One Twenty Seven is the data mirror for Denison University’s campus, investigating social and institutional patterns of interest to the community. The aim of the blog is to challenge conventional wisdom and reflect on campus practices and attitudes, seeking truth through data. You can follow 127 on Twitter to learn more.
Covid-19 Policies, Attitudes & Behaviors
During my first semester at 127, I focused on campus behaviors and attitudes related to Covid-19 policies. You can find summaries and links to the full data-driven posts below. Enjoy!
Covid-19 Testing at Denison: How Does It Measure Up? 17 September 2020
After nearly a month on campus, I finally received my golden ticket and was cordially invited to get my first on-campus COVID-19 test. So, on Monday September 7th, I joined the line of students outside the Slayter coffee bar, not for a caffeine boost, but for the infamous nasopharyngeal swab.
Hypothetically, I could have been infected, spread the virus, and fully recovered within my time on campus, all while flying completely under the testing radar. But Denison stands by their decision to not require entry testing for the entire student body, citing CDC guidelines, which have not been updated since June 30.
Pointing Fingers: The Covid-19 Blame Game 8 October 2020
On August 24th, President Weinberg sent a strong message to students about the consequences of violating the Community Care Agreement. Speaking of those who were caught violating the commitment he stated, “We have started to send those students home and will continue to do so until we only have students on campus who are 100% committed to the community guidelines 100% of the time.” Savage. Clearly, students breaking community guidelines is taken seriously by the administration, but the blame game is not simple when it comes to COVID-19, and the morality surrounding the regulation of undergraduate behavior is ambiguous. This leaves a difficult choice between the need to engage with peers and the obligation to reduce the spread of the virus.
The Politics of Covid-19 Policy Support 29 October 2020
Is there a corresponding partisan divide at Denison? 127 surveyed Denison students to find if there is a partisan split on Denison community policy. Personally, I have yet to meet a single student who enjoys the social distancing and mask guidelines, but the precautions can be justified if COVID-19 is assumed to be a legitimate threat to campus safety.
Their Covid-19 Policy Worked: So Do Students Trust the Administration? 18 November 2020
Students show a clear distaste about Denison Admin playing Big Brother, setting a difficult scene for when administrative control may be essential to controlling public health. Feelings of autonomy go out the door with contact tracing, mandated flu shots/COVID-19 testing, and new residential policies (no parties, no sleepovers) even when it is in the best interest of the community. Have approval levels from previous years continued despite Admin’s Covid-19 plans?
Health Behaviors
During my second semester with 127, I focused on general public health behaviors on campus. You can find summaries and links to the full data-driven posts below.
Has Substance Use Increased During the Pandemic? 1 March 2021
Last semester brought new challenges and new possibilities to student life, opening up a conversation about public health on Denison’s campus. Although the pandemic took center stage, other aspects of our campus health still hold prevalence in how we live and learn on the Hill. Looking back at 127 data from years past, we can reflect on the issues that challenged our health before, how we are managing them now, and if we can improve them in the future.
Do College Students Ever Sleep? 30 March 2021
It’s no secret that college (and Denison in particular) is known for a work hard, play hard, no sleep attitude. But, sleep is essential to who we are and all that we do. After all, we are at an academic institution to learn, and good quality sleep has a proven association with better academic performance.So do Denison students manage to get their full 8 hours despite rigorous academics, time-intensive extracurriculars, and a social life?
Covid-19 Symptoms or Allergies? 20 April 2021
Allergy season is upon us which means that sore throats, stuffy noses, and general feelings of yuckiness are all around campus. Granville is no stranger to the intense allergy season that is Ohio spring, and with a student body that consists of mostly out-of-state students, it’s no surprise that campus may be hit hard with sinus problems right about…now…or is it Covid-19.
Work Hard, Play Harder: Binge Drinking and Calorie Restricting (written with Sarah MacKenzie) 26 April 2021
[TW: disordered eating]
We have grown up in a generation focused on external beauty and status that puts a lot of pressure on young individuals like us to look and feel “perfect.” More often than not, this is an illusion of perfection. We asked students about peer drinking and eating habits to see if restricting calories is related to the previously established mass consumption of alcohol across campus or if certain identities/groups were more affected than others.
Stressed Out! (written with Jacob Dennen) 10 May 2021
Denison students aren’t known for being the ~chillest~ group of people as busy culture runs rampant on campus, so it can be easy to brush off stress as a facet of life, something normal to the college experience. Although this may be true, stress can be detrimental to one’s health and well being, and Denison knows all too well the struggles with campus mental health both open to and hidden from public conversation. Additionally, college students who experienced stressful life events (does a pandemic count?) reported worse health outcomes, showing stress is a very real factor in student health. We asked students during midterm season about their stress levels to gain insight into campus mental health.