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I’m a Student. Here’s Why Group Work Feels So Unfair

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On a recent Saturday, I stared at my group’s ongoing assignment for English class, getting lost in thought and wondering if anyone else in my group would work on it over the weekend.

As a high school senior in a big magnet high school of approximately 2,400 students, I have met and worked with a large number of students. Many students are very intelligent and academically motivated, but there are also many students who are rather uninterested in their academic success. When group work is assigned, I often get a sinking feeling of dread from the fear of an uneven distribution of work.

I hoped that I would not, once again, need to do an unfair portion of a group assignment. I talked to a friend about my feelings and was met with resounding agreement about the frequent unfairness of group work. In a fit of passion, I emailed a long appeal to my English teacher.

Here’s what I said—and what I want other teachers to know as well:

In most schools, students will be required to participate in group work at some point. Unfortunately, many academically motivated students dislike it because they anticipate that some group members will not do nearly as much work as others. For this reason, I am proposing that teachers should try to give less group work outside of class and instead contain it within the classroom, possibly in exchange for more individually assigned homework.

An uneven workload can happen for a variety of reasons. For instance, some group members are less capable than others. However, as someone who has worked with people that have more trouble contributing to the group assignment, I am generally satisfied with the distribution of work, as long as everyone expends the same amount of effort. It is also possible for group members to fall sick during a group project, causing them to take a break from work. However, when a classmate contracted COVID during a recent group project, my group mates and I were understanding that they needed to rest.

What is much more vexing is when certain students do not try as hard as others—either because they simply do not care about the grade or because they assume their group members will do their work for them. This often creates a kind of domino effect with otherwise motivated students becoming unwilling to contribute because of the unfairness, thinking, “Why should I work on this if my group mates don’t?”

I’ve felt that way, too, but I still end up working on the assignment, as do the majority of students who care about their grades. When the assignment still ends up getting finished, it can be easy to overlook the unfair inner workings of the group members.

The possibility of unequal workloads in groups can certainly apply to students during class as well as outside of class, but the classroom setting is more likely to motivate students to work. When outside of school, students are more averse to doing schoolwork. It is much easier to procrastinate in an environment outside of a classroom, with thrills of instant gratification close at hand and no authority figure to regulate what they are supposed to be doing.

In addition, some group assignments require students to find time to work together outside of class, which is hard for some students. Because many students have family responsibilities, part-time work, and extracurricular activities, it can be challenging to find a specific time when all group members are free. For instance, I work in my family’s business for about 20 hours a week, attend track practice nearly every day after school, and tutor science and math in the mornings before 8 AM.

Assigning only individual work outside the classroom removes the risk of group members being overly reliant on others.

Assigning only individual work outside the classroom removes the risk of group members being overly reliant on others. The individual gets credit for their effort and output, which is the main factor of how students are graded. In addition, it is easier to manage time and allows the student to work at their own pace.

Removing group work entirely might eliminate the unfairness and challenges associated with it, but group work certainly does have benefits for students. It can help us learn to develop stronger communication skills, share different perspectives, and work together to solve complex problems.

Therefore, without completely removing group work, I urge teachers to consider changing their curriculum to accommodate for more class time to work on group assignments. It’s only fair.

A version of this article appeared in the November 30, 2022 edition of Education Week as I’m a Student. Here’s Why Group Work Feels So Unfair

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• Course Design

Why Some Students Struggle with Group Work

• March 29, 2018
• Flower Darby

Recently, in my first-year seminar class, I had an opportunity to re-think my use of group projects. I had set up the task perfectly, or so I thought. I’d anticipated all the typical group project challenges, designed solutions to those challenges, and convinced myself that the final group assignment would be smooth sailing. Except it wasn’t.

“I am seriously stressed out about this project,” Alison,* a panicky 18-year-old, told me one day after class. “My grade depending on the work of others? That’s going to bring on an anxiety attack. I’m going to need to increase my meds.”

I was floored. I was confident I had prepared my students to work well together. My seminar class is on Harry Potter; we’d formed semester-long groups based on the Hogwarts Houses in the first week of the semester. Students had three months establishing relationships, building trust, and collaborating on low-stakes tasks. As we approached this cumulative project, they should have felt very confident in their ability to succeed as a group.

I had designed for every pitfall I could think of. I applied Bruce Tuckman’s model for stages of group development: teams inevitably go through phases which he called Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing (and later added Adjourning). I structured time and activities to help each House progress through the earlier stages. By this point in the semester these groups were clearly in the performing stage. I also built ways to help my first-year students manage their time well. We spent in-class time to create those all-important relationships necessary for effective group work, and I provided detailed instructions, rubrics, and exemplars to support student understanding and success.

What I didn’t do was design for the unseen personal issues students bring with them into class. On the surface, Alison seemed to get along great with the other students in her House, Hufflepuff. They laughed and joked, held up their end of the bargain on various smaller assignments, and generally had ironed out all the kinks. Or so I thought.

Once the pressure was dialed up on the end-of-term project, Alison started spiraling. Despite my repeated attempts to reassure her of her peers’ reliability, she withdrew from group interaction into a self-protective shell. She stopped showing up to group meetings. She refused to respond to texts or calls. Needless to say, Alison did not do her share of the work.

Initially surprised by her sudden retreat, Alison’s team members quickly adjusted. By the time our students get to college, they’ve had years of experience dealing with the slacker in the group. The other group members simply reassessed the situation and moved on to complete the project without her. All that remained was to figure out how to grade Alison’s contribution, or lack thereof. Understandably, her peers had rated her poorly on this project. But I felt that the problem was as much my fault as hers, so I worked with Alison and allowed her to complete an alternative assignment.

The slacker may not always be a slacker

Recently, I came across an article by Margaret Finnegan, It’s good till it’s not . Finnegan (2017) argues that collaborative learning tasks may unfairly disadvantage students with below-the-surface challenges, such as anxiety, autism, or other issues that interfere with effective social interactions.

Finnegan posits that if students already struggle to engage with others, group tasks are fraught with danger. Such students are very likely to withdraw the same way Alison did. The other team members, as well as the instructor, will dismiss this behavior as typical of the freeloader, or slacker, in the group. There’s always one, right? But Finnegan’s point is that perceived freeloader behavior may be due to circumstances outside the student’s control, issues that are not visible, challenges that may not necessarily register on the radar of the disability office.

So, what should faculty members do? Get rid of group projects altogether?

I’ll be honest. I’m always tempted by this idea. Group projects are hard for both students and faculty. But I was recently reminded that working with “random people you don’t like”—as pointed out by a chemistry instructor on why he doesn’t let students self-select into groups with their friends—is part of the real world. I’m not doing my students any favors if I don’t help them learn to manage their issues in order to work well in teams. This is an important life skill for workplace success.

I now realize that there are ways to support our ‘neurodivergent’ students as Finnegan calls them, students who struggle with disorders or trauma that interfere with social interactions. What’s more, these supports help all our students be successful. In line with Universal Design for Learning principles, we can structure group tasks to allow students to engage and succeed, no matter their individual circumstances.

