for those of you in higher education

[oped]

Daughter found something online today... no email... that said they are starting like half a week early? And they are done Nov 24th so again no return after Thanksgiving.

[Deleted]

This was what was in the letter. 

Fall 2020

The University will resume in-person instruction and re-open residence halls, dining facilities, and other campus services for
Fall semester, but things will look different in light of physical distancing and other public health guidance. Here is what you
can expect:

• In-person instruction, residence and dining halls, and other public spaces on campus will incorporate adjusted room
capacities to permit physical distancing.

• Courses will be offered in a portfolio of modalities, including in-person, fully distanced, hybrid, “HyFlex,” and others.
The mix of approaches will allow us to accommodate individuals at greater risk of complications from COVID-19 or
who can otherwise not be present on campus, while helping them continue their academic progress and success.

• Enhanced cleaning and sanitizing practices will occur throughout all of our facilities.

• We will ask for your commitment to a “Stop the Spread of COVID-19” campaign.

• Personal health monitoring and a system of testing, isolation, contact tracing and quarantine will be implemented on
each campus.

• Each campus will adjust its academic calendar so it can conclude all in-person instruction by the Wednesday before
Thanksgiving. The remainder of the semester’s instruction and finals will be conducted remotely. The Fall term start
dates are:

o Crookston: Aug. 25, 2020
o Duluth: Aug. 31, 2020
o Morris: Aug. 19, 2020
o Rochester and Twin Cities: Sept. 8, 2020

As a next step, faculty and staff will begin to develop instructional plans for each class and safety plans for each building,
based on guidance from the Fall 2020 Scenarios Advisory Team. More detail will follow from campuses, colleges, and units as
it becomes available.

The spine of our plan is flexibility—to accommodate people’s needs, to provide an excellent learning experience, and to adapt
to demands of public health conditions and other challenges to protect the safety of all students, faculty, and staff. See future
updates at z.umn.edu/return-to-campus.insert quote here

No real specifics about how they're going to actually do some of this stuff, especially with the dorms and dining halls.  I still hang out on the Iowa State parents group and they are planning on keeping open two dorms they were going to tear down as "isolation dorms", and all students will need to have a Covid test and there would be contact tracing.  I'm not sure what the U is planning on doing to isolate, but they do have a lot of single dorm rooms and the hospital on campus. 

[oped]

Daughter sent me this screenshoot:

[giramomma]

WI colleges are face to face this fall. Nothing concrete, in terms of planning.

Though the systems president did mention that all classes bigger than 50 should be delivered online. Also suggesting classes could/should be taught nights and weekends

I would assume there will be no virus testing. It's too costly.

[teen persuasion]

DS4's university announced its plans today, such as they are. Modified in-person classes, reduced class sizes, reduced residence density, more takeout meals and delivery, classes on Labor day, all on-line after Thanksgiving (3 weeks).

DS4 said online finals really didn't work, it was worse than online coursework, because of all the limits they tried to put on (locking browser SW to take test thru, film yourself, sound on, etc.). Same for delivery service while limited # on campus this spring, often 2 hours late.

[oped]

Uh...

www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/29336227/21-clemson-football-players-positive-covid-19-latest-testing?platform=amp&__twitter_impression=true

[giramomma]

Jun 19, 2020 20:46:34 GMT -5 oped said:

Uh...

www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/29336227/21-clemson-football-players-positive-covid-19-latest-testing?platform=amp&__twitter_impression=true

Oh, its not good with the college fb players. More than a couple teams have player testing positive. Professional FB players on both TX teams have also tested positive.

[oped]

Does this serve as a warning for larger groups of college students? My daughter has started talking about dorms... even though she’s in an apartment she serves on a specialty house e board...and I have to admit I find it a little anxiety inducing. 

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

Jun 19, 2020 21:05:59 GMT -5 oped said:

Does this serve as a warning for larger groups of college students? My daughter has started talking about dorms... even though she’s in an apartment she serves on a specialty house e board...and I have to admit I find it a little anxiety inducing. 

