So assuming social distancing, really no one in a class should be a contact
I don’t know what the rules are for people in a classroom sitting 6 feet apart and wearing masks. I’d guess they wouldn’t be contacts, but it depends on what the contact tracing regime decides.
As we get more experience with transmission in colleges, we’ll learn where it occurs. I’m betting bars, frat houses, roommates, parties, friends who aren’t masking/distancing, hookups, locker rooms, contact sports. If colleges allow singing or wind/brass ensembles, those will be excellent places to spread disease too.
I really don’t think that “other family members” will be the major point of concern. While you can see the bigger picture, that doesn’t mean that particular part of the bigger picture is what schools will be focused on. Because that same bigger picture has different ramifications which are more pressing for the school itself.
With regard to the idea of a closed campus, Amherst was initially considering that idea, but they seemed to have moved away from it, as they haven’t mentioned that possibility since an early May update; notably, there was nothing mentioned about it in the very detailed reopening update sent out to students, faculty, staff, and parents on June 2.
Also notably, back in April, they pushed back the Housing Selection Process to “May/June”, and we haven’t heard anything about it since; I personally think that is because they have scrapped the idea of a closed campus and are expanding into nearby off-campus apartments and hotels to give as many students as possible their own rooms, like Duke.
The first four schools I tried weren’t even included in this.
The colleges of the Five College Consortium are NOT in super-close proximity with each other (with the exception of Amherst College and UMass, and there is still definitely a solid walk from Amherst College to UMass, even though they share the same downtown area). Hampshire is technically in the town of Amherst, but is not even remotely close to the heart of the town; it is over 4 miles from Amherst College/UMass. Mount Holyoke is in Hadley, and is 10 miles away from Amherst College/UMass. Smith College is in Northampton, and is 8 miles away from Amherst College/UMass in the opposite direction of Mount Holyoke.
Also, @Mwfan1921 , you are correct; in fall, all Amherst College students will only be allowed to take classes from the other colleges in a remote format. It would also be very hard to take one through Mount Holyoke in particular, because they have shifted to the Beloit model (two classes over 7.5-weeks rather than four classes over 15 weeks) for the 2020-2021 academic year. Also, they have explicitly stated that students will not be allowed to travel to any of the other colleges in the consortium.
Just undergrads? Really? We’re all as interchangeable as light bulbs?
Looking at my records, I’ve taken 94 different college courses spanning 44 different semesters (not counting 11 semesters of grad research) and have taught for 40 semesters. Only once as a student did I ever have a semester when the professor left (heart attack) and had to be replaced mid-way. In that case, the department chair took over and had no idea where we were or what material he was supposed to cover.
I never missed more than 2 consecutive class days due to illness (or other) myself, and on those occasions no one filled in for me. I don’t think it’s as “common” as people make it out to be.
At my work we are social distancing. We are only wearing masks if working within 6’ of each other. Because of this we just social distance unless absolutely necessary.
If/when someone tests positive, 3 in 3 months, we send them home for 14 days and send home anyone that has worked within 6’ of them for more than 10 minutes. Those contacts are tested and if negative are allowed to return. If positive they get their own 14 days away.
Colleges could certainly do similar. Get sick and test positive, 14 days in quarantine. Contacts treated as above. For the most part students will stay 6’ away and probably choose a few close contacts.
It’s very workable.
@jagrren - My daughter was RA at our state flagship with over 15,000 kids living on campus and she never cared if kids drink , as long as it did not spill out into the hallways, if it was in the room you were fine, unless you gave her a reason to have to come in the room, as far as smoking there was a gazebo 50 feet from the front door and again she di don’t care what you smoked as long as it was done outside.
14 days isn’t the length of the virus so telling someone who was positive to go home for 14 days doesn’t make any sense. If you are positive, you need to stay home until you are done with the virus (test negative) which may take a week or may take 5 weeks.
A contact is defined as any individual who was within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes starting from 2 days before illness onset until the time the patient is isolated.
For those who do not think colleges should be opening and/or who think there will be large outbreaks, what are your thoughts on large office buildings? My H and SIL both work in buildings with thousands of employees (as do many many people in this country). They’ll have to wear masks but their cubes are less than 6’ from one another. I imagine the cafeterias will be open, and they will be encouraged to social distance, as on a college campus. Maybe their gyms won’t be open? Definitely a lot more older people working in these settings. Curious if you think large companies should not be going back to work either?
I do not believe the viral load is that high after a shorter period than 2 weeks. If you are “feeling better”, have no fever for how ever many days, etc then you should be fine. Just because someone tests positive 5 weeks later does not mean they are contagious.
14 days does seem to be the standard bring widely used.
According to the CDC there are several guidelines for when people can be removed from isolation. They are all potentially under 14 days.
Chronicle is keeping a comprehensive list of colleges plans. They are currently tracking 970 colleges, and according to their pie chart:
- 65% are planning on primarily in-person
- 12% are proposing a hybrid model
- 8% are planning on primarily online
- 9% are "considering a range of scenarios"
- 6% are "waiting to decide"
Not sure what the difference between “considering a range of scenarios” and “waiting to decide” is.
https://www.chronicle.com/article/Here-s-a-List-of-Colleges-/248626
Also, even though they have not sent us another email yet, Amherst added another FAQ page with a few new details about what the fall semester will look like:
- There will be no fall break.
