.
To be fair, no one can control the spread of the virus, short of a negative pressure room and full PPE.
That’s interesting (the 50% prediction.) My DS20 is an incoming Haverford student, and we haven’t heard that in any of the communications we’ve gotten, unless I missed it. Well if that’s true, they certainly won’t have any problem giving everyone single rooms, since they have so many of those already.
Considering the amount colleges charge for tuition and room and board, it is amazing they do not provide more single rooms and spacious housing. Some schools like the top LACS have better housing than the Ivies. Maybe cost of building new dorms is greater in Cambridge and New Haven than Williamstown or Brunswick. Nonetheless, seems like they have squeezed their cost down while continuing to charge more for what is basically the same housing for decades. Now with the virus they are caught with old infrastructure that has not been maintained. Looks like the dollars went to labs which generate revenue but the lack of investment in quality and spacious housing is a now coming home to roost.
^Ding, dind, ding, ding, ding, ding! Tell `em what they’ve won, Don Pardo!
I don’t believe colleges have the personnel to “strictly enforce rules” on every inch of campus 24/7. Most campuses I’m familiar with have been working from home since March. The key workers are meeting daily, but from the comfort of their homes.
Except they didn’t account for ICE enforcing the existing law regarding international students having to take some courses in person to keep their visa (unless I missed something). A pretty big oversight considering the punitive nature of this administration - they should have seen the writing on the wall.
@TennisParent wrote:
It certainly seems as though Wesleyan is all in on inviting as many kids back as will accept the invitation to return:
http://coronavirus.blogs.wesleyan.edu/2020/07/08/431/
Key to the decision, I suspect, is the fact that Wesleyan’s infrastructure is among the most luxurious in America. It’s not presently the most wealthy NESCAC, but, back in the 1950s and 1960s when it was, they spared no expense when it came to facilities. Their Foss Hill freshman dorms are iconic, mid-century modern treasures composed mostly of singles (if you count single-bedroom doubles.) It also doesn’t hurt that they own virtually every wood-frame house within a square mile of campus.
They have an enormous central quad that is usually used for football games, but can easily be used for socially distanced gatherings of all sorts (the cafeteria sits right beside it.) It makes total sense for them to invite most of the campus back.
By key workers, I mean those in the medical field, other emergency services, grocery store workers, public transport drivers, those who provide essential in person services that couldn’t work from home. They have continued to work full time through all of this, complying with stringent mask wearing and social distancing rules.
All a professor has to do if a student in their class isn’t wearing a mask is to refuse to teach until they do. It’s not expensive to enforce those rules, the service provides in the college just has to stand up to their right to a safe working environment.
This was relayed from an alumni meeting. They communicate very little with parents and the students had a town hall yesterday that was very light on answers (despite being over two hours long). I think they might be severely under guessing, honestly. I think there are 75% or so singles on campus, so they might be fine by converting the common rooms to bedrooms as planned, but there are still mostly single hall baths for many students to share. The apartments each have their own bathroom, of course, but those are almost entirely meant to be sets of doubles in an apartment. There is one (oddly enough) suite in my daughter’s dorm building (maybe dorm- even if she goes back, they’ve said they may need to shift people around) that has a private bath. Out of 12-16 suites. Most of the dorm buildings have no private or suite private bathrooms.
Kids might need to adapt and change a bit.
@knowstuff yep but it will be lonely! Not worth the cost.
Thought he was taking classes and living with some friends?
The Claremont colleges (aside from HMC I think) are going virtual with plans to have some students on campus in the spring. I don’t see how things will improve by then. LA county is advising colleges cannot open as of now as things are pretty bad. Honestly, this is the wisest decision, as disappointing as it is. Once UCLA and USC announced their plans, I knew this was inevitable.
Eventually I would expect kids will in effect isolate with small groups of friends. Much like they are doing at home with family (and in many cases small groups of friends). Won’t be 100% perfect but pretty much nothing is. Kids will adapt. I expect some better than others. That’s how life works.
You know your kid but why so lonely for him
My kids use FaceTime /Zoom meetings with their peers and organizations for 4 years now. From the talk and laughter I hear doesn’t seem lonely. They can still do homework “together”. But your schools not going back anyway. So that is a non issue at this point. Unless I am missing something.
Just unreal. Guess Bowdoins reopening now ?.
Edit… Their private… Well insert school here. Xxxxx
As a parent with a student heading to a large state school that is requiring all freshmen to live on campus, I am watching all of this aghast. Our state is still in phase two and early move-in is in two weeks (July 22nd). My DD cannot change schools or defer (loss of her scholarship is a non-starter). I have been nervous before now but this latest threat from the administration and the ICE announcement has me even more concerned. For schools opening with face to face classes, I wonder now if they will be willing to close or go online if (when) a large outbreaks happen.
Look, if you are in a dorm room you can leave the door open and talk with fellow students walking the halls, etc. This will not be exile for the students by any means. Students will meet up in common areas on their floor, outside, in some buildings, etc. and will social distance and wear masks. It will be fine, I guarantee it. Most students will prefer being on campus than not. The freshman I know are done living with their parents taking classes in the childhood bedrooms.
Stanford eliminating 11 sports due to financial impact of Corona.
The 11 sports that will be discontinued are men’s and women’s fencing, field hockey, lightweight rowing, men’s rowing, co-ed and women’s sailing, squash, synchronized swimming, men’s volleyball and wrestling.
He is living with friends but hasn’t decided 100 percent on taking classes.