Universities help students cope with Trump's victory with canceled classes, milk and cookies

Professors at elite universities have canceled classes and postponed assignments after former President Donald Trump won a second term in Tuesday's election, giving students “space to process” and time to “mourn.”

That includes Harvard, where instructors canceled at least four classes, excused absences and extended assignment deadlines the day after Trump's victory over Vice President Kamala Harris. according to at The Harvard Crimson.

“Harvard professors cancel classes as students feel down after Trump wins,” the Crimson headline read.

Maxim Boycko, visiting economics lecturer, told students in his microeconomics class that the daily quiz would be optional.

“As we recover from the eventful election night and process the implications of Trump's victory, please know that classes will continue as usual today, except that in-class quizzes will not be of value,” Mr. Boycko said in an email email on Wednesday, according to the Crimson. “Feel free to take some time off if you need to.”

Physics professor Jenny Hoffman told students and faculty that her office would be “a space to process the election.”

“Many in our community are sleep-deprived, once again mourning the glass ceilings that have not been shattered, fearful of the future or ashamed to face our international colleagues,” she said in an email. “I stress-baked several pans of lemon bars to share.”

Needless to say, the campus coddling was mocked on social media, including comments like “Brighten Buttercups!” and “Sad snowflakes.”

At the University of Pennsylvania, several professors have canceled classes or made them optional. according to to The Daily Pennsylvanian.

Anthropology professor Caroline Jones has rescheduled an exam to “acknowledge and validate the disappointment that many of you have expressed,” the student newspaper reported, after students said they were “concerned about the impact the election results would have on their exam preparation.”

Shlagha Borah, an assistant professor at Michigan State University in the Department of Writing, Rhetoric and Cultures, went viral with an email in which she reportedly canceled class out of “grief” amid the election results.

“I am canceling class today to regret the results of the presidential election,” Ms. Borah said in the note from End Wokeness. “As a queer, immigrant woman of color, I cannot in good conscience go about my day as if everything is fine. This is an important historical event that we are witnessing. I hope you take this time to take care of yourself.”

Meet queer professor Shlagha Borah from @michiganstateu. She sent this memo canceling all classes to “mourn” the presidential election results. She says she can't go about her day normally. pic.twitter.com/fMsQKMxEIr

— Libs from TikTok (@libsoftiktok) November 6, 2024

Ms Borah's page no longer appears on the university's website. The university acknowledged the “situation” without confirming or denying the authenticity of the email.

“We have been made aware of the situation and are addressing it through the appropriate leadership channels,” a university spokesperson told The Washington Times.

Elsewhere, universities tried to help students cope by giving them access to snacks and cuddly animals.

The University of Oregon offered “Election Week Therapy Animals,” including Quacktavious the Therapy Duck, along with hot chocolate and apple cider to “promote well-being and reduce anxiety during Election Week.”

The University of Massachusetts at Amherst offered rock paintings and brought in three therapy dogs – Rosie, Doolin and George – as part of its “Election Week Programming,” as highlighted by Campus Reform, a conservative news site.

“Disconnect and unwind from election anxiety with some music, crafts or quiet time for yourself,” according to the program offered by the Center for Counseling and Psychological Health.

Meanwhile, Georgetown University's McCourt School of Public Policy provided a “Self-Care Suite” that includes “Milk and Cookies,” “a Lego station” and “Coloring and Mindfulness Exercises,” according to a memo obtained by The Free Press .

Columbia graduate Eliana Goldin posted emails she said were from professors canceling classes or making them optional, but the university pushed back.

“We have no reports of canceled classes,” a Columbia spokesperson said. “Columbia faculty and students were in class yesterday and our academic schedule was in full swing as usual.”

If Columbia tells you that only Barnard courses were canceled the day after the election or that only Barnard courses relaxed course requirements, they are lying.

Literature Humanities is a Core Curriculum class at Columbia. Every first-year student is required to take this. pic.twitter.com/xeShmYJw4N

— Eliana Goldin (@Eliana_Goldin) November 7, 2024

Ms. Goldin responded to

She added an email screenshot of “Literature Humanities” to the university's Canvas Inbox, in which an instructor said, “I hope you hang in there” and “if you don't feel like class, today's absence is excused.” '

“It is clear: the Columbia administrator has no control over its faculty,” Ms. Goldin said.