Aand here we go
“‘Subpar in Every Aspect’: Harvard Law Student Sues Over Online Classes”
https://www.law.com/2020/06/23/subpar-in-every-aspect-harvard-law-student-sues-over-online-classes
Release the hounds…
Are there schools asking students to refrain from going into town? The only one I know of that is doing a closed campus is Hampshire, and they are four miles away from the town area.
I wouldn’t worry about professors being able to adapt to their new platforms. They wouldn’t be in their positions if they weren’t fast learners to begin with. Their profession requires them to constantly keep their skills current and abreast with the latest development.
I thought Middlebury asked kids not to go to town. I could be wrong. His point, too, I think, was that they could only place so many limits on kids that are realistic. Seems like he was nodding to maybe other behavior as well. Also sounded like they were not going to give strict guidelines about certain things. They made it sound like students understand the right things to do and they hope they do them.
There’s also pressure on these freshmen to make this work! Only if things go well (and they say they expect them to) will things roll out in the fall.
@homerdog My understanding was for Middlebury, they had to refrain from visiting town for a week while on “campus quarantine” after testing negative after 24 hours in room quarantine. My understanding was after everyone made it through a week of campus quarantine and tested negative a second time, they could go into town.
The “Hyflex” model involves the recording and livestreaming of in-person classes for students who choose not to attend in person. My institution looked at this and it costs approx. 8K per classroom to adopt (you need to set up the technology and have a person in class to record–most faculty cannot simultaneously teach/lecture and also do the self-recording). The other problem with Hyflex is that faculty have to essentially have to do two preps under the banner of one class: the regular, in-person version AND the totally online version. It is double the work. Faculty unions will have something to say about that. I personally prefer a hybrid model (once a week in-person, the rest online, with provisions for a seamless pivot to completely online if needed).
I don’t know what we are going to do yet. The state of NJ has required that all classes observe social distancing (6 ft. separation) and mask-wearing inside in the fall, so that will mean that the schedule will have to be changed. We don’t have enough classroom space to run the schedule as is under those limitations. It’s possible that my employer will set up outside classroom under tents, with a whiteboard, wifi access, and space heaters. We can do this until it gets cold. If the university closes in person classes before Thanksgiving, it may be possible.
I have no idea how my employer is going to abide by the state guidelines in terms of residential life. The implication is that they are going to have to limit access to on-campus housing to certain groups.
Many of the dorms in the freshman quad are doubles. I would estimate that 60% of the dorm rooms on campus are singles. The new Williams Inn is much smaller than its predecessor. I am not sure how feasible it would be to use it for a quarantine option.
Not sure that schools that want to create a bubble will want to use hotels unless they are on or a short walk to campus. The shuttle bus opens up a can of worms, being in an enclosed space with social distancing perhaps not being possible and with a cohort that is not necessarily small. And unless they take over the entire hotel, then there is exposure to lots of non school folks as well as hotel staff.
Modular housing on campus seems more doable. Didn’t a school mention that?
I don’t know a LAC yet that is adding housing to existing dorms in order to separate kids more and give more “singles”. I think that’s a good option but maybe schools see it as just more kids on the floor using the bathroom. Lots of dorms have common spaces on each floor they could convert but maybe that just adds to density?
Hamilton started building modular housing in May.
@homerdog Could you gauge from the town hall how much if any, pressure from faculty and/or the town played in the decision making?
Haverford is converting common rooms to bedrooms despite the fact that the dorms have shared hall baths. They are having everyone in single bedrooms, which they can do because most bedrooms were already singles.
No. It didn’t come up. People didn’t really ask if pressure from anyone played a role. The president said he read all of the recommendations and he made the decision. I heard from the owner of the inn in town that the community was mixed. Some wanted kids back and some did not. She said it’s just like the state of Maine. Some want it really closed and some really want the tourists to come.
So if so unhappy then why go there? Oh, the student’s still wants the diploma but at a cheaper price…Got it. Silly me. I would suggest the college expelling him. But that wouldn’t happen or maybe he should enroll elsewhere
Don’t think anyone is making him go back right? Now I get to read the article to see who in his family is a lawyer.
Davidson is doing this as well.
Amherst didn’t mention anything about modular housing specifically, but they did say in an email to faculty last week that just was put on Amherst’s COVID-19 page that there will be a lot of “construction” in the coming weeks in preparation for the return of students. I have to wonder, what is the construction on?
So I’ve figured out the deferral issue and why kids maybe couldn’t go back when they want. Say 300 of the 500 incoming sophomores defer. The following year, the college then has 800 sophomores instead of 500. Not a big deal for that year because there are only 200 juniors. But, in a couple of years, when the sophomores are seniors they will have 300 too many students and no where to put them. I don’t know if it’s just housing though. It might be class offerings and class size issues too.
This really is a mess. So many Bowdoin kids are dismayed right now and flat out do not know what to do. Don’t know how to prioritize, whether to move forward with remote classes they don’t want or hold out hope that they can come back to campus fall 2021 and start again. And that leaves a year to do what? They all think they can find something to do even if it’s home making money. This is not good for their mental health. After this town hall, I’ve talked to many parents and S19 has talked to friends and everyone is so confused.
If i may ask a high school opening question, does anyone have an understanding of the following sequence for NY k-12: Will NYS give guidance to schools on how to open and then the school proposes the plan to NYS? Or does the school send NYS their reopening plan (based on cdc guidance?) and then NYS comments on it? Does anyone know dates to do such? How on this good earth will NYS have the people power to review all school district plans in time for the district to make changes? Buy ppe, cafeteria food, contract with buses?
@homerdog , i am sorry to read how Bowdoin’s plans are a let down to your family. I pray that their risk averse nature (as is mine) winds up saving lives and preserving people’s health. I wish the Bowdoin community strength to execute a robust on line program and to deliver an in person quality experience for those allowed to attend. I admire that they are coming with a plan. They are limiting what other colleges will later be scrambling around looking for harm reduction. I hope theyil be all the stronger for it.
There is also the issue of no one studying abroad this year and maybe next year. The schools are used to having about 1/3 of the junior class gone for at least one semester. 100 there, 200 there, it starts to add up to too many students on campus.