Bowdoin is putting together a task force to figure out if kids could come back to campus in late August and what would need to happen for that to be safe for the kids and the community, including testing, social distancing, housing, dining, athletics, etc. They will have a report to the president mid-June and then it will be reviewed by him and the board before it is given to parents and students. Not clear if that report will have a decision attached to it when parents first see it or if it will just be the facts as they know them at that point and a decision will come later. Housing lottery scheduled for mid-April has been pushed to June since they will need to now consider kids who are no longer going to be studying abroad and I suppose also to see if kids will even be on campus for fall.
I really hope they wait until later than June to decide. Freshman orientation isn’t until August 25th or so. Seems like they could plan for that and be full steam ahead just in case and maybe wait until mid or late July to make the final call.
In the meantime, they’ve also formed a second task force to make sure online options are fully thought out for fall in case they are needed.
The University of Wyoming is paying its student workers the $1.5 million they would have earned working for the university this spring. They also have $300k to help students with financial hardships because of the closure.
However, be aware that, due to shortage of testing and the possibility of infection with very mild or no symptoms, known COVID-19 cases or deaths may be significantly lower than the actual number of COVID-19 cases or deaths.
If the coronavirus cases aren’t under control nationally, non-commuter colleges are unlikely to welcome students back to campuses even if local transmission is non-existent.
Don’t we think there’s any chance at all that testing will be widespread by July?I know I’ve heard Dr.Fauci say that. Those tests, paired with therapeutics, could help workplaces and colleges to make a plan as to how to get people back to work and school. I’m trying to remain hopeful that some combination of tests/antivirals will allow some kind of new normal that will allow kids back in class. Dr. Fauci has made it clear that stay at home orders are not sustainable. For higher ed, it will also be a matter of if they can be creative enough to lower the risks to kids on campus. Even if they can continue class online, they stand to lose a ton of money if they do this as do the college towns that surround the campuses.
@1NJParent Colleges could do something like test every student. They could have parents sign wavers that they won’t hold the college responsible if their child gets sick. There could be very very specific rules around symptoms and next steps and, if kids don’t follow those when they are sick, then they will be expected to leave. There could be a dorm left open in case something bigger happens. There could be plans to say that , if X number of infections happen, then classes have to go online. I’m just throwing out ideas but the overall plan would have to be very detailed and make sense according to the latest scientific data. And then the colleges will have to be very nimble and make decisions as fall progresses.
I don’t know - it just seems like there could be some sort of plan. Big companies will also have to have written plans to have people go back to work. Retail can’t survive like this. Neither can restaurants. And maybe not colleges.
I certainly hope the disease will be under control by July nationwide. If that’s the case, the question is then would the virus make a comeback after the summer. Widespread antibody testing (the type Dr. Fauci is probably talking about) could determine if someone has been infected and subsequently recovered. Even if all domestic students are tested by the end of the summer, what about the international students? Antibody test also can’t tell if someone is in the early stage of infection.
@homerdog I’m with you praying the virus would go away by this summer and the fall term could begin with only minor adjustment. I’m still hopeful.
@1NJParent i hate to say it but I think international students would be out of luck for this fall. Hopefully, their colleges will allow a gap year or semester and welcome them back when it’s safe.
It isn’t parents who would sign waivers, it is the adults attending college who would do so. Since many of those adults showed poor judgment in attending spring beaches and festivals despite the known risks, there is every reason to expect those behaviors would continue on campus.
@suzyQ7 I just listened to a webcast from the Chronicle for Higher Education. The AOs on the webcast said they will have fewer internationals in this coming class because travel and/or visas could be restricted. For current international students who stayed here during this crisis, they would go to school and are in the same boat as domestic students. I’m talking about those that are not currently living in the US.
Bowdoin warned its international students that it could be risky to go home for spring break in case they could not come back. I think the vast majority got waivers to stay on campus.
International students actually stayed at the dorms, close to their school and they are getting taken care of. They are ok and probably better off than our kids who got kicked out.
It will be difficult for schools and international students to commit to each other not knowing whether there will be international travel restrictions and/or quarantines
The rules for student visas to the US havent changed at all
Most internationals are full pay
I expect most international students who attend college in the US are willing to accept that they may be stuck here. Many barely returned home not even once per year, even before the pandemic due to cost, time, etc.
@roycroftmom,
The rules for visas may not have changed but it doesn’t mean students will be able to get them. For instance, currently Mexico is on a monthlong shutdown for all but essential travel. Visa applicants need to complete an embassy interview which includes fingerprinting. If the virus spreads within Mexico will the travel ban be extended? Will US embassies admit non-citizens in the midst of a pandemic? Will they figure out work-arounds? At this point I don’t think anyone knows.
Many, but certainly not all international students are full pay.
Right now the US looks like one of the most dangerous places in the world. If I were a parent I’m not sure I would send my child to a country where they were more likely to get sick than at home and where I might not be able to get to them if they did develop the virus. Most international students want to be able to go home for the holidays, or at least over the summer.
Eyes will be on China. I believe they are the biggest source of international students at all colleges - and yes, most are full pay. It would be great to know what the US college consultants that work with China are thinking at this point.
Purdue’s president just shared a video update. It addressed safety and finances. They are expecting a big dip in revenue from everything from the state, to revenue from events, to donations. He shared what they were doing to keep down costs which also included postponing pay raises for staff.
Sounds like they do expect to have classes on campus in the Fall, at least for now.
I don’t know if I can post the link but it’s on Y - Tube and then /watch?v=RRNrMEMvBdk&feature=youtu.be
I’m sure you could also search for Mitch Daniels. It was posted today.
@knowsstuff Purdue does an amazing job of communicating in general, and this crisis is no different. We’ve been hearing updates at least twice/weekly from Purdue. Sounds like they are going to be adding these video messages from the president on a weekly basis.