ODS’ college is wisely if not presciently urging students who return to live on campus in August to pack lightly and only bring essentials in the event they need to move out in a hurry next Fall. 😳

[giramomma]

Jun 19, 2020 21:05:59 GMT -5 oped said:

Does this serve as a warning for larger groups of college students? My daughter has started talking about dorms... even though she’s in an apartment she serves on a specialty house e board...and I have to admit I find it a little anxiety inducing. 

I think it depends.

Is  mask wearing mandetory? How many kids in the dorms will be engaging in risky behavior?

Is she going to school in places that believe the pandemic is a hoax?

Are kids in the dorms spending 4 hours a day with others in close proximity, engaging in vigorous activity without using a mask?

What are some of the policies for dorm living that are being enacted to keep folks safe? My campus is prohibiting any dorm visitors. Lounges in the dorms will be rearranged for social distancing or they will be closed. The big dining halls, that traditionally have been available for conferences and meetings, etc will be closed to the public. In the past, even university employees could eat at the dining halls. That's no longer allowed.

ETA: I think you can't generalize. I would be super uncomfortable sending my kid to school at Texas A&M, for example. Where I work? I would be more comfortable. We've had 1K cases in a county of 500K since Feb 5, when our first case was confirmed.

Even looking at K-12 schools in my area. I trust the my kids' k-8 school will do a good job of figuring out how to have the kids be in school safely. They have more options, than say a public school 8ish miles away that has been overcrowded by about 200 kids. This particular school has been overcrowded since forever, at least a decade. If the school system hasn't managed to fix the overcrowding issue in normal times with money flowing freely, I'm pretty comfortable saying there's going to be no way to really make the school safe for the kids in a pandemic with drastic budget cuts.

[giramomma]

Jun 19, 2020 22:10:49 GMT -5 GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl said:

ODS’ college is wisely if not presciently urging students who return to live on campus in August to pack lightly and only bring essentials in the event they need to move out in a hurry next Fall. 😳

But, again, this would not floor me. Depends on the context. To me, this says more about lifestyle creep and forgetting what a need is and what a want is as much as how we prepare for a pandemic.

When I went to college, my roommate and I thought we were tough shit because my roommate bought a t.v for our room.  I mean a TV!

I remember when one of my coworkers' kids went to school about a decade later. A tv, DVD player, and the complete DVD box set of Sex in the City (for all seasons) was now the standard for needs.

I'm comfortable enough saying that box sets of tv shows aren't really a need, in terms of stuff.

[TheOtherMe]

The college I support had one football player test positive.  He dates a women's basketball player.

The Athletic Department did a march for Black Lives Matter.  Later 3 people who participated tested positive.  Supposedly the others from the Athletic Department are in quarantine for 14 days from the march.

High school baseball and softball is a summer sport here.  Think it's up to 7 schools now that have a player or player's family member test positive.  The rule is that the team can't play for 14 days.  It's very short season this summer because they started so late.  Realistically, it means the season is over for those teams.

[jelloshots4all]

Jun 20, 2020 7:35:39 GMT -5 giramomma said:

Jun 19, 2020 22:10:49 GMT -5 GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl said:

ODS’ college is wisely if not presciently urging students who return to live on campus in August to pack lightly and only bring essentials in the event they need to move out in a hurry next Fall. 😳

But, again, this would not floor me. Depends on the context. To me, this says more about lifestyle creep and forgetting what a need is and what a want is as much as how we prepare for a pandemic.

When I went to college, my roommate and I thought we were tough shit because my roommate bought a t.v for our room.  I mean a TV!

I remember when one of my coworkers' kids went to school about a decade later. A tv, DVD player, and the complete DVD box set of Sex in the City (for all seasons) was now the standard for needs.

I'm comfortable enough saying that box sets of tv shows aren't really a need, in terms of stuff.

Now they jut get everything off Hulu, Netflix, etc.  No DVDs.  Or watch stuff on computers.  But they still do take a lot of crap!  Keurig coffee machines, special fans, video game systems, etc.