Designing group work for success

Here are some of my takeaways from Finnegan’s article. In addition to her excellent ideas, I’ve added a few of my own.

Focus on the process as well as the product . Finnegan writes, “training students to work in teams needs to be an important and measurable learning objective.” Scaffold opportunities for students to learn how to work with each other. Provide carefully structured interactions to help them develop a group contract, identify team roles, establish milestones, and agree on consequences for neglecting to complete individual responsibilities.

Importantly, include these tasks in the grading rubric (which you provide up front) so that students know they will be assessed on their performance in these areas. Equally importantly, decide in advance how you will respond when team processes breaks down. How can you step in to help students learn to navigate these challenges?

Plan sufficient time to figure out “how to be a team” as Finnegan puts it. If you really want students to learn how to work together, give them plenty of time to do so. Create purposeful groups early in the semester. Develop activities to help students get to know each other, have fun together, and establish a firm foundation for working well together when the assigned task becomes more challenging. We all know that in order to function effectively, teamwork requires relationship and trust. What we may not so readily acknowledge is the time it takes to build these things.

Help students self-reflect. Finnegan suggests that an important element of working with a team is to stop worrying so much about what others are doing or not doing: “… students need to learn how to reflect on their own strengths and weaknesses as team members,” she notes. Require self-assessments and reflections, such as personality tests or learning logs, if appropriate for your learning outcomes. Draw students’ attention to their individual development as team members. Encourage them to set goals around working in groups, and to create a plan to achieve those goals. Better yet, incorporate these reflections into your grading rubric. This will underscore the importance of learning to work collaboratively in addition to more content-specific learning.

We can help students learn to work well with others, even if they have anxiety, trauma, or any of a range of various disorders. I hope you’ll agree that this is an outcome well worth pursuing in order to equip our students for success in future endeavors.

*not her real name

References Finnegan, M. (2017, August 1). It’s good till it’s not. Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved from https://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2017/08/01/helping-diverse-learners-navigate-group-work-essay

Tuckman, B. W. (1965). Developmental sequence in small groups. Psychological Bulletin , 63(6), 384-399.

Flower Darby is a senior instructional designer at Northern Arizona University’s e-Learning Center. She’s taught English and Educational Technology classes at NAU since 1996, specializing in online and blended courses.

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Ideas for Great Group Work

Many students, particularly if they are new to college, don’t like group assignments and projects. They might say they “work better by themselves” and be wary of irresponsible members of their group dragging down their grade. Or they may feel group projects take too much time and slow down the progression of the class. This blog post by a student— 5 Reasons I Hate Group Projects —might sound familiar to many faculty assigning in-class group work and longer-term projects in their courses.

We all recognize that learning how to work effectively in groups is an essential skill that will be used by students in practically every career in the private sector or academia. But, with the hesitancy of students towards group work and how it might impact their grade, how do we make group in-class work, assignments, or long-term projects beneficial and even exciting to students?

The methods and ideas in this post have been compiled from Duke faculty who we have consulted with as part of our work in Learning Innovation or have participated in one of our programs. Also included are ideas from colleagues at other universities with whom we have talked at conferences and other venues about group work practices in their own classrooms.

Have clear goals and purpose

Students want to know why they are being assigned certain kinds of work – how it fits into the larger goals of the class and the overall assessment of their performance in the course. Make sure you explain your goals for assigning in-class group work or projects in the course. You may wish to share:

• Information on the importance of developing skills in group work and how this benefits the students in the topics presented in the course.
• Examples of how this type of group work will be used in the discipline outside of the classroom.
• How the assignment or project benefits from multiple perspectives or dividing the work among more than one person.

Some faculty give students the option to come to a consensus on the specifics of how group work will count in the course, within certain parameters. This can help students feel they have some control over their own learning process and and can put less emphasis on grades and more on the importance of learning the skills of working in groups.

Choose the right assignment

Some in-class activities, short assignments or projects are not suitable for working in groups. To ensure student success, choose the right class activity or assignment for groups.

• Would the workload of the project or activity require more than one person to finish it properly?
• Is this something where multiple perspectives create a greater whole?
• Does this draw on knowledge and skills that are spread out among the students?
• Will the group process used in the activity or project give students a tangible benefit to learning in and engagement with the course?

Help students learn the skills of working in groups

Students in your course may have never been asked to work in groups before. If they have worked in groups in previous courses, they may have had bad experiences that color their reaction to group work in your course. They may have never had the resources and support to make group assignments and projects a compelling experience.

One of the most important things you can do as an instructor is to consider all of the skills that go into working in groups and to design your activities and assignments with an eye towards developing those skills.

In a group assignment, students may be asked to break down a project into steps, plan strategy, organize their time, and coordinate efforts in the context of a group of people they may have never met before.

Consider these ideas to help your students learn group work skills in your course.

• Give a short survey to your class about their previous work in groups to gauge areas where they might need help: ask about what they liked best and least about group work, dynamics of groups they have worked in, time management, communication skills or other areas important in the assignment you are designing.
• Allow time in class for students in groups to get to know each other. This can be a simple as brief introductions, an in-class active learning activity or the drafting of a team charter.
• Based on the activity you are designing and the skills that would be involved in working as a group, assemble some links to web resources that students can draw on for more information, such as sites that explain how to delegate and share responsibilities, conflict resolution, or planning a project and time management. You can also address these issues in class with the students.
• Have a plan for clarifying questions or possible problems that may emerge with an assignment or project.   Are there ways you can ask questions or get draft material to spot areas where students are having difficulty understanding the assignment or having difficulty with group dynamics that might impact the work later?

Designing the assignment or project

The actual design of the class activity or project can help the students transition into group work processes and gain confidence with the skills involved in group dynamics.   When designing your assignment, consider these ideas.

• Break the assignment down into steps or stages to help students become familiar with the process of planning the project as a group.
• Suggest roles for participants in each group to encourage building expertise and expertise and to illustrate ways to divide responsibility for the work.
• Use interim drafts for longer projects to help students manage their time and goals and spot early problems with group projects.
• Limit their resources (such as giving them material to work with or certain subsets of information) to encourage more close cooperation.
• Encourage diversity in groups to spread experience and skill levels and to get students to work with colleagues in the course who they may not know.

Promote individual responsibility

Students always worry about how the performance of other students in a group project might impact their grade. A way to allay those fears is to build individual responsibility into both the course grade and the logistics of group work.

• Build “slack days” into the course. Allow a prearranged number of days when individuals can step away from group work to focus on other classes or campus events. Individual students claim “slack days” in advance, informing both the members of their group and the instructor. Encourage students to work out how the group members will deal with conflicting dates if more than one student in a group wants to claim the same dates.
• Combine a group grade with an individual grade for independent write-ups, journal entries, and reflections.
• Have students assess their fellow group members. Teammates is an online application that can automate this process.
• If you are having students assume roles in group class activities and projects, have them change roles in different parts of the class or project so that one student isn’t “stuck” doing one task for the group.

