McGill has canceled classes tomorrow to evaluate the situation.
UWO (Western) has also cancelled classes from March 13-17 and then moving to online delivery.
Ohio State had previously announced they’d have online classes until at least March 30th, but the dorms would remain open. Well, today the made the call that there would be online classes for the rest of the semester, and dorms will be closed. Everyone has to schedule a time to move out next week. Keep in mind they are in spring break this week.
So now, we have to figure out the logistics of getting D19 back to Ohio from Florida, moved out and back to Massachusetts. Since they have to “schedule” their move-out day & time, it’s not clear what day she will get. And we’re scheduled to fly to California on Thursday — still trying to cancel that.
It’s a very stressful time.
Yeah, I was actually having this discussion with some pro home school friends of mine. Some good could come out of this. Some students may like online school so much that they wont want to go back to regular school. It will shed light on home and online schooling. https://fee.org/articles/coronavirus-may-lead-to-mass-homeschooling/
There’re protests on many campus (including MIT) for the sudden closing of campuses. Colleges face some difficult choices.
It’s definitely a “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” situation. Can you imagine how upset families would be if their kids ended up quarantined on a college campus after students tested positive? No one, least of all college administrations, wants to have to go remote. It’s going to be messy and expensive, but colleges don’t have the resources to handle an on-campus quarantine.
^Some colleges adopt a hybrid strategy. While encouraging students, especially those who are able to, to go home, they keep the campuses open and facilities at reduced capacities for the remaining students. This helps lowering the densities of their campuses and dorms.
I picked up my DD from Muhlenberg yesterday. We’ve been highly impressed with the administration’s transparency and communication during the process. They offered financial assistance to those who need it. Deans hosted gatherings in the student center so that students could come vent or talk out anxieties. They will start remote learning next week. DD has ten friends at 9 different colleges and they all gave Muhlenberg the highest marks.
Bates is closing. All must leave campus by Tuesday, 3/17.
I’m so sad. This is breaking my heart.
Quebec has closed all its achools, colleges and universities, including McGill and Concordia, for at least 2 weeks.
https://montrealgazette.com/news/quebec/coronavirus-quebec-closes-elementary-high-schools-cegeps-and-universities-for-two-weeks
Hint to college administrators - if you’re going to ask students to physically move out you need to give them enough time to do so.
@1NJParent Northeastern and Boston Universities are doing that.
RE: plane tickets.
S19 was supposed to be heading back to Kenyon tomorrow. As an Ohio school, that’s been postponed at least 2 more weeks. So today I had him bring up his flight on the app. I know Southwest has a really great cancellation policy, compared to other airlines. Still, I was surprised to see he could get an outright refund. Normally, they just give the flier an airline credit good for a year. Since S19 also frequently flies other airlines, he took the credit card refund. Didn’t even have to call… just a few clicks on the app & he was done. Very simple!
I agree @Rivet2000. Penn gave students four days to move out of their college houses. After student outcry, the deadline has been extended until Tuesday. Still, it’s not enough time for families that have to come from far away and/or don’t have financial resources.
College Students: U-Haul Offers 30 Days Free Self-Storage amid Coronavirus Outbreak
I assume this rather kind approach of campus dorms and services remaining open will not last. This is the approach of all my kids public unis (only 1 lives on a campus luckily) but I am expecting that last school to demand most kids go home at some point. The kids that can’t are not going to be that numerous. Plenty of kids are going back to live on campus if they are given that option. Again, it isn’t the kids that are the issue, but the service providers that makes that possible.
I suspect we will be heading up to Ohio from NC to move S19 out in the coming weeks. He is home on Spring Break and at the time the weather was a little crazy here, so he brought a good assortment of chilly and warm weather clothes. So he’s good, just has to do his laundry alot more frequently than normal.
The only things he’s really missing are a few books and his raincoat. In an absolute emergency, either could be re-purchased through Amazon. The rest is just friends, campus, talking with his Profs… kinda hard to stick those in a box though 
University of New Hampshire sent out an email yesterday saying it was mostly business as usual, then sent another one a few hours later saying spring break next week, 2 weeks online, come back for 4/6 (we’ll see how that goes).
At least we’re only an hour away, I feel for those of you dealing with this long distance.
“Live Free and don’t touch your face”.
My daughter’s school, Auburn, is currently on spring break. Late yesterday (Thursday) they announced they’re going digital on Monday until at least April 20 and that students should not return to campus. WTH? My kid had to fly back to Atlanta to pick up her car from the airport and retrieve the necessities for the next couple of months. Luckily she’s in an off-campus apartment so she’ll have access to her things but how do they expect kids who did not have the foresight, or luggage space, to bring home all their books and notes in addition to the personal items they need to accomplish this?
D is at West Chester University. She has been on spring break since March 6 and was to go back on Sunday. Was notified a couple of days ago they are going to online classes for the rest of this semester, starting Monday, March 30. Very short notice, though probably best not to return and then do so. Per the campus they will need to return and clean out their dorms.
• In order to ensure this process is as efficient as possible, students will have the ability to sign-up for a designated 2.5 hour timeslot to remove all items.
• Move-out is scheduled for Saturday, March 14th through Wednesday, March 18th during the hours of 9am and 9pm.
• In order to adhere to CDC’s social distancing protocol, you must adhere to your specified timeslot.
• Public Safety will be at the entrance of each community to ensure an orderly move-out and adherence to the assigned timeslots.
We moved her out last year using DH’s pick-up, and it just fit. She informed me yesterday that she has a lot more stuff this time… ??? Apparently she has been ordering items for her dorm on Amazon this past year. So now 2 cars, and parking is a bear on that campus.
And those students from Montgomery County were notified they will not be allowed to participate in this move out at all. Guess the entire county in on lock down per Governor Wolf.