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

Jun 20, 2020 8:25:49 GMT -5 jelloshots4all said:

Jun 20, 2020 7:35:39 GMT -5 giramomma said:

But, again, this would not floor me. Depends on the context. To me, this says more about lifestyle creep and forgetting what a need is and what a want is as much as how we prepare for a pandemic.

When I went to college, my roommate and I thought we were tough shit because my roommate bought a t.v for our room.  I mean a TV!

I remember when one of my coworkers' kids went to school about a decade later. A tv, DVD player, and the complete DVD box set of Sex in the City (for all seasons) was now the standard for needs.

I'm comfortable enough saying that box sets of tv shows aren't really a need, in terms of stuff.

Now they jut get everything off Hulu, Netflix, etc.  No DVDs.  Or watch stuff on computers.  But they still do take a lot of crap!  Keurig coffee machines, special fans, video game systems, etc.

Seriously. Some kids pull up in UHauls. And apparently having an interior decorator decorate your kid’s dorm room is a thing: window treatments, rugs, small couches, storage cubes that function as coffee tables, custom comforters and dust ruffles, rope lighting, custom headboards(!), rope lighting, lamps, vanities...🙄

[giramomma]

It looks like Covid is hitting athletes at a couple of Big 10 schools, mine included. Not a lot of cases, at least for right now.

On campus, face-to-face events have been now canceled through mid August. University-sponsored travel is also now prohibited until mid August. These bans were set to expire next week.

Classes start about 2 weeks later. I hope that they are erring on the side of caution with the extension of the travel and face-to-face events banned.

[TheOtherMe]

Jun 20, 2020 8:14:46 GMT -5 TheOtherMe said:

The college I support had one football player test positive.  He dates a women's basketball player.

Update:  4 athletes have tested positive but the AD won't say in which sports.  He did say about 100 athletes never left Boulder and not all have returned.  

I did see the athletes who participated in the BLM march are counting down the days until they are out of quarantine.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

Jun 20, 2020 8:51:34 GMT -5 GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl said:

Jun 20, 2020 8:25:49 GMT -5 jelloshots4all said:

Now they jut get everything off Hulu, Netflix, etc.  No DVDs.  Or watch stuff on computers.  But they still do take a lot of crap!  Keurig coffee machines, special fans, video game systems, etc.

Seriously. Some kids pull up in UHauls. And apparently having an interior decorator decorate your kid’s dorm room is a thing: window treatments, rugs, small couches, storage cubes that function as coffee tables, custom comforters and dust ruffles, rope lighting, custom headboards(!), rope lighting, lamps, vanities...🙄

I was always amazed how much stuff someone people had to end up driving back home on day one because it didn't fit or was a prohibited item.  Did you people not read the list the college sent to you before move in day?  It also gave you the measurements of the rooms which were about the size of a closet.  You ain't fitting an entire living room of furniture in there.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Jun 24, 2020 7:25:20 GMT -5 NomoreDramaQ1015 said:

Jun 20, 2020 8:51:34 GMT -5 GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl said:

Seriously. Some kids pull up in UHauls. And apparently having an interior decorator decorate your kid’s dorm room is a thing: window treatments, rugs, small couches, storage cubes that function as coffee tables, custom comforters and dust ruffles, rope lighting, custom headboards(!), rope lighting, lamps, vanities...🙄

I was always amazed how much stuff someone people had to end up driving back home on day one because it didn't fit or was a prohibited item.  Did you people not read the list the college sent to you before move in day?  It also gave you the measurements of the rooms which were about the size of a closet.  You ain't fitting an entire living room of furniture in there.

I always hated move in day on campus.  I had to walk by several dorms to get to my car and was utterly amazed as to what was considered necessary.  The campus had the big, Costco sized shopping carts stacked up in front to haul crap into the dorms, and you’d see monster SUVs packed to the gills waiting in line to be unloaded.  

Those were the days I would get to work early and stay late.....only to avoid the traffic crunch.

[thyme4change]

Jun 24, 2020 11:53:23 GMT -5 The Walk of the Penguin Mich said:

Jun 24, 2020 7:25:20 GMT -5 NomoreDramaQ1015 said:

I was always amazed how much stuff someone people had to end up driving back home on day one because it didn't fit or was a prohibited item.  Did you people not read the list the college sent to you before move in day?  It also gave you the measurements of the rooms which were about the size of a closet.  You ain't fitting an entire living room of furniture in there.