Gather feedback

To improve your group class activities and assignments, gather reflective feedback from students on what is and isn’t working. You can also share good feedback with future classes to help them understand the value of the activities they’re working on in groups.

• For in-class activities, have students jot down thoughts at the end of class on a notecard for you to review.
• At the end of a larger project, or at key points when you have them submit drafts, ask the students for an “assignment wrapper”—a short reflection on the assignment or short answers to a series of questions.

Further resources

Information for faculty

Best practices for designing group projects (Eberly Center, Carnegie Mellon)

Building Teamwork Process Skills in Students (Shannon Ciston, UC Berkeley)

Working with Student Teams   (Bart Pursel, Penn State)

Barkley, E.F., Cross, K.P., and Major, C.H. (2005). Collaborative learning techniques: A handbook for college faculty. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Johnson, D.W., Johnson, R., & Smith, K. (1998). Active learning: Cooperation in the college classroom. Edina, MN: Interaction Book Company.

Thompson, L.L. (2004). Making the team: A guide for managers. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc.

Information for students

10 tips for working effectively in groups (Vancouver Island University Learning Matters)

Teamwork skills: being an effective group member (University of Waterloo Centre for Teaching Excellence)

5 ways to survive a group project in college (HBCU Lifestyle)

Group project tips for online courses (Drexel Online)

Group Writing (Writing Center at UNC-Chapel Hill)

• Our Mission

How to Motivate Students to Work in Collaborative Teams

Group work can be challenging for students, but teachers can facilitate relationship building that leads to positive learning outcomes.

There are great benefits to facilitating a classroom with collaborative learning structures where students lead their learning rather than being passive learners. In their book The Power of Student Teams: Achieving Social, Emotional, and Cognitive Learning in Every Classroom Through Academic Teaming , Michael D. Toth and David A. Sousa discuss how to create a classroom where students work in “academic teams.” 

Students engage in rigorous standards-based tasks while having deep discussions, participating in peer coaching, and working to assess themselves individually and as peers. Toth and Sousa say, “The brain that does the work is the brain that learns.” Collaborative learning yields more work out of the student because they’re engaging with the content rather than just receiving it. This article highlights work that my students and I have done and will continue to do to motivate each other. It has taken a lot of shifts in paradigms on my part to really facilitate collaborative learning. 

Student Buy-in Is Key for Group Work

Many of us who are high school teachers have struggled with getting student buy-in for collaboration. In the past, I was worried about my “classroom being too loud” when I released responsibility to students. Now, I have to be creative in getting certain students to engage in group work. Some students simply aren’t interested in working in a group, or they might feel anxiety about having to speak to someone in person. There are also times in groups when students struggle with focus because of their electronics . 

Despite these reasons, I had success with collaborative structures in my classroom. I hope to have more this coming year—it’s a work in progress. Students’ ease with participation in groups was the result of my working with them on understanding the learning structures, being more autonomous in their learning through meaningful roles, and focusing attention on the tasks and others in their teams. 

We need to be intentional about how we set up our classrooms. It’s not just about students being compliant; it’s about their being motivated. Putting students in a group and saying, “Hey, go do this,” isn’t going to work. Spending time working with students to plan the groups, learn norms and routines, and understand what it means to be part of the classroom culture is key.

Building Relationships Builds Teams

To have success with collaborative teams, it’s important to understand that relationships hold them together (among the students as well as with me as the teacher). Last year, I did a one-word campaign where I asked students to choose one motivational word to work toward throughout the year. It was a great way for me to learn about my students. This year, we’ll be writing a four-word mantra . This is a four-word sentence that they’ll use for self-encouragement. Additionally, students will work together to build a team mantra .

In my experience, I’ve learned that learning about each other’s working styles is helpful. This year, I’m initiating a compass survey with my students in order for them to learn about each other’s strengths, and together we’ll form the teams that they’ll be working in together. Taking the survey and discussing it in teams will get students motivated to start having natural conversations. Then, we will create our norms with social contracts .

Additionally, students appreciate finding things in common with each other. This summer, I learned about hexagonal thinking for relationship building and understanding commonalities. Students will use this thinking process to answer questions about themselves and then discuss the similarities and the differences. These discussions can create organic connections.

Spend Time Directly Teaching Collaborative Learning Structures

My colleagues and I discovered that students just needed to get comfortable in the learning structures. Last year, we had student teams participate in short debates on topics in pop culture and others they found interesting. This activity lowered anxiety for most students and taught them how to have discussions in teams. Afterward, we held debrief sessions in a whole class setting to talk about the experience and how to improve discussions.

As we got better with conversations, we needed to improve group routines. Students became responsible for reading learning targets to the class and explaining them to each other, and they learned to get into their teams when necessary and quickly find their roles and tasks. They also had to get comfortable with self- and peer assessment.

Modeling is important when implementing a new learning structure. I sometimes used a quick pop culture reference or thought-provoking question to demonstrate what I expected a conversation to look like. Eventually, I got to a point where I would say “Back to Back, Face to Face,” “Fish Bowl,” or “World Cafe,” and students knew what I meant.

When I saw that I needed to do more to support students in teams with understanding the scaffolds provided, I bought color-coded Jenga games. The colors on the Jenga pieces matched up with the colors of the language scaffolds I had in place for a team discussion. I posed a question for debate, and every time a student answered the question, they had to put a colored corresponding piece on the language scaffold I had in place for them. The discussions became more engaged and thought-provoking. 

Provide Impactful Roles

All collaborative learning has to have meaningful roles. Keep the roles and their descriptions simple, straightforward, and aligned to the task. Make sure that roles are student selected. I hand the descriptions to students and invite them to select their roles. If a group is struggling, I coach them by asking them, “What role do you think is best for you? What skills do you have for this role?”

Roles need to be adaptable not only for working styles and students’ personalities, but also for the product that students are creating. If the activity doesn’t require research, don’t include a “researcher” role. If the task doesn’t require a drawing, don’t include an “artist” role. For students who chose not to talk as much as others, I created the “scribe” role, where they worked as a note taker.

When we set up our classrooms this school year, it’s critical that we put student needs, standards-based tasks, and classroom community at the forefront when considering collaborative group learning. Understand that it takes a lot of work to make this successful in the classroom, and don’t give up if things don’t go well the first time. It’s a worthwhile journey for you as the teacher, as well as for your students.

Center for Teaching Innovation

Ideas for group & collaborative assignments, why collaborative learning.

Collaborative learning can help

• students develop higher-level thinking, communication, self-management, and leadership skills
• explore a broad range of perspectives and provide opportunities for student voices/expression
• promote teamwork skills & ethics
• prepare students for real life social and employment situations
• increase student retention, self-esteem, and responsibility

Collaborative activities & tools

Group brainstorming & investigation in shared documents.