- Courses at other colleges in the Five College Consortium will have to be taken remotely, and students will not be able to travel to the other colleges in the consortium.
- The college will make its final decision around July 1, at which point students will have two weeks to decide whether to remain enrolled for the 2020-2021 academic year.
- The re-registration process will begin in mid-July, and the actual re-registration itself will take place at the end of July.
- "Once the new catalog of classes is available for re-registration, students will see that all classes have been labeled either 'remote' or 'HyFlex.' Remote classes will be delivered only remotely. With 'hyflex' classes, students can expect that some or all of the class will be delivered in person; however, even if the class is taking place primarily in person, students studying remotely will still be able to take the class. Please note that, even if a class is taught primarily in person, students should understand that circumstances may lead to some of the class taking place remotely. At this time, for example, the regional school systems are not expected to be fully open, and some faculty may need to sometimes teach from home in order to be home with their children."
- "Almost all classes will be held in a HyFlex mode, so the entire Amherst curriculum will be available to students studying remotely. Some classes will be held only remotely, and those classes will likely have a mix of asynchronous and synchronous teaching. If the synchronous times of classes do not work, students should be in touch with their instructors; instructors will try to provide alternative ways for students to learn and engage the material of the class. The college is also planning on one 8 P.M. remote teaching slot, twice per week, to accommodate students in Asia, the West Coast, and Hawaii." - "Almost all" HyFlex classes means most classes will be largely in-person. Good news!
Also, new details about the 3.5-week January term:
- "Depending on how the pandemic unfolds, it is likely that all or most January classes will be taught remotely."
- "Students are not required to take a course in January."
- Students do not have to pay extra for the January term, and will be allowed to participate if they are enrolled in the college during the fall or spring semester.
- "Students will pre-register for a January course when they register for fall courses. They will have another opportunity to pre-register for a January course later in the fall when they pre-register for spring courses."
So, assuming a fall reopening at Amherst College, most classes will be largely in-person.
This is an excerpt of what was sent to Purdue students today:
"What we expect of you
We expect that all members of the University Residences community—residents, staff and visitors—will take responsibility for their own health and safety and act in a manner that demonstrates respect and consideration for those around them, consistent with the Protect Purdue Pledge. All residential students are prohibited from creating a health or safety hazard within University Residences, and the University may request or require a resident to leave University Residences if their continued presence in the housing community poses a health or safety risk for community members. Residential students are required to comply with health and safety laws, orders, ordinances, regulations and health and safety guidance adopted by the University or University Residences as it relates to public health crises, including COVID-19. This guidance will evolve as the public health crisis evolves and may include, but is not limited to, social distancing, limitations on mass gatherings, wearing a face covering, COVID-19 diagnostic and surveillance testing (including before or upon arrival to campus), contact tracing, disinfection protocols, limitations on guests in residence halls and quarantine / isolation requirements (including before or upon arrival to campus). Adherence to health and safety requirements applies to all residents, staff and visitors and extends to all aspects of residential life, including bedrooms, bathrooms, community kitchens, lounges, computer rooms, courtyards and other common spaces.
Quarantine, isolation, and separation contingency
At any time, the University may require a resident to leave their assigned University Residences space when that resident’s continued presence in the housing community poses a health or safety risk for community members. For isolated cases, University Residences has set aside a safe quarantined space with meal service provided. Residential students are required to comply with requests from University Residences to leave their assigned space due to COVID-19 or other public health emergency. Failure to do so is a violation of the Housing Guidelines and may subject a student to emergency removal from their assigned space. Not all University Residences residential rooms or halls are appropriate for self-quarantine or self-isolation, for example, and in those situations where a student is required to self-quarantine or self-isolate, students may not be permitted to continue residing in their residential space and will be assigned another space as needed. We anticipate that students who are temporarily moved to self-quarantine or self-isolation spaces may return to their assigned residential space when it is safe to do so."
There were more details related to dining and move in slots/procedures as well. The university is giving everyone more meal swipes and a bunch of restaurants will take student swipes.
@chemAM interesting that you won’t get an answer now until July 1. Hopefully, that’s the final word with all of the details and everyone can make travel plans. I am curious when schools will give us all info including specifics about housing, testing, etc. and move in dates. I feel like it’s getting so late. I swear I had move in and parents weekend booked by this time last year. At least I don’t have to book parents weekend this time I guess.
If I ran the zoo, I would keep anyone WFH who could do so. Then I would install plexiglass shields above the cubicle walls to make more of a division or try to spread people out into actual rooms with walls, for those who need to be on site.
I would change the cafeteria to take-out only (no people serving themselves, but I’m not sure what kind of cafeteria it is currently). If there’s a gym onsite, I think it would depend a lot on how the ventilation/hygiene/spacing could be managed. Significantly, I think loud projected talking (which I heard a lot of in my one job in a cubicle “farm”) is an unsafe activity in the time of COVID.
If my family member were forced to work in a cubicle now, I would try very hard to get N-95s or other PPE for them because of the proximity to other people over long working hours.