I always hated move in day on campus.  I had to walk by several dorms to get to my car and was utterly amazed as to what was considered necessary.  The campus had the big, Costco sized shopping carts stacked up in front to haul crap into the dorms, and you’d see monster SUVs packed to the gills waiting in line to be unloaded.  

Those were the days I would get to work early and stay late.....only to avoid the traffic crunch.

I'm not sure everyone believes everything they bring is "necessary", but a dorm room is your home - living in a stripped down concrete block with no warmth or comfort isn't healthy. Most people in dorms are away from a "real home" for the first time. Them wanting to have a nice room with some of the conveniences that make life pleasant shouldn't be disparaged.

[emma1420]

My alma mater just announced their fall plans.

Shortened semester.  In person classes will begin in August and conclude by Thanksgiving.

Students who live within 50 miles of campus will not be permitted to live on campus.  Anyone who wants to may live off campus (this school requires students who are under 21 to live on campus if they aren't living at home).  The dining hall will have extended hours to facilitate social distancing.  Only students with a dining card will be permitted to eat in the dining hall.  Dining cards will only be provided to students who live on campus or students who live more than a 20 minute card ride from campus.

Class sizes will be reduced to enable social distancing.  Masks will be required in all classes, in all hallways, and in the dining hall (except when eating).  Students who do not feel comfortable returning to campus can suspend their enrollment for up to 12 months and return in the fall of 2021.

They are expecting their enrollment to go down pretty significantly so they think they can accommodate most students.  I think their big concern is the dorms, and they are trying to have every student have their own room.

[Deleted]

My son registered for his classes a few weeks ago and they were all in person except for one lecture.  I logged in last night and 4/5 are now online only.    The 5th says TBD.  I looked through the available courses and in his classes there are NO sections that don't say online.  I am really annoyed by this because the school made it sound like there would be options available to accommodate those that couldn't or didn't want to be on campus, while having in-person or hybrid sections as well, but I'm not seeing that at all.  His labs still say in-person, but I don't trust that anymore either.  I talked it over with DS and he says he wants to move into the dorm no matter what. It seems like a waste of money to me, but seeing as his first year is almost entirely covered with scholarships/grants and he's going to pay the rest himself I guess I don't even have much of a say in it.  

A lot of parents are PISSED though and looking for other schools that are still taking applications.  Our local smaller university managed to get enough dorm space to give everyone a single at the double rate and a lot of the classes are going to be in-person.  

[giramomma]

Well, MPL. Don't look here.

We've just had 169 cases in my city in the past 5 days.  279 total in the county. 50% of that is from the 20-29 year old age group. And it seems like there's evidence of community spread.

The question really does become, how do you protect college kids from themselves and each other? I mean, it's not like the threshhold for attending face to face class can be "Are you a dumbass?" Though, I would be amused if it was.

So, the question becomes, which is worse: 1) closing colleges down completely 2) switching to more online instruction or 3) your kid going to college and getting Covid?

You can't trust that (young) people are going to do the right thing.

[flamingo]

At my university, they are furiously revising the fall schedule due to faculty wanting accommodations to teach remotely. So the university is saying that yes, we'll be back on campus and have some in person classes and some online, and the in person will adhere to social distancing. But I think in reality, there are enough faculty who are worried about being in person or have health risks or live with someone with health risks or are panicked about childcare, that more will be online than we had hoped.

There are no good answers to this. And while the university can require masks (or at least try to), the local bars and restaurants aren't requiring masks. And even though university leadership is saying that they trust the students to be cautious, we all know that won't happen. Students will go out to bars and frat parties and probably sooner rather than later COVID will shut us down this fall. We have plans in place to pivot quickly, but regardless, it's a crap situation.

I'm glad that I'm not a parent having to make the decision to send my kid off to college. And, I'm glad I'm not high enough on the food chain at my job to have to make all of these choices/decisions. There are no good choices right now.