Have students work together to investigate or brainstorm a question in a shared document (e.g., structured Google doc, Google slide, or sheet) or an online whiteboard, and report their findings back to the class.

• Immediate view of contributions
• Synchronous & asynchronous group work
• Students can come back to the shared document to revise, re-use, or add information
• Google workspace (Google Docs, Sheets, Forms, & Slides)
• Microsoft 365 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams)
• Cornell Box (document storage)
• Whiteboarding tools ( Zoom , JamBoard , Miro , Mural , etc.)

Considerations

• Sharing settings
• Global access
• Accessibility

Group discussions with video conferencing and chat

Ask students to post an answer to a question or share their thoughts about class content in the Zoom chat window (best for smaller classes). For large classes, ask students in Zoom breakout rooms to choose a group notetaker to post group discussion notes in the chat window after returning to the main class session.

You can also use a discussion board for asynchronous group work.

• Students can post their reflections in real time and read/share responses
• If group work is organized asynchronously, students can come back to the discussion board at their own time

Synchronous group work:

• Zoom Breakout rooms
• Microsoft Teams
• Canvas Conferences
• Canvas Group Discussions
• Ed Discussion
• Stable access to WiFi and its bandwidth
• Clear expectations about participation and pace for asynchronous discussion boards
• Monitoring discussion boards

Group projects: creation

Students retrieve and synthesize information by collaborating with their peers to create something new: a written piece, an infographic, a piece of code, or students collectively respond to sample test questions.

• Group projects may benefit from features offered by shared online space (ability to chat, do video conferencing, share files and links, post announcements and discussion threads, and build content)
• Canvas groups with all available tools

Setting up groups and group projects for success may require the following steps:

• Introduce group or peer work early in the semester
• Establishing ground rules for participation
• Plan for each step of group work
• Explain how groups will function and the grading

Peer learning, critiquing, giving feedback

Students submit their first draft of an essay, research proposal, or a design, and the submitted work is distributed for peer review. If students work on a project in teams, they can check in with each other through a group member evaluation activity. Students can also build on each other’s knowledge and understanding of the topic in Zoom breakout room discussions or by sharing and responding in an online discussion board.

When providing feedback and critiquing, students have to apply their knowledge, problem-solving skills, and develop feedback literacy. Students also engage more deeply with the assignment requirements and/or the rubric.

• FeedbackFruits Peer Review and Group Member Evaluation
• Canvas Peer Review
• Turnitin PeerMark
• Zoom breakout rooms
• Canvas discussions, and other discussion tools
• Peer review is a multistep activity and may require careful design and consideration of requirements to help students achieve the learning outcomes. The assignment requirements will inform which platform is best to use and the best settings for the assignment
• We advise making the first peer review activity a low-stakes assignment for the students to get used to the platform and the flow.
• A carefully written rubric helps guide students through the process of giving feedback and yields more constructive feedback.
• It helps when the timing for the activity is generous, so students have enough time to first submit their work and then give feedback.

Group reflection & social annotation activities

Students can annotate, highlight, discuss, and collaborate on text documents, images, video, audio, and websites. Instructors can post guiding questions for students to respond to, and allow students to post their own questions to be answered by peers. This is a great reading activity leading up to an inperson discussion.

• Posing discussion topics and/or questions for students to answer as they read a paper
• Students can collaboratively read and annotate synchronously and asynchronously
• Collaborative annotation helps students to acknowledge some parts of reading that they could have neglected otherwise
• Annotating in small groups
• FeedbackFruits
• Interactive Media (annotations on document, video, and audio)
• Providing students with thorough instructions
• These are all third-party tools, so the settings should be selected thoughtfully
• Accessibility (Perusall)

Group learning with polling and team competitions

Instructors can poll students while they are in breakout rooms using Poll Everywhere. This activity is great for checking understanding and peer learning activities, as students will be able to discuss solutions.

• Students can share screen in a breakout room and/or answer questions together
• This activity can be facilitated as a competition among teams
• Poll Everywhere competitions, surveys, and polls facilitated in breakout rooms
• Careful construction of questions for students
• Students may need to be taught how to answer online questions
• It requires appropriate internet connection and can experience delays in response summaries.

More information

• Group work & collaborative learning
• Collaboration tools
• Active learning
• Active learning in online teaching

• START HERE!
• PRIVACY POLICY
• HIGH SCHOOL
• SUMMER BEFORE COLLEGE
• ESSAY WRITING
• EXAMS AND STUDYING
• ORGANIZATION
• PRODUCTIVITY
• TIME MANAGEMENT
• CAREER AND FINANCE
• RELATIONSHIPS AND COMMUNITY
• COLLEGE RESOURCES

Simple Student Plans

The College Student’s Guide to Group Projects

• College Help , College Life
• December 17, 2023

Sharing is caring!

Group projects. Just reading those words likely sent a shiver down your spine.

As a college student, you’ll work on many group assignments throughout your academic journey. While the educational benefits of collaboration are proven, we all know group work can quickly become a nightmare if not managed properly.

But guess what?

With some planning, communication, and project management, you can turn group projects from a necessary evil into an opportunity for productive teamwork.

Follow this college student’s guide for group project success and you’ll be getting A’s in no time!

How to Best Divide Up Group Project Roles

The first step to smoothing out your group’s workflow is properly delegating roles and responsibilities . This avoids confusion down the line when tasks start piling up.

Here are some common positions to fill in your team:

Project Manager: The director oversees all components and deadlines. They schedule meetings, lead discussions, and manage the team workload.

Research Lead: Oversees the information gathering and analysis portion. They delegate research tasks and compile findings.

Writing Lead: Responsible for guiding writing tasks. Sets outlines and standards for different sections. Edits and refines drafts.

Creative Lead: Oversees design of presentation slides, charts, videos, or other multimedia components. Establishes creative direction.

Editor: Proofreads and edits final paper and presentation slides. Double-check citations and formatting.

The number of roles depends on the size of your group and the scope of the assignment. For smaller teams, members may double up positions.

Key Takeaway: Delegate complementary roles that play to each person’s strengths.

When deciding on positions, consider which team members have demonstrated helpful skills or expressed interest in specific tasks. For example:

• Someone highly organized may excel as a Project Manager.
• A stellar writer could serve as the Writing Lead.
• Extroverts fit well in presenting or gathering research.

Be aware of any classmates with a reputation for slacking off and avoid giving them crucial leadership roles. Pay attention and take notes on team members’ contributions throughout the process.

If someone seems disengaged or weaker in an area, gently provide encouragement rather than criticism. A little support goes a long way toward activating their skills. But more on that later…

First, solidify the game plan.

Managing Team Dynamics and Conflicts

With roles set, the next challenge is managing everyone’s working styles and personalities. This requires emotional intelligence, empathy, and diplomacy.

Start by outlining team values & guidelines —expected codes of conduct governing behavior and performance:

• Be punctual and present during meetings
• Complete individual tasks by agreed-upon times
• Ask questions rather than make assumptions
• Give timely updates on any delays
• Be respectful towards all members and ideas
• Constructively (not harshly) resolve conflicts

These guidelines set standards and encourage accountability. Some groups even create fun team names, logos, or mottos to build unity.

