Yea I think some kids who didn’t take a break last time regret it. Our S19, who did take a gap semester, is quick to say he would do it again if classes are remote. I just don’t like these colleges saying remote for the beginning and then they will take another look. That puts the onus on the student to look into a crystal ball to see if omicron cases will drop and restrictions be removed. I’m totally going to push back if our kids’ schools have remote class. I’m going to be facing middle schoolers on Monday and they aren’t boosted and many aren’t vaxxed at all. Why would a highly boosted college not be in person from day one?
Adding to say that I know a lot of parents don’t want to overstep but colleges need to hear from parents that remote class is unacceptable and also makes zero sense when it comes to stopping Covid.
The problem is they have to decide relatively soon if they want to take a gap semester and get their money back, right? I follow the Penn subreddit and see lots of complaints about this issue. Students are saying they want to take a gap semester if it’s going to be fully online, but frustrated because right now the plan just says a few weeks online. But they’re understandably afraid it will turn into a full semester online again.
Right and, if omicron is as short lived as it looks like it could be, maybe college looks way more normal by mid February and then students might be kicking themselves for taking a gap.
I was watching to see what Pitt and PSU would do. My son goes to Temple and they announced early on that they start virtual on Jan 10th to return in person Jan 24th (pending further review) but campus/dorms open as usual. It looks like Pitt is similar and it’s interesting that PSU is back from day one in person. I figured the three “state affiliated” schools would all be similar. The way Temple worded the testing requirement was odd that it is “within 24 hours OF arrival”. Hope everyone is back in class soon!
I have a teacher friend who just got word that her large school district will be starting remote for k-12. (Not public information yet so I don’t want to share where).
The public schools in my town went remote for a few days before the holidays but are scheduled to return to in person instruction in 1/10. University in town announced first two weeks of the winter quarter will be remote.
My D is in an off campus apartment this upcoming semester with no meal plan. She has a private room and private bath and will go there regardless if classes are in person or remote. Purdue hasn’t sent any updates that I know of.
Purdue has been really great with communication about Covid. Update us when you hear! As for remote K-12, I received an email yesterday that our district will be in person as planned on Monday.
What a bummer. I hope they tell parents soon…families with two working parents aren’t going to have a lot of options if we are talking about their kids suddenly being home this Monday for two weeks.
So far from RIT.
classes are to start the 10th
Boosters are recommended at this point. (it would be hard to require this moment because they dont offer vaccines on campus at all to help those who cant get appointments); if the CDC changes fully vaccinated to mean boosters, then they will require
They want everyone to test before returning to campus but its not a forced requirement either
Keep in mind that over 50% of the students live off campus , and on campus after freshman year most are in apartments with own bedrooms.
They have stated in the past that with masks they have not seen spread in the classrooms. Last year they had in person classes, but many other things were virtual or outdoors. Its getting a bit late to change things up , but I could see them saying that classes would go remote for 2 weeks . For meals I could see them bringing in food trucks again, or setting up the ice arena with SD seating.
Not sure if they will start to test everyone again, but I have a feeling they dont want to know about the asymtomatic cases. The student population is between 10-14K.
there is no speculation on the parents board, as the moderation there is extremely tight and would not allow it. They dont even allow those accepted ED to join until April.
This is my S’s final semester. He has not had a normal semester since fall freshman year. (he is graduating in 3 years). This fall was as close as possible, with clubs meeting and masking, but he still had classes online. Last Spring I really thought he would have a normal final year.
I am in the camp that if everyone is vaccinated, and for those Omicron is no worse than the flu or cold, herd immunity is the way to go. I do realize that there are those that are immune compromised so less covid on campus the better, but here in the community right now every other person I know has had it or has it, and all are doing fine, even those with other conditions (these are also all vaccinated folks). I was exposed again tuesday Night and today I have the sniffles. I will test later to see . Big thing is that my RIT student if he is going to get it, needs to get it now, as he goes back in a week
thinking about this, I could see why classes would be online for 2 weeks. It will allow those who are positive to get well. and be able to participate in the new semester, as most cases will likely be in the next few weeks. Anything beyond that would be crazy. For now GW is having classes online for one week, and allowing staggered return to campus, but I have a feeling that they will extend that because American and GT have.
Whether the school districts decide now before their schools start or are compelled to later, many K-12 schools will likely go remote for a few weeks in January.
This thread is always interesting to me. Parents will trust their kids lives to go to X school and we all sorta brag that their going to this or that school. But those same parents don’t trust their own schools decisions when it doesn’t equate to something they have invisioned for their child. Were in a multiple pandemic phase… Not a lot of easy decision for these schools to make.
I’m thinking yes. Vanderbilt is holding a town hall in January for students, families and faculty to discuss the particulars and answer questions.
I’m relieved that classes are in person. The rest as you say is window dressing and if it lasts just one week I’m ok with that. Last semester was very close to normal and I do think some of this is “theater”.
Colleges have no more experience or expertise in pandemics than the rest of us. We can all access the data and studies online. We may differ in risk tolerance and the primacy of students’ interests
Duke announced first 2 weeks now remote - we are absolutely in the quandary of my daughter would gap if remote continues, but doesn’t want to gap if it’s just for 2 weeks. So frustrated!
D20 was supposed to travel with a class before classes started this semester. She just found out her trip was canceled (while others are going as planned). The big reason was the Prof didn’t want the responsibility of scheduling PCR tests for all of them, within 72 hours of their return to campus, while they are 1000 miles away. Throw in potential travel delays and he was not interested.
Uh, no. They have access to their states health departments and national current data vs us going to Google to do our research. I don’t think their decisions are willy nilly… Especially if your in non political states.
I am not sure why you don’t have access to your state’s health department research; that should be publicly available in every state, as federal data already is.
I never claimed that college decisions were irrational, merely that they often represent a different risk tolerance level than I am comfortable with. I don’t think a positivity rate of less than 1% is reason for concern anywhere; many colleges disagree. Of course, the colleges must also balance competing interests of unions, research staff, etc., rather than just the undergrads. It is easy for a college to not worry much about widespread disruption in a 4 year period of of their 275 year existence, but those 4 years are all my kid gets to make the most of the college experience. Our priorities differ.
Classes begin remote on January 5th. Currently expect to go back to in person on January 18th. My son’s school is a full week later and hasn’t announced. I think those with a later January schedule may avoid some of the worst of it, but time will tell I guess.
My D was supposed to go back on 1/8 to participate in sorority recruitment but they made the decision yesterday to move it to virtual except the final event. Disappointing (although not life-ruining) considering they had already made many accommodations to make sure it was Covid-friendly (including providing the same masks to everyone, requiring a negative Covid test to return to campus, having boxed meals & areas to social distance in between events, if desired). And other events on campus have been proceeding as scheduled. They’ve left it up to the participants as to whether they still want to come back to campus and do the zooms from their dorm rooms. Not a big deal for us since it’s an easy drive and D drives herself back & forth, but I imagine there are quite a few students from far distances who made return flight arrangements that are now hard to change with everything going on. It only delays her return by a week if she decides to go back for the in-person event.