[TheOtherMe]

The two largest college towns are both seeing a spike in covid cases.  Most of the cases are in the younger age group.  In Ames, several of the bars have closed.  Same thing is happening in Iowa City.  

Kids that age just want to have fun and they don't think about the potential consequences.

[thyme4change]

Jun 25, 2020 14:06:59 GMT -5 TheOtherMe said:

The two largest college towns are both seeing a spike in covid cases.  Most of the cases are in the younger age group.  In Ames, several of the bars have closed.  Same thing is happening in Iowa City.  

Kids that age just want to have fun and they don't think about the potential consequences.

I have to force myself to consider the consequences constantly. And even still I don't "feel" it. I do the precautions, but I never feel worried or scared.

[TheOtherMe]

I have considered the consequences of everything I have done since this started and I will continue to do so. I'm not scared but I am very concerned.  

Part of that is that I live alone and am high risk.  If I get sick with covid, who is going to take care of me and who is going to care for Lucy Cat?

[Deleted]

Jun 25, 2020 11:18:03 GMT -5 giramomma said:

Well, MPL. Don't look here.

We've just had 169 cases in my city in the past 5 days.  279 total in the county. 50% of that is from the 20-29 year old age group. And it seems like there's evidence of community spread.

The question really does become, how do you protect college kids from themselves and each other? I mean, it's not like the threshhold for attending face to face class can be "Are you a dumbass?" Though, I would be amused if it was.

So, the question becomes, which is worse: 1) closing colleges down completely 2) switching to more online instruction or 3) your kid going to college and getting Covid?

You can't trust that (young) people are going to do the right thing.

I don't think online classes are really protecting anyone but the professors...which I'm sure is the main consideration.  I doubt the students are all going to hole up in their dorm rooms and social distance while taking their online classes.

[thyme4change]

Jun 25, 2020 16:15:39 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

Jun 25, 2020 11:18:03 GMT -5 giramomma said:

Well, MPL. Don't look here.

We've just had 169 cases in my city in the past 5 days.  279 total in the county. 50% of that is from the 20-29 year old age group. And it seems like there's evidence of community spread.

The question really does become, how do you protect college kids from themselves and each other? I mean, it's not like the threshhold for attending face to face class can be "Are you a dumbass?" Though, I would be amused if it was.

So, the question becomes, which is worse: 1) closing colleges down completely 2) switching to more online instruction or 3) your kid going to college and getting Covid?

You can't trust that (young) people are going to do the right thing.

I don't think online classes are really protecting anyone but the professors...which I'm sure is the main consideration.  I doubt the students are all going to hole up in their dorm rooms and social distance while taking their online classes.

You can't even social distance in most dorm rooms.

[TheOtherMe]

Jun 25, 2020 16:15:39 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

Jun 25, 2020 11:18:03 GMT -5 giramomma said:

I don't think online classes are really protecting anyone but the professors...which I'm sure is the main consideration.  I doubt the students are all going to hole up in their dorm rooms and social distance while taking their online classes.

Nephew and niece-in-law are both college professors.  They have a newborn.  They have only gone for well baby appointments since the baby was born.

They do not want to be in a classroom with college students who have been frequenting bars--just like they did when they were in college.

[Deleted]

Jun 25, 2020 18:22:09 GMT -5 TheOtherMe said:

Jun 25, 2020 16:15:39 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

I don't think online classes are really protecting anyone but the professors...which I'm sure is the main consideration.  I doubt the students are all going to hole up in their dorm rooms and social distance while taking their online classes.

Nephew and niece-in-law are both college professors.  They have a newborn.  They have only gone for well baby appointments since the baby was born.

They do not want to be in a classroom with college students who have been frequenting bars--just like they did when they were in college.

So, how about the professors go remote and the students be in class?  How hard can it be to have a big screen where the professor live-streams from home or his office or wherever?  I just think a lot is lost without the in-person interaction, not just with the teacher, but with classmates.  I met all my study group partners in class.  Not every kid is into social media, mine has zero interest in connecting with people that way. 

I think this was one very unanticipated drawback of going with a large school.