In place of independent contractors, Dodge employs students to monitor COVID-19 clearance

Peyton Winsett, a student COVID-19 clearance monitor, checks the status of students Connor Wesson and Calista Kirk as they enter Chapman Studios West. MAYA BRAUNWARTH, Staff Photographer

For both students and faculty on Chapman’s main campus, the sight of COVID-19 clearance monitors have become part of the routine: enter a school building, show a representative  — usually recognizable by their blue uniform — results from the day’s COVID-19 health screening email and continue on.

But at Chapman’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts facilities, things appear slightly different. Gone are the blue shirts worn by independently contracted Allied Universal employees, instead replaced by student monitors in bright, reflective vests.

Megan Murphy, the Dodge College COVID-19 compliance officer, explained the logistical issues leading her to employ student monitors. 

“We didn’t even have an independent contractor (in any Dodge buildings) the first week (of school),” Murphy said. “(Public Safety) notified me that they did assign somebody to Marion Knott Studios, but we only had one person.”

Having one independent contractor stationed at Marion Knott Studios (MKS) meant Dodge College’s other two facilities — Chapman Studios West (CSW) and the Digital Media Arts Center (DMAC) — would often be left unattended, allowing people to enter without showing COVID-19 clearance.

It was ultimately student concern behind the decision to hire student employees as extra monitors, Murphy told The Panther.

“Obviously, there were a lot of COVID cases (in the first week of the semester),” Murphy said. “It was a big concern for students. They could barely walk onto (Memorial Lawn) without having someone there to make sure they were (cleared). They were curious why, when they came over to Dodge buildings, they weren’t having that same experience.”

Charlie Smith, a senior television writing and production major, told The Panther he was one of many Dodge students who were unsatisfied with safety measures at the beginning of the semester.

“There weren’t many monitors, and not all of the doors were covered,” Smith said. “From a student’s perspective, it was frustrating because it felt like Dodge wasn’t taking the proper steps to enforce (COVID-19 policies).”

Now, Smith is one of seven student employees who help to carry out COVID-19 clearance checks at the buildings of Dodge College. 

A sole employee from Allied Universal still checks COVID-19 daily health screenings at the front of MKS. However, student employees have also been stationed at the back entrance of the building after Murphy realized it was a traffic hotspot for staff and faculty.

“It’s easier coming back from lunch to go through the door where there’s nobody stationed,” Murphy said. “I tried to feed into that culture by having someone at those doors. Then everyone is under the realization that, ‘It doesn’t matter what door I go through, what day it is or what time; I’m probably going to need to show (a COVID-19 clearance).’”

Apart from uniforms, there are few differences between how the student monitors and independent contractors operate: both are deployed at entrances, ask for daily health screenings and help to enforce the mask policy on campus. 

But compared to other on-campus jobs, the student monitor position does come with some unique caveats. 

Nicole Jang, a sophomore psychology major, said she understands her position as a student monitor is temporary, based on the ever-changing nature of the pandemic.

“When I went into that first interview, (my employers said), ‘If (COVID-19) disappears, your job may not be available next semester,’” Jang told The Panther.

The position was not permitted for Federal Work-Study, since it requires students to be present and engaged at all times on the job— usually between six and 12 hours a week.

“One question that’s asked in the interview process is whether (a student worker) feels comfortable and has the confidence to execute this role,” Murphy said. “It might be your professor who walks in and doesn’t have a (COVID-19) clearance.”

Both Jang and Smith said although their experiences have never escalated to the point where someone has outright refused to comply, there have still been some obstacles in the monitoring process.

“The first time that I was stationed at CSW, people … were a little frustrated because they hadn’t had their (COVID-19) clearance checked at (that) building,” Smith said, adding that many entrants had to deal with reception issues and slow loading times.

Jang attested to a similar sentiment, noting Dodge students initially expected Allied Universal employees when looking for someone to check their daily health screenings. She credited the inclusion of reflective vests for helping to clear up confusion about her role as a student monitor. 

Professors have generally been more likely than students to express frustration with or be unprepared for the COVID-19 clearance or mask policy, both Jang and Smith said. In one example, Smith recounted a time in which he had to walk with a professor to his office computer, as the professor wasn’t able to show him a daily health screening on his phone.

That’s as far as student workers are asked to enforce the COVID-19 policy, Murphy told The Panther. 

“(Student workers) aren’t meant to be police officers; they’re not bouncers,” Murphy said. “They should not be escorting anybody off the (premises). They just need to notify (out of compliance individuals) that they’re not allowed. From there, they can contact Public Safety (or) somebody of a higher authority.”

Despite some minor complications, neither Jang nor Smith believed there are any serious, long lasting obstacles to effectively performing their duties as student monitors. 

That doesn’t mean Dodge College entrances are supervised at all hours, Murphy noted. She said this is mainly a decision on behalf of the student employees’ safety.

“I’m very mindful of when (student monitors) get off of work as well,” Murphy said. “I don’t want it to be too late (or) too dark, but that doesn’t mean that classes aren’t ending at 8:00 or 9:00.”

While Jang told The Panther student monitors are a step in the right direction, she also expressed concern toward people potentially providing false answers to COVID-19 daily health screenings or pretending not to have symptoms. 

Still, Smith believes he’s seen a change for the better since his initial discontent with the university’s COVID-19 monitoring program.

“We have people covering each building as much as we can (now),” Smith said. “Some of (the people I monitor) even smile when they see me. It’s becoming more ingrained in people’s daily (lives), and I think that’s a good thing.”