Almost 150 cases of Covid at University of Georgia.
Actually,I think all the new grad student housing is available for the fall. Our S wil find out on that next week I believe.
Unsure on the athletics.
What are all of these kids doing at school in June?
Does anyone else have this sinking feeling that all these carefully-developed plans may end up going out the window given how the virus is spiking in so many different locations in the US? I’ve been fairly optimistic that things would somehow work out, but now I am finding it harder and harder to imagine all these kids driving/jetting across the country to their various destinations in less than two months. I find myself starting to hint to S19 that things may have to change yet again.
Texas State University San Marcos, TX
I’ve been preparing my fall courses to move online since May. Classes start in August. I know many on this thread continually seem to think professors have no idea what they’re doing, but 4 months to prepare a course is not exactly short notice. As many professors explained already, there is a lot of training and support for those who might need more help. Faculty are working hard. It’s not the same situation that took place in the middle of the semester last spring when we need to pivot with a moment’s notice.
Given the repeated hand-wringing over the quality of courses this fall, I wonder why anyone is even bothering to send their kids back. 465 pages and it’s the same ideas repeated over and over about how poor instruction will certainly be this fall. As many have stated over the course of this thread, parents and students should take a gap year or transfer if they’re that distraught. It’s your money and no one can make you spend it for the inferior teaching many are expecting.
Actually, the quality of the courses will just be what it is. Some colleges will have better than others just as in the pre-covid days that’s not going to change. Many schools have the IT resources in place to make it easier on the profs. At other schools the profs will be buying PAs at Target so students can hear.
The wheels come off in all the planning around dorms, testing, quarantine rooms, travel, meals,… When the virus hits all bets are off. That’s why I am biased towards online.
If that was an attempt at a backhanded comment, sorry to disappoint. Already emailed and had my request approved. I just hadn’t even considered the volume until an earlier discussion.
There’re all sorts of issues that we have to deal with at the moment: schools, jobs, economy, the virus itself… However, we have to prioritize. If we don’t successfully deal with the virus, all other efforts are moot and pointless. Half measures generally don’t work. There’s a good chance of disappointment if we put our faith in luck.
Taking summer classes. If you hope to graduate in 4 years there you will need to take summer classes. 86% who graduate in four years take summer classes.
The town of Athens is also a huge draw for college kids, who would rather stay there for the summer.
Fall athletes are back at many campuses too.
Yes @tkoparent , I am feeling the same. Was slightly optimistic when my kids’ schools announced returns to campus (albeit with all kinds of restrictions and changes), but in the past week or two, I also feel that things could change, and am talking about it with my kids as well. Hang in there everyone!
It should have nothing to do with the Admin’s preparations, but unfortunately my employer has still not made the decision to move instruction online, thus separating it from other issues of campus life. They are still dithering around and talking about hybrid models, etc., or having some faculty choose individually (they still refuse to give blanket permission for any faculty who want to teach online to do so). I have come to the conclusion in the last few days that all instruction should be online by default, no matter what happens re bodies on campus. I used to be a proponent of the hybrid approach, but I now do not believe it is feasible. We don’t even know if we will be allowed to teach online yet. The title of the article I linked, “lurching toward fall,” perfectly encapsulates the dithering and timid response of my employer’s leadership, driving by enrollment management concerns.
If all students and professors start the semester online, with accordant structures and expectations, learning will be much more effective than if we have to do another chaotic retrenchment mid-semester as we had to do in March. The decision to teach online will also affect my book orders (which are due July 5). I will definitely teach different material for a wholly online course. More difficult readings that require a lot of scaffolding and background will be out the window.
Like @NJSue 's school, mine has a smorgasbord of different instruction delivery modes that faculty will choose from, though I had less trouble than she has had in getting approved for online. But I feel for those instructors who are choosing hybrid models, as those are the ones who are doing double duty and who will very likely need to pivot again (pivot quality will be much more consistent, though, since the online mode has to be baked into the overall hybrid.) Few classes at are school will be traditional f2f, generally the ones necessitating hands on: labs, art, performance, etc.
I know but evidently their there. This is also a great lesson for our fall kids to wear masks. Period. I show this kind of story to my Senior college son and he just shakes his head like "what are they thinking? Both of my young adult kids are staying away from crowded places, gatherings and no more protests events. They both said right now it’s just not worth getting sick.
Absolutely, we are all going to be doing the Bowdoin plan soon enough. But we can’t let @homerdog know since I don’t think we will ever hear the end of it ?.. Shhh…
Summer session starts in a few weeks, so the ones there are there just for the socializing. Athens made the mistake of opening the bars.
Nvm
I totally appreciate you as a poster and I thank you for teaching our children (rhetorical). My connections to teachers /professors is through my patients. Every single one has worked very hard this summer. They tell me their (off time) in the summer is anything but. They are normally always planning trying to come up with the best learning environment. Of course, this year is very challenging. But it doesn’t mean kids won’t learn. I think as parents we need to set realistic expectations for our children especially younger ones. Learning will still happen even if it might look a bit different.