Academic Residential Communities at the University of Oregon are all about building community, but this year, those connections might be more challenging to form. 

ARCs are programs for first-year students that focus on building community through shared interests. Students enrolled in a specific ARC will take classes together, and participate in activities coordinated by ARC directors. Usually, students would live in the same residence halls, but due to COVID-19, students have the option to join the ARC remotely this year.

UO is offering 12 different ARCs on campus this year. One of those ARCs will be the Environmental Leaders ARC which focuses on the intersection of justice and environmental issues.

Sarah is the current Environmental Leaders advisor. Like many communities on campus, Stoeckl is changing plans in response to the coronavirus.

Usually, she said the ARC kicks off the year with a three to four day long camping trip. Students would break into smaller groups to go on backpacking trips, biking trips, and farming trips, with some even visiting the Oregon coast.

“It’s community building. It’s a way to get to know each other and start making some friends,” Stoeckl said.

This year, Stoeckl said the trip was the first thing to go. The camping part was possible to conduct with social distancing in place, but she said that there wasn’t a way of transporting students without crowding them in a bus.

While the camping trips were canceled, Stoeckl still is working to find ways to get students outside and active, like walking trips in small groups and other excursions on campus.

“I think it would be nicer if we were able to be together,” Stoeckl said, “but small picture, I think that given the dangers of the virus it’s really cool that we’re able to use these tools and creative thinking to find other ways to build community.”

Kirby Brown is the adviser for the Native American and Indigenous Studies ARC. Brown said that the NAIS ARC is very community-oriented, which is going to be more challenging to replicate this year. 

“I think we get more of an interpersonal connection with the students in our communities than a lot of other faculty do,” Brown said. “But the ARC just takes and ratchets that up to another degree, to another level because we’re constantly interacting with them. We’re not just faculty, but a lot of times we become aunties and uncles to these students.”

Brown said that he still plans to host guest speakers during ARC seminars and would like to plan more outdoor activities for students. He said there are also activities they normally do that he would still like to continue doing.

“If it’s possible that we can meet in the longhouse in a really socially distant manner with all of the doors and windows open and prepare food together that’s something else that we often do during our seminars,” Brown said. “We cook while we talk about readings for the week or while we host.”

Brown also discussed visiting the “Talking Stones” in Alton Baker Park. These 11 stones were installed in 2002 and are engraved with words from the Kalapuya language. Placed along the Whilamut Natural Area of the park, the stones act as an educational tool and cultural reminder of the Kalapuya people. Brown said that the ARC usually takes a trip with an elder who discusses the language and history behind them.

“We’re probably going to be innovating and trying out a lot of new things to see what works and what resonates with students,” Brown said. “Definitely drawing on the students and their feedback all along the way to try to continually tailor and adapt the course and the experience to what they want.”

This will be the first year of the Thrive: Healthy Living ARC. While it’s still difficult changing plans, Chantelle Russell, the ARC’s advisor, said the newness of the ARC could work in her favor. Since this is the ARC’s first year, there aren’t any previous expectations.

Thrive: Healthy Living is focused on personal well-being through physical activity, healthy eating and mindfulness. Russell said that she still plans on utilizing the REC center, which opens September 21. Social distancing guidelines will be in place at the REC center, but Russell said she can still utilize large studios for smaller group fitness activities and plans on getting outside as much as possible. 

“I think now it’s like the best time to get outside even in the winter, even when the weather isn’t great, really showing students what’s around them and how to be outdoors in Oregon,” she said.

Healthy living, Russell said, is a topic that happens to be very timely. Health is at the forefront of a lot of people’s minds and people are trying to learn how to adapt.

“That’s what we’re learning right now, this whole growth mindset,” Russell said. “We have to look at what we can do with what we’re given in the circumstances. We are in a pandemic which is when people need time for healthy living more than ever.”