With the city of Shanghai locked down to test for COVID-19 and prevent the spread of the latest variant of the disease, the NYU Shanghai community is finding ways to support each other through these unprecedented times. As classes continue online, many community members are working behind the scenes - sending out thousands of meals, answering hotlines, and even living inside the Academic Building - to ensure the safety and wellness of community members all across the city.
“We want to make sure that every single member of the NYU Shanghai community continues to feel that they are not alone,” Chancellor Tong Shijun, Vice Chancellor Jeffrey S. Lehman, and Provost Joanna Waley-Cohen wrote in a recent community-wide message sharing their personal WeChat IDs and phone numbers. “It goes without saying that this is a time for all of us to be as helpful to others as we can be.”
The university’s Student Life, Facilities, Procurement, IT, and Public Safety teams continue to work around the clock to make sure that the students living in the residential halls in the Jinqiao and Pusan neighborhoods are fed and supported. Almost 2,000 meals are prepared, delivered and served daily to the 600 students living in the dorms. "We have yogurt and bread every day, and the food tastes good and we have a selection and mix of dishes,” said Deng Kexin ’24. “I know that getting supplies is difficult in Shanghai at the moment and we are really lucky the school works hard to ensure we have three meals a day.”
Student Life and Resident Assistants have organized activities to keep students engaged - from a “狼人杀” Werewolf Game night, to movie nights - Thelma and Louise was on the program recently - to cupcake decorating workshops, and painting and coloring programs
Students during the floor program “'Donut Need to Stress'” in which they made donuts together in the dorm kitchen.
The Student Health Center has also been standing by with professional services tailored to support students’ emotional and mental health needs. Students who need immediate support can also use the 24/7 Wellness Exchange by calling 021-2059-9999 or chatting via the Wellness Exchange app anytime.
While most of the university has been working and studying remotely since March 11, a few staff members have remained on campus to help maintain operations. After the citywide lockdown began on March 28, fourteen staff members, including cleaning, maintenance, security, and engineering staff, temporarily moved into the Academic Building on Century Avenue to make sure that the university’s operations could run smoothly. "During the last few weeks, I have helped numerous departments with urgent needs that can only be done from campus. I've learned how to replace nitrogen in the laboratories, reboot computers onsite, and help map out bus routes to send emergency supplies to community members throughout Shanghai," said Franklin Ying, an onsite public safety specialist who has been living in the Academic Building since March 27. "Sleeping on makeshift bedding for almost two weeks has been quite uncomfortable, but all of us essential workers on site are taking on this extra work because we wish our community members can get help as soon as possible."
Some of the assignments Ying and his colleagues have completed during the last few weeks living at the academic building. Top left: checking if the fume hood for the lab ventilation system is functioning properly. Bottom left: retrieving medicine from the health center for students in need. Right: refilling the nitrogen in the laboratory.
Members of the community are encouraged to contact Public Safety, on call 24 hours per day at 2059-5500 for any urgent support needs from the school. Public Safety is ready to be the first point of contact for anyone who needs help. Undergraduate students are encouraged to fill out this off-campus support form if they need urgent support from the school.
Staff members who have been living on campus since the lock down started prepare emergency supplies to be sent to community members throughout Shanghai.
Community members have also formed WeChat groups to support each virtually other during lockdown. The “Shanghai Weifang Support Group” was one of the earliest online WeChat support groups in the community. When the Puxi lockdown began on April 1, staff living in Puxi built an additional WeChat support group for Puxi community members. In this group, members share resources, help non-Chinese speakers translate information, and exchange indoor exercise programs and recipes for dishes made with limited ingredients.
Student organizations have also shifted online to stay in touch with classmates. The Shanghai Youth League facilitates nightly “Buddy Study Rooms” on Zoom, and the student photography club, “NYU Shanghai ViewFinder” has organized photo taking and sharing challenges to chronicle their lockdown experiences. This week’s challenge is to photograph daily meals.
Shanghai city residents have also reached out to help NYU Shanghai students and faculty living off campus. When Norman Dong ‘22 and his friends started running low on food in their off-campus apartment, their neighbors came forward to help restock their refrigerator. “They gave us a lot more than what was expected and what we needed," Dong said. "I'm incredibly thankful for all of them. It feels so nice."
NYU Shanghai community members have also volunteered in their own neighborhoods to help with food delivery and testing. Rhine Lu, Campus Relations Officer, volunteered to help her neighborhood committee carry out nucleic acid testing and distribute rapid antigen test kits to some 200 residents. “While volunteering with my next door neighbors, I was heartened by the sense of community and the responsibility we all felt to maintain the normal order of our shared home,” she said. “My community gave me more confidence and courage to overcome the pandemic in an unpredictable stage.”
Chancellor Tong said that university leaders are closely monitoring the rapidly evolving situation, and doing their best to keep parents briefed. On April 5th, leaders and department heads also hosted two virtual Q&A sessions for parents of Chinese and international students. “All departments are doing their best to support online teaching and learning, and are fully engaged in the logistics, prevention, and medical health for students,” Tong said, “NYU Shanghai members are helping each other at this difficult time, which I find really touching.”