112 Fraternity Members At The University Of Washington Have Tested Positive For COVID

[PGD-GRAD]

Georgia Tech just announced school would open without students required to masks. The faculty—especially the older ones—are both furious and afraid. But GA’s governor requires all state schools to follow HIS state guidelines, not allowing each college administration to form their own roles.
Here we go...sometimes the powers that be don’t act with EVERYBODY’S best interests at heart.

[NYCMS]

Originally Posted by PGD-GRAD

Georgia Tech just announced school would open without students required to masks. The faculty—especially the older ones—are both furious and afraid. But GA’s governor requires all state schools to follow HIS state guidelines, not allowing each college administration to form their own roles.
Here we go...sometimes the powers that be don’t act with EVERYBODY’S best interests at heart.

That's just outright frightening. Perfect storm for COVID to take over the campus and especially do damage to older professors and staff already at risk.

[PersistentDST]

Originally Posted by NYCMS

That's just outright frightening. Perfect storm for COVID to take over the campus and especially do damage to older professors and staff already at risk.

“Optional masks” are just a bad idea all around. I feel awful for the staff, faculty and students who don’t want to pul themselves at risk.

As a younger college staff member, I have been stressed about going back to work and we have been mandated to wear masks. I can control how I do things in my office. I cannot control what happens in a classroom or shared spaces, like bathrooms. We have to trust that everyone coming on these campuses is doing what needs to be done and frankly I just...don’t.

My uncle is an ultrasound supervisor and he told us that most of the Covid-19 patients he’s seen have been under the age of 40. He saw a healthy 36-year-old parish in 2 1/2 days, after entering the hospital. At this point everyone should treat this as a high risk. It’s like Russian Roulette, except we are all unwilling participants.

[lake]

Originally Posted by PersistentDST

As a younger college staff member, I have been stressed about going back to work and we have been mandated to wear masks. I can control how I do things in my office. I cannot control what happens in a classroom or shared spaces, like bathrooms. We have to trust that everyone coming on these campuses is doing what needs to be done and frankly I just...don’t.

I know exactly what you mean. Thankfully my employer is being flexible about letting me come in only a couple days a week right now, even though I was originally supposed to be back at the office full-time starting July 1st. I plan to play it by ear and go in 2-3 days a week through July. I also worry about the bathroom and other shared spaces, especially with new cases/hospitalizations/ICU beds ticking up, up, and up even more where I live. It's unsettling.

[ASTalumna06]

I just keep thinking that as much as everyone wants to be back at school and as much as the schools are pushing it, what will it look like if students start getting sick?

Will an online option need to be offered anyway to the students who test positive and can't come to class?

And what if they live in the dorms? How will they use the bathroom (if communal) and not infect others? How will they eat if they have a meal plan? Who is going to volunteer to bring them food from the cafeteria two to three times a day?

It's recommended that people self-quarantine if they have contact with someone who is known to have tested positive. Does that mean that the professors that taught that one student will have to quarantine and teach their classes from home for a couple weeks? Will their students be forced to stay away from campus (or in their dorm room), as well?

What if those students are in labs that are hands-on, can't be taught from afar, and now they have to make it up later? Sure, that might be OK if there's one student who's sick, but what happens if there are numerous cases staggered over the course of the semester and all need special accommodations?

I usually try to look at the positive side of things, but I do NOT see this going well.

[carnation]

I don't know what the answer is. My 2 youngest sons are upperclassmen at the same university. Neither one has classes that can be taken remotely.

One has advanced Spanish conversation classes that usually fare poorly online. The other has intermediate Japanese conversation classes plus advanced botany with labs plus his teaching internship. They can't take a gap year to study their languages overseas because overseas study just isn't happening now.

[Sciencewoman]

Originally Posted by ASTalumna06

I just keep thinking that as much as everyone wants to be back at school and as much as the schools are pushing it, what will it look like if students start getting sick?

Will an online option need to be offered anyway to the students who test positive and can't come to class?

And what if they live in the dorms? How will they use the bathroom (if communal) and not infect others? How will they eat if they have a meal plan? Who is going to volunteer to bring them food from the cafeteria two to three times a day?

It's recommended that people self-quarantine if they have contact with someone who is known to have tested positive. Does that mean that the professors that taught that one student will have to quarantine and teach their classes from home for a couple weeks? Will their students be forced to stay away from campus (or in their dorm room), as well?

What if those students are in labs that are hands-on, can't be taught from afar, and now they have to make it up later? Sure, that might be OK if there's one student who's sick, but what happens if there are numerous cases staggered over the course of the semester and all need special accommodations?

I usually try to look at the positive side of things, but I do NOT see this going well.

This is exactly what keeps me busy all day, and keeps me up at night, as a department chair and a facilities volunteer. Putting classes online is a major undertaking, and hugely time-consuming if you're trying to do it right. All of this is a logistical nightmare and the amount of planning going on behind the scenes is incredible. But, it will all be for naught if everyone takes off their masks, hangs out at parties, etc. I asked our outgoing house manager last week if she'd heard of any members or parents who were nervous about coming back and she said, "oh no, everyone's over it and they just want to get back." That's exactly what I'm afraid of....

[PersistentDST]

Originally Posted by Sciencewoman

This is exactly what's keep me up at night, as a department chair and a facilities volunteer. Putting classes online is a major undertaking, and hugely time-consuming if you're trying to do it right. All of this is a logistical nightmare and the amount of planning going on behind the scenes incredible. But, it will all be for naught if everyone takes of their masks, hangs out at parties, etc. I asked our outgoing house manager last week if she'd heard of any members or parents who were nervous about coming back and she said, "oh no, everyone's over it and they just want to get back." That's exactly what I'm afraid of....

Exactly. My Twitter feed was full of news networks reporting beach parties, house parties and buffet style cookouts this past weekend, from locations all over the country. The commitment has to be there. I mean they won’t be able to even trace it if an outbreak happens.

[ZTAngel]

Originally Posted by PGD-GRAD

Georgia Tech just announced school would open without students required to masks. The faculty—especially the older ones—are both furious and afraid. But GA’s governor requires all state schools to follow HIS state guidelines, not allowing each college administration to form their own roles.
Here we go...sometimes the powers that be don’t act with EVERYBODY’S best interests at heart.

Georgia is truly the "hold my beer" state.

[chi-o_cat]

Originally Posted by PGD-GRAD

Georgia Tech just announced school would open without students required to masks. The faculty—especially the older ones—are both furious and afraid. But GA’s governor requires all state schools to follow HIS state guidelines, not allowing each college administration to form their own roles.
Here we go...sometimes the powers that be don’t act with EVERYBODY’S best interests at heart.

It appears that enough faculty members spoke up and now masks will be required at universities in Georgia. Good for them!

University System of Georgia to require masks in classrooms after all