life included two stressful jobs. Her courses were approaching exam season and here was a 2000 word “Anthropology of Energy” midterm paper that asked for her undivided attention. “I was about to have a nervous breakdown,” Saeed told The Post. She approached her instructor, Professor Priya Sajjad, who immediately set up a Zoom call to hear her troubles. Saeed expressed gratitude at this response: “Would you believe it? She divided those 2000 words by 5 and asked me to send a part every day for feedback… So every day, I would take out 15 minutes just to write that small part.” Saeed’s experience is one of many unique student strugg...

3Sep

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Features, Investigative

Save me from that probation

By: Menahel Ayyaz KhanTime and tide are not in today’s generation’s favor. In this fast-paced world where nearly every millennial is a tech savvy, rat-racing his/her way through to achieve whatever goals he/she may have set for him/herself, there is a growing anxiety and sense of being lost. If we narrow this anxiety and confusion down to the life at LUMS, we will unfortunately find nearly the entire student body trying to muscle their way to a high GPA. But not all amongst us are aiming for that. Some are just struggling every day to get by, to get just enough of that excruciatingly difficult GPA to stay enrolled in the program. For some of us, saving ourselves from that mentally torturous probation is the prime and only goal. On my search to find a suitable source for this piece, I came ...

3Sep

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Editorial, Op-ed

Mental Health

By Aiman Zehra and Mohammad Basit KhanUniversity is a jumping-off point for many: a sudden, sometimes unwelcome, crossover to an age where protective veils are lifted and responsibilities are attached. The campus, hence, boasts a counselling system put in place for struggling students. But, is it a relief in this stress-induced environment or an added factor?Student grievances right now revolve around the lack of quick availability of counsellors. We realise the difficulty in entertaining requests from large batches of students, larger still during exam season, but it is important to remember that taking the decision to involve a stranger in one’s personal life is taxing in itself. From there on, the road should be an easier one. We therefore urge the counselling office to make greater ava...

Choices and Obligations: To undertake a sense of responsibility

1Sep

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Op-ed, Opinion

Choices and Obligations: To undertake a sense of responsibility

By: Mohammad Basit Khan“We have a moral obligation. We have an ethical obligation. We have a legal obligation. We have a ... human obligation to be caretakers and gatekeepers of your welfare and your wellbeing, and we take that very seriously and we want you to be with us in this enterprise,” said Vice Chancellor LUMS Dr. Arshad Ahmad, during his address at the Town Hall Meeting held on Friday, August 21.When Dr. Arshad first addressed the burning question of campus reopening and declared the ethical standpoint the university had assumed during the 3- hour Zoom call, students were optimistic about having their demands heard at the Town Hall. After all, in the age of COVID, there is no doubt that the need of the hour is for compassion to be our guiding principle and to walk together to over...

Q & A with Malala Yousafzai | On College, Education, and Role Models

31Aug

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Features, Profiles

Q & A with Malala Yousafzai | On College, Education, and Role Models

By: Maira Asaad“Right now, the country is walking with one foot. When the other foot joins the walk, the walk becomes easier. When women are empowered, have equal opportunities, and you give them more space in different sectors, from politics to education, they help the country progress.” – Malala YousafzaiEarlier in June, it was announced that the keynote speaker for the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) Class of 2020 would be Nobel Laureate and education advocate Malala Yousafzai. On 23rd July 2020, LUMS hosted a virtual panel discussion, moderated by Adeel Hashmi, with Malala Yousafzai, Chief Programmes Officer of the Malala Fund Dr. Maliha Khan, LUMS Vice-Chancellor Arshad Ahmad, and Founding Pro Chancellor LUMS Syed Babar Ali. During the session, Malala Yousafzai answere...

28Aug

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Campus News

What A Relaxation in SOPs Tells Us About Campus Reopening Prospects

By: Manahel Ayyaz KhanAfter active social media, press, and in-person campaigning, the student body and the administration came together to the table to discuss a phased reopening, with strict implementation of standard operating protocols (SOPs). A Zoom town hall, moderated by the Student Council, was held on 21st August to discuss the possibility of a hybrid reopening of the campus for the Fall semester. The result of the dialogue led to the decision of having a phased reopening with 160 students coming in the first phase. As of the third week of October, an additional 311 students were brought back to campus after a recent announcement. Moreover, additional students, including Masters students, are expected to return in November if things go well. At the start of Fall Semester, a ...

30Jul

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Campus News

From Sudden Partings to Online Graduation And Beyond: A Quarantine Timeline of the Class of 2020

By: Manahel Ayyaz Khan“If this pandemic has taught us anything then that would be that technology is today’s truth”. – Waqas Manzoor M.Phil’20On 25th July, LUMS and the Class of 2020 saw an unprecedented online convocation ceremony. With Malala Yousafzai as the keynote speaker, and a heart-touching tribute by the Music Society, the convocation left a bittersweet taste for not only the graduating class, but for all of its 1500 live streamers. I sat teary-eyed through the entirety of the convocation in front of the screen as my parents accompanied me to get a glimpse of what could have been my own graduation. My Dad watched all the high achievers excitedly as their faces lit up the laptop screen and my mother gleefully noted how the majority of these high achievers were female students, “You...

14Jul

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Campus News

Covid-19 and LUMS’ Financial Blues

By Abdul Wasay Ali KhanStudent skeptical of campus finances as LUMS continues online learning When Dr. Arshad Ahmed claimed at the Open House earlier this summer that LUMS was losing out financially with operating online, his comments left many students bewildered. Repeatedly, skepticism in the student body prevails despite a recent email from Dr. Arshad where he elaborated on the financial setbacks that come with operating online. Many students believe that LUMS would have had to incur a lot more costs had the semester been hybrid and has taken a cost effective approach by going online. The logistics involved with a hybrid semester account for many more expenses than they have incurred for a totally online mode. In an attempt to gain some insights into the finances of LUMS, The Post reach...

5Jan

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Campus News, Features, Investigative

LUMS Gears Up For Energy Conservation In The New Decade

By: Humza Siddique and Mohammad Basit Khan“Stagnation is not the answer” were the words of Dr. Nauman Zaffar, the head of the LUMS Conservation Committee. According to him, conservation of energy, water and the lush lawns has always been a top priority for LUMS. The Post sat down with Dr. Zaffar on a Saturday morning to discuss past conservation projects and the initiatives for the upcoming decade.Lighting infrastructure has seen the most development since 2016 with the change from fluorescent tubes to LED lights. The Engineering School has motion sensors installed in most instructor offices, particularly in the Electrical Engineering Department’s wing, to prevent wastage by forgetting to switch off. LUMS has also been able to secure a reliable vendor for the LED lights and the benefit ach...

31Dec

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Op-ed, Opinion

Digitising the Library

By: Mohammad Basit Khan and Wasay AliAre physical books really a thing of the past? In an era dominated by technology, e-books are all the rage, especially in academic institutions. Fears of obsolescence exist, yet libraries continue to be an integral part of university campuses. Instead, the inevitable has surfaced, in the way of collaboration, as a growing number of reputable universities all across the globe move towards digitization of libraries. At LUMS, the Gad & Birgit Rausing Library continues to thrive as printed books remain at the core of its services. A digitization project has been spotted at the horizon. However, budget constraints, infrastructural limitations, and user preferences on campus appear to be some major hurdles.The merits of digitizing the library make the cas...