Problems With Closing Colleges For Coronavirus

[Heather07438]

Being how extraordinary these circumstances are, I hope colleges make many allowances to help keep students on track. We'll all need to work together and figure it out. Extensions could help.

 

[Wendy31]

I read recently (I think it was a Forbes article) that college dorms can be likened to the cruise ships in how quickly & easily germs are spread.

My kids attend a smaller, private liberal arts college. Spring Break starts next week.

Apparently, a decision will be made within the next 2 days if students will return from spring break or go to online learning.

 

[cabanafrau]

I know this is a Disney centric board, but I find it amusing that the presumption is that the predominant worry is college kids with Disney trips planned. Being able to have a place to live, a means to get home or get their belongings home on short notice and being able to complete course work and keep the semester intact to resume studies or to graduate on time are bigger concerns.

As far as I've heard today two universities in Michigan have switched to online, with one stating it's for six weeks, the other is on break this week and has announced classes will be online next week.

 

[Searc]

I know several universities are allowing students to stay, but asking those who can leave to go home. (Even just half the students leaving campus would be a highly effective form of social distancing and could massively reduce spread. The places that shut down and just asked everyone to leave... that's not so great!

I will say, as someone who teaches at a university, the transition from on-the-ground to online is a TON of work, and suddenly having everyone online will likely overload the various platforms we use for teaching. Be patient with any instructors, admin, etc. It's easy to say "just teach online!" but in reality online teaching is hard, the platforms aren't ready for this many people, and there's been a ton of work behind the scenes to keep education going. Not every class can be taught online - my students get the most out of class discussion and it's really hard to mimic that conversation online - large group video chats are a poor substitute, as are forum posts. We'll work with what we've got but it's not as easy as people think to teach online!

All of my son's classes are online with the exception of 1, so nothing changes for him. He's had mostly online classes the last couple years, as his school offers many classes online.

 

[Hikergirl]

Cuomo just announced that SUNY schools will be closing March 19 and moving to online classes.

The campuses, he said, will be closing on March 19, but the dorms may stay open to address any specific issues of students.

"They are not evicting anyone," Cuomo said. "They are not closing the dorm and kicking you out."

They are switching to online learning, he said.

So does that mean dorms are closing or not?

 

[okeydokey]

Cuomo just announced that SUNY schools will be closing March 19 and moving to online classes.

The campuses, he said, will be closing on March 19, but the dorms may stay open to address any specific issues of students.

"They are not evicting anyone," Cuomo said. "They are not closing the dorm and kicking you out."

They are switching to online learning, he said.

So does that mean dorms are closing or not?

He said They are not closing the dorms, so I guess they are not closing the dorms.

I imagine if most kids are going home for Spring Break, they will just stay home for a while. This situation is evolving, nobody has a plan for the next two months yet. Maybe we can handle the next two weeks for now and go from there.

 

[Hikergirl]

He said They are not closing the dorms, so I guess they are not closing the dorms.

I imagine if most kids are going home for Spring Break, they will just stay home for a while. This situation is evolving, nobody has a plan for the next two months yet. Maybe we can handle the next two weeks for now and go from there.

He said "they may stay open "
He isn't very clear on it, whether all students can stay or not.

 

[okeydokey]

He said "they may stay open"
He isn't very clear on it.

My mistake, you quoted him above saying

"They are not evicting anyone," Cuomo said. "They are not closing the dorm and kicking you out."

 

[Hikergirl]

My mistake, you quoted him above saying

"They are not evicting anyone," Cuomo said. "They are not closing the dorm and kicking you out."

This was in the quote above as well
The campuses, he said, will be closing on March 19, but the dorms may stay open to address any specific issues of students.

I wish he would be more clear, it may not matter to some reading his words but I have 2 SUNY students so I would love some clarity. I'm sure I'll be hearing from the shools, but it would just be nice if the announcement didn't make us have more questions

The school's website says
Gov Cuomo announced SUNY campuses MAY (their cap) move to a distance learning model as of March 19th

I think I have lost all faith in the NYS eduacation system

 

[bethbuchall]

This was in the quote above as well
The campuses, he said, will be closing on March 19, but the dorms may stay open to address any specific issues of students.

I wish he would be more clear, it may not matter to some reading his words but I have 2 SUNY students so I would love some clarity. I'm sure I'll be hearing from the shools, but it would just be nice if the announcement didn't make us have more questions

My SUNY student is due to come home for Spring Break on Friday. They haven't had an official announcement from the school about what is happening yet. There is no way we are prepared to fully move him home on Friday, but I've told him to bring all of his textbooks and notebooks home. He has a roommate in the apartment from India, and I've asked him if he needs a place to go, but so far there hasn't been notice that the apartments are closing fully, so I guess we wait to hear something official.

 

[NYCgrrl]

This was in the quote above as well
The campuses, he said, will be closing on March 19, but the dorms may stay open to address any specific issues of students.

I wish he would be more clear, it may not matter to some reading his words but I have 2 SUNY students so I would love some clarity. I'm sure I'll be hearing from the shools, but it would just be nice if the announcement didn't make us have more questions

You are fortunate as your children attend college in the same state you live in. Why not go to the schools' website and check there? Easy peasy and no reason to fret.