Key Takeaway: Establishing shared codes of conduct improves coordination and team cohesion.

What happens when conflict invariably arises despite the guidelines?

First, don’t panic or lash out. That will only strain your relationship further. Breathe and give yourself time to process the situation before reacting.

Then have a tactful conversation to uncover why tensions have built up. Calmly but directly address problem behavior while trying to understand all perspectives.

Perhaps someone is struggling with an outside issue and needs support. Or differences in work ethic are causing frustration.

Key Takeaway: Learn and understand all sides of conflicts without judgment before problem-solving together.

Finally, refocus the discussion on steps moving forward:

• How can we resolve this respectfully?
• What’s the best path toward completing our assignment?

Appeal to the shared goal of earning a good grade. Pride or ego can then be set aside.

With emotionally intelligent communication, nearly any internal dispute can be worked through. However, having regularly scheduled team meetings helps hugely in avoiding unchecked tensions in the first place…

Scheduling Effective Meetings and Communication

Consistent meetings ensure your group connects frequently to relay updates and address questions. This alignment goes a long way toward reducing conflicts.

Key Takeaway: Hold shorter, more regular team meetings rather than fewer marathon sessions.

Short meetings held twice a week keep tasks moving efficiently:

• Monday brainstorm:  Delegate weekly individual and team goals. Discuss challenges that arose the previous week.
• Thursday update:  Members report progress and raise any new issues. Adjust plans as needed.

Keep meetings 15-30 minutes long. Respect everyone’s time while still coordinating sufficiently.

The Project Manager should:

• Email reminder invites with the meeting agenda
• Set up a consistent meeting spot or video call link
• Take notes on task progress and next steps

Key Takeaway: Consistent meetings with assigned responsibilities keep the team looped in and on track.

For updates in between official gatherings, communication channels like GroupMe or Google Hangouts allow constant collaboration:

• Quick questions and answers
• Shared notes or resources
• Informal chats and camaraderie

Light conversations strengthen team bonds too! The flavor of everyone’s contributions builds unity.

Now let’s discuss helpful systems for organizing and sharing work…

Tools and Tips for Organizing Shared Work

Between notes, drafts, research, citations, and presentation slides, work piles up fast. Shared drives and docs prevent duplication of efforts and lost files.

Google Drive offers an excellent ecosystem for managing group work:

• Docs:  Collaborative report writing
• Sheets:  Task lists and schedules
• Slides:  Designing presentations
• Folders:  Organize everything by section

Key Takeaway: Cloud-based tools facilitate real-time collaboration on group assignments.

Microsoft Office works similarly for teams more comfortable with Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Whichever platform you choose:

• Give editing access to all members
• Structure consistent file names and organization
• Use comment threads for questions, edits, etc.

This allows a seamless flow of ideas even when working individually.

Top Tip: Assign one person to compile final drafts into a master file before submission.

What about when it comes to each member’s contributions? Let’s tackle a chronic group challenge next…

Getting a Free Rider to Contribute Their Fair Share

Ah, the bane of every group’s existence…

The free rider: Someone perfectly happy coasting while the rest of the team pulls their weight. This breeds resentment.

Before judging, consider why someone disengages:

• Unclear on expectations or intimidated to ask for clarification
• Struggling with assignments/life outside school
• Lost track of deadlines
• Just freeloading!

Key Takeaway: Understand all reasons why someone may not contribute rather than attacking a character.

Regardless of the reason, address the lack of participation promptly yet compassionately:

• “Hey Jane, just wanted to check in and see if you needed any help getting started on your section?”
• “We missed you at Monday’s meeting. Everything ok? Here’s what we discussed…”

If non-participation continues without reasonable explanation, have an honest talk in private:

• “We want you fully involved but are concerned about X. What’s going on and how can we help?”
• Clarify the project guidelines and quotas expected.

Outlining clear expectations paired with support often gets lagging members back on track.

But what if they continue slacking? Consider these accountability measures:

• Regular participation checks during meetings
• Shared tracker of work contributions
• Alert your professor last resort (don’t tattle immediately)

Key Takeaway: Support lagging members first before enforcing accountability.

With multiple checkpoints in place, consistent free-riding becomes apparent and can be addressed accordingly.

Now for handling members on the opposite end of the spectrum…

What to Do When a Group Member is Unresponsive

You may encounter absent team members for a variety of reasons:

• Busy with other commitments
• Health or personal issues
• Forgot to check the messages
• Technical problems

Key Takeaway: Confirm first that the lack of communication isn’t due to an underlying issue before assuming apathy.

Start by reaching out politely:

• “We missed your input at yesterday’s meeting, just wanted to check in!”
• “We had some technical issues accessing the shared folder, please let us know if you experience any trouble too!”

If they remain missing for multiple days, arrange an offline meeting or call (don’t rely solely on digital messages).

Voice and face-to-face communication convey more care and concern.

If you still can’t connect within a reasonable period given the project timeline, inform your professor. They can further assist in tracking down radio-silent students.

Key Takeaway: Professors can help locate unresponsive students, especially regarding potential personal issues.

Now, for those who over-communicate and try running every aspect…

The Overly Controlling Group Member

Collaboration balances many voices. Guiding direction is different than monopolizing decisions.

Signs of over-controlling behavior:

• Speaking far more than listening
• Micromanaging work or changes made by other members
• Making unilateral choices without group discussion

Key Takeaway: Dominating behavior disempowers fellow members and strains team unity.

If a teammate becomes overly directive:

• Politely insist on being heard during meetings
• Confidently yet tactfully reinforce shared ownership over decisions
• Avoid accusing language

Say something like:

• “You seem passionate about X direction which is great! Let’s go around first and hear everyone’s thoughts before deciding.”
• “I appreciate your effort organizing but think YYYY might align better with our original vision.”

Facilitate opportunities where others lead discussions and delegate tasks.

Key Takeaway: Redistribute responsibilities among all members, not just natural leaders.

This empowers participation and defuses control tendencies. Redirect them toward mentorship over micro-management.

Alright, we’ve covered a LOT of ground on balancing team roles, resolving conflicts, organizing shared work, and handling various member personalities.

Let’s recap the core lessons into easily referenced takeaways.

Key Takeaways:

• Delegate complementary roles  based on each person’s skills and preferences
• Establish  shared guidelines and values  upfront
• Hold  short, consistent meetings  for alignment
• Use  cloud collaboration platforms  to coordinate work
• First  support struggling group members  before enforcing accountability
• Confirm potential  underlying issues  for unresponsiveness before assuming apathy or carelessness
• Redirect over-controlling group members  toward mentoring not monopolizing

Follow this advice for keeping your group heading smoothly in the same direction!

Now for some common questions on navigating group projects:

FAQ About Group Projects in College

What if a group member refuses to do their work?

