As the tuff fields begin to warm and Rowan University’s campus streets flood with students eager to enjoy the midday sun, the cool blanket of winter melts, leaving puddles of joy around campus. Yet amongst the summertime fun, a bug looms over us all.
Throughout my time here at Rowan, I have experienced all the seasons our lovely planet has to offer, yet as much as seeing the flowers budding and bees buzzing, one thought runs wild: why do we have to sit in lectures with classrooms that are 80 degrees?
I have noticed this a couple of times now, especially in Robison Hall, Enterprise, and Discovery buildings. Thermostats read 80 plus degrees, as I ask my professors about how we are able to lower the temperatures, their responses are almost always the same. We aren’t allowed to control the temperature, or the thermostats are all set to one temperature, and we’d have to make an appointment for them to be changed.
Consequently, now I am stuck, soaked in sweat, asking myself the same question. If there is an issue and there have been complaints, why hasn’t anyone fixed them?
According to a study done by the National Library of Medicine on how exposure to extreme heat affects cognitive functions within adolescents, they “found that extreme heat exposure is associated with lower cognitive function among U.S. children. This association can be attributed to several factors, including physiological stress responses to heat, which can impair cognitive functioning, self-regulation, and other developmental milestones.”
The article further discussed how these high exposures cause irritability, leading to poor decision-making and impulsivity. Furthermore, these children decrease their activities outside of school and experience effects on their sleep patterns, resulting in long-lasting effects for educational accomplishments and socio-economic development.
Repeated exposure to high levels of heat across the board has negative impacts on cognitive development. Rowan University’s officials no doubt spend our money on campus expansion, whether it be new study locations or food stops. Yet adding additional convenient places to hang out or study only highlights the level of care our university exemplifies to its students. Which is none.
Even with growing university admissions, there is a higher demand for classroom and housing assignments. Rowan University nevertheless allows current admitted students to function in cognitively harmful classrooms.
This ultimately forces students to use self-teaching practices. When students aren’t able to comprehend lecture notes and important information, they are stuck learning through YouTube, outdated material, and countless websites that do not pertain to their specific subject. Essentially, students are more focused on finding the right information and not understanding the material at hand, resulting in an even larger disconnect between education and learning.
Additionally, there are two seasons of the year in which we feel the hottest, August to October and April to May. These months are some of the most imperative times of the academic year, the start of a semester, and finals.
Whether or not this issue is handled with the care and dedication it deserves, I encourage students to be mindful of where and when they experience the heat and the barriers that come with it. Make sure to take time to cool your body temperature and seek out proper academic accommodations or support if you need them to keep your future your reality
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