ETA: https://www.syracuse.com/coronaviru...ny-colleges-are-doing-about-classes-list.html

 

[Pea-n-Me]

It’s been a whirlwind here (MA; in State of Emergency) in the last 48 hrs re college classes going to online learning after spring break. (Though there have been rumblings for a week or so, and in their letters they said it’s been in the works for a couple of weeks.) Just got official word for both of mine, who are seniors.

Daughter is a nursing student and there have been high level discussions about their continuing clinical experiences in hospitals, where supplies are being rationed and directives are that minimal people enter patient rooms. So far they continue, and schools will give seniors the highest priority as they are doing their capstones. Thankfully many have gotten a lot of their hours in already as they schedule them independently with their individual preceptors. DD also still has national exams she has to take before she can graduate.

Son’s athletics trip was cancelled; all team trips cancelled at many schools. Big question now is whether entire seasons will be cancelled. Kind of difficult to play if the whole team’s not there. They are also trying to avoid large gatherings and bringing in outsiders to campuses.

Re dorms I did see mention that students with hardships could petition schools so they could possibly stay.

 

[NYCgrrl]

It’s been a whirlwind here (MA; in State of Emergency) in the last 48 hrs re college classes going to online learning after spring break. (Though there have been rumblings for a week or so, and in their letters they said it’s been in the works for a couple of weeks.) Just got official word for both of mine, who are seniors.

Daughter is a nursing student and there have been high level discussions about their continuing clinical experiences in hospitals, where supplies are being rationed and directives are that minimal people enter patient rooms. So far they continue, and schools will give seniors the highest priority as they are doing their capstones. Thankfully many have gotten a lot of their hours in already as they schedule them independently with their individual preceptors. DD also still has national exams she has to take before she can graduate.

Son’s athletics trip was cancelled; all team trips cancelled at many schools. Big question now is whether entire seasons will be cancelled. Kind of difficult to play if the whole team’s not there. They are also trying to avoid large gatherings and bringing in outsiders to campuses.

Re dorms I did see mention that students with hardships could petition schools so they could possibly stay.

I read that a few days back in a news article about college closings too. On the bright side sounds like the annual "I95 crawl" after graduation will be staggered this year. Got to love all those mattresses on the cars' roofs, LOL.

 

[Hikergirl]

You are fortunate as your children attend college in the same state you live in. Why not go to the schools' website and check there? Easy peasy and no reason to fret.

ETA: https://www.syracuse.com/coronaviru...ny-colleges-are-doing-about-classes-list.html

I am fortunate I guess, it's all we could afford so that is why both our kids are at state schools.

I did go to their website and as of that time there was nothing, but my ds's did just put up info, but of course it is inaccurate.
They state Cuomo said SUNY's "MAY" go to online learning as of March 19th. (they capitalized that MAY on their site, however Cuomo did in fact say they were closing the campuses and going to online learning, not that they "may"
My dd's school has no info up yet.

 

[okeydokey]

Things are evolving. These are big decisions. Once decisions are made we can take the next steps needed. For now, students should be prepared by having what they need for coursework with them when they disperse for break. I am positive that schools will do all they can for students with no place to go.

 

[NYCgrrl]

I did go to their website and as of that time there was nothing, but my ds's did just put up info, but of course it is inaccurate.
They state Cuomo said SUNY's "MAY" go to online learning as of March 19th. (they capitalized that MAY on their site, however Cuomo did in fact say they were closing the campuses and going to online learning, not that they "may"
My dd's school has no info up yet.

Every SUNY school will probably have their own procedure since the campuses differ. Guess the Gov just gave parents a heads up so they have an idea what's coming.

 

[skyblue17]

My brother works at our alma mater in NY State and they are extending an extra week around Spring Break. They are not closing the campus, however, so students who cannot leave are allowed to stay, and his department is still open for him to go to work.

 

[Sephrina]

My son's college isn't closing yet, but is doing all classes online as a test on Friday. He made the decision to live at home for at least this year, so closing campus would only effect his labs, which could be a big deal since he has two this semester and is a chemistry major.

 

[mousefan73]

Have these colleges actually spoken with health experts and the CDC on this?? It makes no sense.. So basically you are taking a closed community ( campuses are in the most cases tight knit communities as compared to let's say NYC), filled with young, 99% healthy people whose main role in this pandemic is mainly carrier. They show often no systems and if they do usually a slight fever and a dry cough.

Now let's release them to the public, send them home where it could well be their parents are in that critical age…. or grandparents near by…

Actually locking a campus down is the perfect situation to keep a community together to stop the spreading.. <keep dorm kids there, they study, go to classes. drink a bit to kill time..

Off campus students, teachers dial in.. in most cases there are enough TAs on site for face to face.

 

[RangerPooh]

i think for the state of washington the way it's being handled is very short sighted and will create a greater spread of the virus. traditionally it seems half of our kids who grow up on the east side of the state attend college on the west side while our eastern colleges get a good chunk from the central and west. so now they are closing down early/going to on-line but telling students to head home so we will have students crossing the state exposing others, then crossing back and exposing others...i suspect that come april we will see a big surge in cases.

before all these decisions came down by the colleges allot of students local to us (eastern side) were planning on staying put here and avoiding the higher risk areas b/c the dorms are always open that one week of spring break. now with a weeks long break and some dorms shutting down they have no choice but to risk going home

I can see this happening. UW closed it's campus, WSU just announced an extended spring break with classes returning online for the time being. I don't know about Central, Western, Eastern, or Gonzaga, but I can see the criss-crossing of students exposing each other to possible illness.