First, understand why they aren’t participating and offer help navigating challenges. If they continue not contributing, alert your professor providing documentation of your efforts supporting the student.

How should work be divided fairly?

Based on group size, delegate equitable portions and assignment types to each member playing to their strengths. For example, split up writing and research tasks evenly. Use shared trackers to display transparency around workloads.

What if my group member and I strongly disagree on direction?

Have an open discussion focused on why you each feel strongly about your approach. Find compromise by blending aspects of both ideas or vote democratically if there is an impasse. Remember to debate politely and leave emotions out.

What do I do about a slacking member if the professor doesn’t help?

If the professor’s intervention fails, maintain documentation about workloads, participation levels, and your attempts to address the problem. Submit these records along with your final assignment to provide context around uneven contributions.

How can I encourage quieter group members to contribute ideas?

Direct questions specifically to them during meetings, greet them warmly when you see them, and make them feel included. Have them take the lead in explaining concepts they feel passionate about. Send encouraging messages recognizing their efforts.

What if a group member contributes ideas but doesn’t do the required work?

Ideas help shape direction but don’t replace required tasks. Explain the necessity of participating in writing, research collection, etc even if they brought ideas. Offer to collaborate brainstorming initially but they must still execute delegated responsibilities.

Finally…

Group projects will likely be a constant presence throughout college. While it is rarely the most exciting part of higher education, collaboration is an essential professional skill.

You’ve got this! Now put these tips into action and marvel at how smooth synergy emerges from coordinated collaboration.

DEV Community

Posted on Aug 31, 2020

How to organize your school projects on GitHub

Cover Image by Memed_Nurrohmad from Pixabay

Whether you're doing your own lesson plan as a self-taught programmer, attending a bootcamp, going to a college, or are in any other learning situation, it's important to stay organized and keep track of projects you care about or need to submit.

How you choose to organize your projects is up to you. I'm in my final semester of college, and I've seen it done in a variety of ways. I also see this question asked online occasionally, and it's one I asked before too. There are a few good tips I've learned, and I thought I'd share them in a short post.

I currently keep my projects in GitHub repositories and will refer to that method in this article, but you can check out some good alternatives here as well.

Public vs private repo

Hands down, you want to make your GitHub repository private.

Typically, other students are also in the class working on the project at the same time as you. If you make your repo a public one, that means everyone can see your code. That includes your classmates.

Many, many, many professors and teachers will say that if someone else uses your code, you are also at fault for letting them have access to it. Doesn't matter if you intended for it or not.

Even when the class is over, I wouldn't recommend making it public. Future students may copy the code, and that serves no good purpose.

Plus, your class may have some special rules about whether you're allowed to make certain code public or not. It's always best to err on the side of caution and keep the repo private.

If you want to show someone your code, you can always share it with them privately. A simple way to do that would be to send them the project in a zipped file via email or on the cloud (OneDrive, Google Drive, etc). If you need to work with a partner on a project, you can add them as a collaborator and that will let them access the private repo.

One course per repo or one project per repo?

Should you make one GitHub repo for each programming class? And then store every project in that repo?

Or is it better to make one repo for every project?

Again, it's really up to you. You could try both out and see which one you like more.

Here are a couple of pros and cons for using one repo for one class, with a sub-folder for each project.

I usually prefer to make one repo for every project. It feels more organized to me that way, generally speaking.

But I have used a single repo to keep multiple projects that were part of the same class a couple of times before. In those cases the projects were either building on top of the same code (so really it was one project split into multiple), or they were just very closely related so it made sense from an organizational perspective to me.

Always include a README. If you have one repo for each project, then you should have one README for each of them.

If you have one repo with multiple projects, I'd suggest a main README for the repo as well as one README inside each project folder.

The main repo could just have the basic description of the class or types of projects, and you could even have a section that describes each project with a link to that project folder.

README basics

Don't get stuck on trying to make your READMEs look perfect. Remember, you can always add onto them later. For now, just include the most basic essentials.

It may depend on your project, but generally you will want the following in your project README:

• Project description
• How to run the project
• Any special requirements to run it

As you work through the project or towards the end, you can add other features too. Screenshots are wonderful to include, or examples of using the project or what the output will be, and if necessary what it means.

Since it's a private school project, you will probably be the only person to ever see the code. However, keep in mind that you may want to show someone your work later on (like when applying for a job). Even if you are the only person who will ever see it, it is still a good idea to document the project as if someone else may eventually see it or work on it.

Writing a good README will become easier as you get more practice. Another nice thing is that after you have a README for one project, you can always copy that file and use it as a starting point for future projects.

You can even use a README generator such as this one if that makes it easier for you. For private school projects though, this probably isn't needed quite as much.

README usefulness

You might not think you need a README at the time of working on the project. After all, you're well aware of how to run it while you're actually working on it. However, it may prove to be very helpful to you later on.

Maybe months later you will be working on something else, and realize that you have a problem similar to one you experienced in a past project. So you want to look at it again.

Well what if there is no README? You'll have to remember which project it was (perhaps solely based on the repo title) and how to run it. Even if it seems obvious to you at the time, it may not be obvious at all after you've moved on from it.

README template

If you don't have any READMEs to go off of yet, I have a couple of resources for you. One is a list of awesome READMEs . This is a great source for inspiration.

You can also copy the snippet below into a README.md file as a basic starting point.

If you need a cheat sheet for markdown (used for formatting README files), there is a great resource for that here .

How you organize your school projects is ultimately up to you. You should do whatever will help you be most successful! That can look different from person to person. If you aren't sure what that looks like for you yet, don't worry. Just try out things you think might be good, see how you feel about it, and make changes as needed.

Just remember to make your school repos private and always include a basic README file. You'll thank yourself later!

This article was originally published on my personal website's blog, Joy Bytes .

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Campus protests over the Gaza war

Violence erupts at ucla as protests over israel's war in gaza escalate across the u.s..

Bill Chappell

Counterprotesters try to dismantle a pro-Palestinian encampment set up on the University of California, Los Angeles campus in the early hours of Wednesday. Etienne Laurent/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

Counterprotesters try to dismantle a pro-Palestinian encampment set up on the University of California, Los Angeles campus in the early hours of Wednesday.

Violence erupted at the University of California, Los Angeles on Tuesday night, after pro-Israel demonstrators attempted to forcibly dismantle an encampment of dozens of tents set up by pro-Palestinian protesters who have been camping on the school's Dickson Plaza, a central green space on campus.

Protesters in the encampment sometimes fought with the counterprotesters, which witnesses say ranged from about 100 to more than 200. People set off fireworks — and journalists and protest organizers say pepper spray or other irritants were used — before police were able to get the situation under control.

"The violence unfolding this evening at UCLA is absolutely abhorrent and inexcusable," Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said in a post on X, formerly Twitter, at 1:47 a.m. local time. "LAPD has arrived on campus."

