@wisteria100 they just tested prior to arrival. Sent kids tests. Positives had to stay home until they tested negative.
I found out since, that the school has sites set up around campus for precisely this, so we’ll see how that works out. (Like, maybe they can set up and see class, but can they talk if they’re in a room with other people?)
COVID-19 related activity at WPI:
See https://www.wpi.edu/search/google/covid%2019?query=covid%2019#gsc.tab=0&gsc.q=covid%2019&gsc.sort=
I don’t understand schools that are testing only prior to arrival, or even just once at arrival for that matter. ND created an atmosphere where kids felt they were safe from their prior testing and advertised that they would not punish rule breakers. IMHO that was a recipe for disaster. It is no wonder we are seeing the results we are seeing there. S18 was tested Monday and moves in next Monday. There is plenty of time to become infected between testing and move in. He will be tested on arrival and 3X per week after that. D20 will be tested on arrival and only again if she is randomly chosen. Anyone want to guess my prediction of which kid will be home before September ends and which one actually has a chance for lasting there for the semester?
I said this earlier but it’s worth repeating.
The UNC community is not limited to the campus; it includes the towns of Carrboro and Chapel Hill. Although the school offers on campus housing for all four years, most move off campus for their final two. It is virtually impossible to monitor all of these undergraduates who are spread out all over the community.
Many students would live in Chapel Hill and take remote classes, as opposed to moving home (if they are able). Chapel Hill is a very desirable place to live (again, if you are able to do it). The graduate schools are remote, and students are living in town. My friend’s daughter (age 22) just began her graduate education and is very happy to be in Chapel Hill rather than in her parent’s home.
Students on campus were outside in the water on a “slip-n-slide.” That is how the virus began on campus. It quickly spread to other dorms. I guess they figured it would be safe outside? I don’t know why they were not stopped, given that they were in full view…but they were not. There was also an off campus party going on, which continued the spread.
The Board of Governors, appointed by the NC assembly, wanted the schools open. The president of the school didn’t seem to fight it (according to parents). All of the campus epidemiologists, scientists, profs, etc…the Orange County Health Dept…wanted the school closed. There were lawsuits all summer.
As I mentioned, it’s a state school and it must abide by the decisions of the state governing agency.
They should have handled the testing better when students were returning to campus. I am not sure what happened there.
According to parents…NC State is not much better, yet UNC is all over the news.
@twogirls – I’m from the area and I agree with your assessment 100%.
The news only covers colleges that are having issues. There are hundreds of colleges with students on campus right now. Let’s see what the “news” brings next week.
UCONN will be an interesting one. Large state school in a hard hit area that has very low virus in circulation right now. Large off campus contingent also. I know I know, there was a dorm party with a bunch of freshman that made national news, no need to link. So far their numbers are good, but the “dashboard” will be updated on Monday and that will be over a week after kids moved in.
Interesting article on BU’s robot testing - can do 5000 tests per day. I feel (hoping) we are the cusp of a real testing breakthrough, hopefully it will help our elementary students go back. We are in dire need of instant tests.
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@garland I have wondered about this too. I’ve asked my students to wear earphones during Zoom class. Unfortunately a lot of commuter students attending synchronous Zoom classes will be in public areas on campus and also have to be masked, so they won’t be able to participate verbally as fully as they might otherwise. This vitiates part of the advantage of Zoom class over in-person.
Colleges can’t get their hands on rapid point-of-care tests, but private party hosts in the Hamptons can?
https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/22/us/hamptons-parties-coronavirus-tests-trnd/index.html
Right! Less of a problem if the entire school is remote, but hybrid adds a level of complications.
Are UCONN’s numbers good because they aren’t testing everyone regularly? If kids can’t or don’t take a test, then who knows what’s going on.
University of Maine system has done 1115 tests so far with zero positive, according to their dashboard. The testing plan for the Farmington campus is arrival testing for dorm residents and out of state students (or those who have traveled) only, and I don’t see any plans for repeat testing. First year students and transfers have moved in, others who will be tested coming the 24th, classes begin 8/31, a combination of f2f and remote (the majority appear to be in person).
College apartments start leasing for the following year in October and pretty much everything is leased by Spring break. So at most of these big schools with students living off campus the students were locked into leases pre-COVID and they were coming anyway.
I think a lot of students and parents would have preferred to get out of the lease, stay home, and save some money.
More and more of the student apartments are owned by REITs and hedgefunds since they are seen as solid investments. There are still locally owned units, but it’s less and less every year.
@suzyQ7 I agree
Hartford Courant reported yesterday a .31% positivity rate for UCONN with 20 total cases among students and 2 additional cases among staff. Everyone was tested on arrival, where 8 cases were identified. There were 5 cases yesterday and all of these students had been previously isolated due to known exposure. Three were members of the football team. (Football has been suspended at this time.).
So, it seems although they are not doing enough testing, they are contact tracing and isolating quickly to reduce spread. They also evicted the students who were at the party. A remote location in a state with a very low positivity rate of around 1.2% will also help their cause.
I’m really rooting for them, I hope they can prove me wrong in believing that unless a school is testing like crazy they will not be able to stay open for the semester.
They tested all students on arrival but are only doing random surveillance testing. No numbers published on what that Actually means (what % of students will be tested every day)? the only colleges that will succeed in really keeping this at bay are the ones that are doing mandatory weekly surveillance testing of all students and staff. Like BU, Northeastern, Williams, Bentley, many many others.
Im hopeful that surveillance testing can be greatly expanded at these colleges and schools.
I’d say supply and more importantly cost are the determining factors: can they afford to pay $500 per test.
AlwaysMoving, #14633
^^really true and truly excellent summation. Thank you.
The NBA seems to be successful so far in keeping virus out of its Orlando bubble.
https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/29697975/the-nba-had-positive-test-bubble-guests-concern
Would a typical residential college be willing to implement similar procedures on students, faculty, and staff, and would students, faculty, and staff be willing to go along with them?
NO. And I think that people use the word bubble to give themselves a false sense of security. The NBA has the money, tests, etc. etc. etc. to figure this out. The players have a big financial incentive because of their contracts and revenue share of the profits. Others that think they have a bubble have nothing close. A college is not a bubble if the food workers, cleaners, and faculty are going home each night to their family. Retirement homes in my area have tried keeping residents confined and guess what…it did not work. The cleaning persons and food workers brought it in.
Of course not. How could faculty and staff isolate from their family and community to such an extent? The NBA setup is basically a luxury jail.
Unless professors get paid like NBA players, of course. Then I might consider it!