@milgymfam I agree they can certainly fill their class from the wait list. But the problem is next year. If there’re too many students taking a gap year, there’d be too few spots available next year, which is not only unfair to next year’s students, but also bad for Princeton because it’d lose out getting some fresh new blood for its own vitality.
[quote=“austinmshauri, post:2415, topic:2088334”]
Colleges have become too bloated and going through and reducing positions is needed.
There are a number of reasons that the number of administrators have increased over the years at many colleges…it’s certainly not all fluff.
For example, the areas and number of personnel needed to staff functions like those that provide LD support and mental health support have experienced significant growth over the last decade or two.
Another is the onerous governmental (both state and federal reporting requirements).
The students who took a gap year would be fresh new blood- they’d be college freshman just like every other new student. I just think it’s interesting that there are “lesser” institutions allowing deferrals and leaves of absence without any bullying, but one of the schools with the least to lose is trying to scare families.
As I wrote, they said they were committed to doing everything possible to not resort to layoffs. Salary freezes where announced earlier and President took the voluntary 20% salary cut.
High school class of 2021 is appreciative of Princeton’s policy.
There is probably a typical annual percentage for gap/deferments somewhere in the low single digits. 10-15% would throw a monkey wrench into selective college admission for the class of 2021.
@milgymfam – Um, some of us have class of 2021 kids who we hope have admissions options too. Letting a large number take a gap year reduces those spots next year, all things equal.
That said, if colleges lose a lot of international students and/or students from far away who decide to transfer closer to home, colleges could decide to have a ‘mega’ first year class that starts Fall 21.
The would TEST any kids that have been in close contact with the infected student and quarantine (in another location on campus or off) ONLY the positive students until they are well or picked up by their parents. I believe apps like these will likely be required by all colleges during this health outbreak and I’m all for it:
@AlmostThere2018. From what I have been reading it’s not “if” they lose internationals etc. Michigan is predicting like 25% drop and Illinois actually took out insurance from Lloyd’s of London, about 4 years ago which I thought was sooooo stupid at the time against things like a pandemic due to the amount of internationals they have… They will receive alot of money to help their downturn.
Colleges that are contemplating the return of students to their dorms are all looking at securing extra facilities to isolate students who become infected or are in close proximity with the infected. That’s the most significant challenge these colleges face.
So they can test every kid and there are so many asymptomatic positive people. Could be the new normal actually. Then what? The kid that tested negative today can be positive tomorrow.
What if your sent home like right before a test or lab report is due? Well it’s only May… Hmm.
Exactly. Adding the current CDC ‘close contact’ definition, which identifies those that would need to be tested and quarantined:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/php/principles-contact-tracing.html
Using this definition, not many people in the dorms will be considered ‘close contacts’, aside from (probably) the roommates.
I keep hearing about testing all these kids. Where are all these truckloads of tests going to come from? Has anyone started to mass produce quick, reliable tests for the masses yet and will they be available by August 1st?
I know healthcare workers that can’t get tested. College students would fall way down the list of importance when it comes to testing.
@Knowsstuff – Wow, those are bigger numbers than I’ve heard. It makes sense though that for big publics it’s going to be huge impact.
I’ve also read the revenue loss from Master’s programs – like MBAs – will be huge. They are big revenue generators for universities b/c very little financial aid is expended for them.
So, we can we all take a vote and ‘approve’ letting kids take a gap year if they want and having ‘mega’ first year class for Fall of 21? 
"https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/php/principles-contact-tracing.html
Using this definition, not many people in the dorms will be considered ‘close contacts’, aside from (probably) the roommates."
If this is the definition of close contact according to the CDC and only people who fall into this category would need to be tested, then why are people wearing masks in grocery stores? I’m not standing within six feet of anyone for more than fifteen minutes. Not even close. If it takes this description of being “close” to someone to likely get infected, then our general guidelines seem a little much. And people wearing masks outside while walking around the neighborhood? That I don’t get at all. Am I missing something?
@AlmostThere2018. Yep president of Michigan Monday was on CNBC power Lunch. Most of their loss of revenue is actually from the hospital they have with regular admissions down to 60 % from about 95 %. He mentioned so far a projected 25 % decrease in internationals so they took 5% more students this admission cycle (wait list) so they can reach their numbers cleanly for the freshman class. He said they have a “deep” pool of applicants and stats have not been affected of who they are offering acceptances to.
Didn’t think about it but yes MBA s will be affected. Many universities are struggling to keep their business schools afloat anyway. This could be a dagger. UIUC saw the writing on the wall and went online a few years ago with theirs and the price is not bad for getting an MBA and they increased students for it. Heh, no one complained about going online for that… ?.
You aren’t missing anything! Another big buzzkill is that there is no data to support the use of non-medical cloth masks because a virus the size of covid-19 goes right thru those materials, which is what the Surgeon General and CDC all initially said before masks weren’t recommended.
Of course, there is so much we don’t know know about this virus, and how it spreads, so the close contact definition could change, and non-medical cloth masks might be helpful in stopping some proportion of the virus from getting into the air (say where the virus is contained in sputum (TMI!). But, we just don’t know.
A small 2020 entry class followed by an extra large 2021 entry class could cause problems in terms of course scheduling. If the extra large class includes the usual percentage of majors with labs or arts, the facilities for such may not be enough at the stage when students take them. Also, at colleges where frosh live in dorms but later live elsewhere (or where frosh live in designated frosh dorms), that can be a housing allocation problem.
Agree. In theory, you could be in line with someone who won’t social distance and can infect you. Its the “it doesn’t hurt mentality”. I think its silly to wear masks outside and won’t do it.
Re: CDC -
“Based on our current knowledge, a close contact is someone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes starting from 48 hours before illness onset until the time the patient is isolated. They should stay home, maintain social distancing, and self-monitor until 14 days from the last date of exposure.”
I think this will change to-
“Based on our current knowledge, a close contact is someone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes starting from 48 hours before illness onset until the time the patient is isolated. They should stay home, maintain social distancing, and self-monitor until 14 days from the last date of exposure OR UNTIL A TEST COMES BACK NEGATIVE.”
There’s one important distinction between grocery stores and a college dorm environment:
You don’t know who else are present or were there before (viruses could linger in the air for a while). One of them could be a super spreader.
Besides, CDC has been behind the curve dealing with this pandemic so far.