Counter protestors at UCLA continue to fight pro-Palestinian demonstrators in full of police, who arrived 30min ago but have not intervened. There have been dozens of minor injuries tonight, mostly pepper spray and melee wounds. pic.twitter.com/FjmoCNgsmc — Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) May 1, 2024

The confrontation quickly became a flashpoint among dozens of university protests against the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza that have broken out on campuses across the U.S. A high-profile protest at Columbia University in New York was shut down Tuesday night after police entered a school building occupied by pro-Palestinian protesters.

UCLA has canceled classes on Wednesday.

Governor calls delay in calming violence 'unacceptable'

As news of the violence spread, so did questions about why administrators and police weren't able to prevent it, or mitigate it more quickly.

"The limited and delayed campus law enforcement response at UCLA last night was unacceptable and it demands answers," Gov. Gavin Newsom's office said in a statement , adding that the state "immediately deployed CHP personnel" once it became clear they were needed. The governor also condemned the violence that played out.

Hours before the confrontation, UCLA Chancellor Gene Block issued a statement saying his administration had "taken several immediate actions," including significantly boosting security by "adding greater numbers of law enforcement officers, safety personnel and student affairs mitigators."

How some faculty members are defending student protesters, in actions and in words

And as member station LAist reports , UCLA said on Wednesday that Block's request for the city to send in police got "an immediate response."

But media reports from the campus describe an hours-long delay between the first clashes erupting and police intervening. Student newspaper the Daily Bruin accused the school of failing to protect students on its campus.

A pro-Palestinian demonstrator, center, is beaten by counterprotesters during violence on the UCLA campus early Wednesday. Etienne Laurent/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

A pro-Palestinian demonstrator, center, is beaten by counterprotesters during violence on the UCLA campus early Wednesday.

"Fireworks, tear gas and fights broke out just after 10:50 p.m. Tuesday night," the newspaper reported . It added that the school issued a statement at 12:40 a.m. saying it had called police. Police arrived slightly after 1 a.m., the paper said.

There was apparently another delay: After the LAPD and California Highway Patrol officers reached the campus, they moved to separate and disperse the groups around 3 a.m., according to local TV station ABC 7 .

Colleges are tearing down protest encampments

Pro-Palestinian tent camps have been popping up on college campuses around the country — and now, so are reports that universities are taking action against them.

Like the organizers of the UCLA encampment, many other campus protesters say their chief demand is for their university systems to disclose all financial ties with Israel-based groups, and divest from companies that do business there.

University of Wisconsin, Madison

Police moved against a pro-Palestinian encampment in Madison shortly after 7 a.m. local time Wednesday morning, resulting in at least 12 arrests and several injuries.

A student showed reporters a gash he said came from being stuck by a police shield, according to Wisconsin Public Radio . Campus police say four officers were hurt, including a state trooper who was hit in the head by a protester's skateboard.

"But two hours later, protesters began setting up a new encampment with at least 15 tents. Leaders of the demonstration held trainings on how to resist further arrests and made plans for a march and rally for Wednesday afternoon," WPR reports.

Tulane University in New Orleans

On the last day of classes for most students, campus, city and state police officers converged on an encampment — an operation that student newspaper The Tulane Hullabaloo says began before dawn on Wednesday.

At least 14 protesters were arrested, including two students, Tulane announced . Earlier, the school had announced six arrests on Monday — including one student — and said it had suspended at least seven students for participating in what the university said was an "unlawful demonstration."

University of Arizona in Tucson

Violent conflicts played out in and around campus in the early hours of Wednesday, after police tore down an encampment near the school's north Main Gate Square.

"Around 2:00 a.m. law enforcement officers in gas masks and riot gear stormed a pro-Palestinian encampment on the University of Arizona campus," reports Arizona Public Media , which adds that hundreds of protest supporters were in the area and that the move came after a 10:30 p.m. deadline for protesters to leave.

Police made at least four arrests, AZPM reports, adding that people on the street heard a warning of "police deploying chemical irritant munitions."

UCLA's buffer zone was overrun

Images from the scene at the UCLA campus showed a large crowd of pro-Israel protesters pulling at metal barricades and wooden pallets the pro-Palestinian group had erected around their encampment.

In addition to calling for divestment, the UCLA protests are meant to show solidarity with people in Gaza. The Israel-Hamas war has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health, while Israel says some 1,200 Israelis were killed by Hamas in an assault last October. Israel says Hamas is still holding 133 hostages .

A crowd of counterprotesters had initially gathered near the Palestine Solidarity Encampment on Tuesday afternoon.

Top companies are on students' divest list. But does it really work?

As the evening wore on, members of the group "began wrestling with protesters inside and [private campus] security hired by UCLA," according to the Daily Bruin.

From there, the violence continued to escalate.

Police enter Columbia University's Hamilton Hall amid pro-Palestinian protests

The clash erupted days after the Israeli-American Council, an advocacy group, mounted a competing demonstration on Dickson Plaza , adjacent to the encampment. Despite heightened tensions, that large rally on April 28 ended without major clashes.

Images of that Israeli-American Council-organized event showed two large groups separated by a buffer zone .

But on Tuesday night, the buffer zone was overrun.

NYPD clear protesters from Columbia University building

Police ousted pro-Palestinian protesters at Columbia University from Hamilton Hall on Tuesday night — a school building they had been occupying since Monday. The New York Police Department mounted a large operation to remove the protesters , using an armored vehicle and a mechanized drawbridge to convey officers into the building.

"Approximately 300 people were arrested," New York Mayor Eric Adams said on Wednesday . That figure includes people who were on the Columbia University campus, as well as others arrested at City College — an institution in the City University of New York system that was a destination for a crowd of demonstrators who marched from Columbia University.

Adams stressed that the police operation took place at Columbia's request.

"We went in and conducted an operation to allow Columbia University to remove those who have turned the peaceful protest into a place where anti-Semitism and anti-Israel attitudes were pervasive," Adams said.

He also reiterated that his administration believes many of the protests are led by "outside agitators" who are not students or otherwise a part of the college community. When asked to specify how many of the arrested demonstrators were unaffiliated with the university, Adams said the police are still sorting through records to determine that.

• Hamas-Israel war
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April 30, 2024 - US university protests

By Rachel Ramirez, Chandelis Duster, Samantha Delouya, Tori B. Powell, Aditi Sangal, Amir Vera, Deva Lee, Kathleen Magramo, Dalia Faheid and Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN

Our live coverage of the protests rocking US campuses has moved here

Over 100 protesters arrested across 2 New York college campuses, law enforcement official says

From CNN’s Mark Morales

Over 100 protesters were arrested Tuesday at Columbia University and City College of New York, according to a law enforcement official.

Most of the arrests were made at Columbia, including about two dozen protesters who police say tried to prevent officers from entering the campus, the official said.

Tactical teams at Columbia first set up a perimeter around the campus to hold back protesters and prevent further arrests, according to the official. Offers then entered the campus through multiple entry points.

"It's still a student-fueled movement," Columbia student magazine editor says

From CNN's Kathleen Magramo

Jonas Du, editor-in-chief of a Columbia student magazine, told CNN that the protests on campus are student-fueled regardless of any outsider involvement.

It’s “hard to say” whether those arrested from Columbia's Hamilton Hall were students or from outside the institution, the Columbia Sundial editor said.

“Even though campus has been locked down to Columbia ID holders, now there has been ways of getting in, getting non-affiliated into campus. But for the most part you need Columbia IDs, you need students to provide you with IDs that can get you into campus," said Du, who is a junior student at the university.

Du said he believes there is “evidence” of outside organizations behind the occupation's planning, but he also says numerous Columbia students were inside Hamilton Hall. 

He said he recognized “many, many Columbia students in the crowd” that formed human chains around the entrances to Hamilton Hall while reporting on the protests. 

“At the end of the day, it's still a student-fueled movement. It wouldn’t have gotten to (this) extent without the of the student organizations here.” 

Du said students received a text message and email alert from the school stating that a shelter-in-place order had been issued, asking them to remain in their dorms and not to go on campus.

"But all of us knew that that was sort of a signal that the NYPD was going to raid campus," he added.

Video shows Arizona State University police officer removing protester’s hijab during arrest

From CNN’s Cindy Von Quednow

Video taken over the weekend at Arizona State University shows a campus police officer removing a hijab from a protester’s head during her arrest.

The blurred video, obtained by Mass Liberation AZ and provided to CNN by attorney Zayed Al-Sayyed, who represents the women, shows several ASU Police Department officers surrounding a woman whose hands are held behind her back as one of the officers removes her hijab.

People nearby can be heard yelling, “You’re violating her privacy,” and “Give it back.”

The officers then pull the woman’s sweatshirt hood over her head and a bystander yells, “So she can wear a hood but not her hijab?” At one point one of the officers blocks the woman from the view of those taking the video, as a person yells, “let her go!”

A lawyer representing her and three other women who said it also happened to them is demanding accountability.

Al-Sayyed, who said the arrests took place early Saturday, did not identify the women but indicated that three of them are students at the university and all four are Phoenix-area residents. They are facing criminal trespass charges.

Upon being taken into custody, Al-Sayyed said, the women explained the significance of a hijab and “begged” to keep their hijabs, but he said they were told that their hijabs had to be removed for safety reasons.

“They never expected that an officer … who’s sworn to protect and serve is going to violate their most basic protected right under the United States Constitution, which is the right to practice their religion. So they're hurt,” Al-Sayyed said.

After being detained and bused to jail, the women were not given their hijabs back, Al-Sayyed said.

Around 15 hours later, when he was finally given access to his clients, Al-Sayyed said he was able to bring them new hijabs.

The Arizona chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-AZ),  condemned  the university police for the recorded incident and others like it and called for a full investigation.

“This act represents a blatant infringement upon the religious liberties of peaceful protesters. It is profoundly distressing for the affected women, and ASU Police must conduct a thorough investigation into this matter,” Azza Abuseif, executive director of CAIR-AZ, said in an email to CNN.

In a statement to CNN, the university said, “This matter is under review.” CNN has reached out to the Maricopa County Attorney's Office for comment.

Protests will continue despite police presence at Columbia, student negotiator says

A lead student negotiator for protesters at Columbia University has told CNN that protests will continue on the campus despite the school's request for a police presence.

The university has asked NYPD to maintain its presence on campus until May 17.

"I’m very confident that students will continue this movement even after all this brutality against them," negotiator Mahmoud Khalil said, adding that students still have the right to protest despite increased security.

Since negotiations between student protesters and the Columbia University administration began two weeks ago, the university has not viewed them as an anti-war movement, he said. 

"Instead, they dealt with it as an internal student discipline matter. They negotiated with us about bringing food and blankets to the encampment. They refused to acknowledge that this actually is more than that, this is a nationwide movement.

"This is a movement that asks Columbia to divest its investments from the companies that are fuelling the war in Gaza right now,” said Khalil, who is a second-year graduate student at Columbia.

Tensions escalated on campus when officers entered Columbia's Hamilton Hall , which had been occupied by protesters since the early hours of Tuesday, and dozens were seen being arrested.

Khalil said that "the autonomous group decided to take that building when they felt the university is not answering their demands" and was "alienating" them.

Police presence at Columbia may dampen graduation celebrations, CNN journalist and student says

From CNN's Elizabeth Wolfe

Julia Vargas Jones, a CNN journalist and Columbia Journalism School graduate student, said the university's request for an on-campus police presence through May 17 will only "dampen the mood even more" as students and their families prepare for graduation.

NYPD swarmed the university Tuesday night after the university authorized them to go into the campus to clear out a building being occupied by protesters. CNN has witnessed dozens of arrests.

"Graduation is May 15. That is my graduation as well. I have family coming from Brazil to come watch me walk across the stage and get my diploma. I hope of course, as everyone does, that this (graduation) can happen," Jones said.

"But at the same time, is there a climate for celebration, for graduation?" Jones said.

Jones said she's unsure the climate on campus will be celebratory as graduation nears.

"I spoke to a lot of students on campus today and students were just feeling caught in between. I don't really see celebration being something we flock to in the coming weeks," she said. "I'm interested to see who will actually attend graduation."

Jones said she has not witnessed any violent altercations as she reported from inside Columbia’s campus Tuesday night. After the campus was cleared by NYPD, Jones described the atmosphere as quiet enough to “hear a pin drop.”

NYPD used flash bangs to breach Columbia building where doors were barricaded

From CNN’s Matthew Friedman and Miguel Marquez

NYPD officers used flash-bang grenades to breach Columbia's Hamilton Hall, which protesters had barricaded themselves inside Tuesday, the police department told CNN.

The building's doors had been barricaded with chairs, tables and vending machines, and windows had been covered with newspaper, the NYPD said.

When a flash-bang grenade is deployed , it emits a bright flash and a very loud bang, often used to shock and disorient. 

Video posted by NYPD Deputy Commissioner Kaz Daughtry shows officers searching a bookshelf-lined office after busting the door's lock with a hammer.

Another video shows officers packing a stairwell and passing chairs to one another.

At least 50 officers had earlier used an elevated ramp to climb into the building through a window. 

Columbia University property has been cleared, NYPD says

From CNN’s Matthew Friedman and Miguel Marquez at Columbia

Columbia University’s property has been cleared, the New York Police Department told CNN, less than two hours after officers entered the school’s campus in Morningside Heights.

Hamilton Hall has also been cleared, the NYPD says, and nobody was wounded during the operation. 

The NYPD is still monitoring different locations for protesters across the city, they said.

Photos show NYPD action at Columbia University

From CNN Digital’s Photo Team

The New York Police Department entered the Columbia University campus late Tuesday evening after receiving a letter from the university authorizing them to go into the campus, a law enforcement source familiar with the situation told CNN. 

Officers entered Hamilton Hall , which had been occupied by protesters since the early morning hours Tuesday.

Dozens of people have been arrested.

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