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What Harvard and Your Local Commuter College Now Have in Common What Harvard and Your Local Commuter College Now Have in Common
(about 1 hour later)
This week, bowing to the reality of a raging pandemic, Harvard announced that “all course instruction (undergraduate and graduate) for the 2020-21 academic year will be delivered online.” Some students, mostly freshmen, will be allowed to live on campus, but even they will learn remotely from socially distanced dorms.This week, bowing to the reality of a raging pandemic, Harvard announced that “all course instruction (undergraduate and graduate) for the 2020-21 academic year will be delivered online.” Some students, mostly freshmen, will be allowed to live on campus, but even they will learn remotely from socially distanced dorms.
Variations on this approach are becoming the consensus in elite higher education. Princeton has also said it will be mostly online, at a 10 percent tuition discount, “even for on-campus students,” with many activities “unavailable, impermissible or highly regulated” and parties prohibited. At M.I.T., only seniors will be invited back to campus this fall.Variations on this approach are becoming the consensus in elite higher education. Princeton has also said it will be mostly online, at a 10 percent tuition discount, “even for on-campus students,” with many activities “unavailable, impermissible or highly regulated” and parties prohibited. At M.I.T., only seniors will be invited back to campus this fall.
But most students shouldn’t expect similar treatment. The Chronicle of Higher Education has compiled a database of fall reopening plans at more than 1,000 colleges and universities. While the vast majority of the most selective universities will use online learning or a “hybrid” strategy that mixes online and in-person instruction, fully 60 percent of all colleges surveyed are taking a different approach. They’re going to open for business and bring all of their students back.But most students shouldn’t expect similar treatment. The Chronicle of Higher Education has compiled a database of fall reopening plans at more than 1,000 colleges and universities. While the vast majority of the most selective universities will use online learning or a “hybrid” strategy that mixes online and in-person instruction, fully 60 percent of all colleges surveyed are taking a different approach. They’re going to open for business and bring all of their students back.
Which means that, in our topsy-turvy coronavirus world, online higher education has abruptly gone from down-market and sometimes disreputable to a privilege reserved for the elite few. In 2020, only the best and the brightest will be allowed to not go to college.Which means that, in our topsy-turvy coronavirus world, online higher education has abruptly gone from down-market and sometimes disreputable to a privilege reserved for the elite few. In 2020, only the best and the brightest will be allowed to not go to college.
At least among traditional residential students, that is. The Chronicle database shows the most intense plans for online learning are at both ends of the selectivity spectrum. Many community colleges are also going online only, along with commuter campuses like the California State University System, which announced its online plans back in May. All of a sudden, Stanford has a lot in common with your local two-year vocational college.At least among traditional residential students, that is. The Chronicle database shows the most intense plans for online learning are at both ends of the selectivity spectrum. Many community colleges are also going online only, along with commuter campuses like the California State University System, which announced its online plans back in May. All of a sudden, Stanford has a lot in common with your local two-year vocational college.
The reasons come down to mission and money. Nearly half of all Cal State students live at home with their parents, often studying while holding down jobs. Only 14 percent live in dorms. Most aren’t getting an immersive residential college experience to disrupt. Community colleges were early adopters of online learning, and many have become adept at teaching at a distance. For them, the 2020-21 academic year will be more evolution than revolution.The reasons come down to mission and money. Nearly half of all Cal State students live at home with their parents, often studying while holding down jobs. Only 14 percent live in dorms. Most aren’t getting an immersive residential college experience to disrupt. Community colleges were early adopters of online learning, and many have become adept at teaching at a distance. For them, the 2020-21 academic year will be more evolution than revolution.
The plans announced by Harvard et al. will be very expensive. Dormitory occupancy will be severely cut; faculty will require intensive training in remote teaching; and classrooms will need to be wired for video and sound. Online learning also means students will need up-to-date computers and reliable broadband access. This isn’t much of a problem for very wealthy colleges that enroll mostly wealthy students.The plans announced by Harvard et al. will be very expensive. Dormitory occupancy will be severely cut; faculty will require intensive training in remote teaching; and classrooms will need to be wired for video and sound. Online learning also means students will need up-to-date computers and reliable broadband access. This isn’t much of a problem for very wealthy colleges that enroll mostly wealthy students.
Elite colleges also have tremendous power in the market. They can keep tuition rates constant and insist that students enroll on their terms, because they know that few will forgo the opportunity to graduate with the Class of 2024 and reap a lifetime of status and social connection. If anyone decides otherwise, there is an endless wait list of eager applicants happy to take their place.Elite colleges also have tremendous power in the market. They can keep tuition rates constant and insist that students enroll on their terms, because they know that few will forgo the opportunity to graduate with the Class of 2024 and reap a lifetime of status and social connection. If anyone decides otherwise, there is an endless wait list of eager applicants happy to take their place.
But for colleges in the middle of the pack, the financial calculus looks very different. Public universities are facing huge state budget cuts as state tax receipts plummet and Congress continues to debate the wisdom of new bailout funds. Many private colleges were already teetering on the edge of financial calamity before the pandemic and could be pushed into bankruptcy if large numbers of students choose to delay enrollment or demand steep price discounts for online learning.But for colleges in the middle of the pack, the financial calculus looks very different. Public universities are facing huge state budget cuts as state tax receipts plummet and Congress continues to debate the wisdom of new bailout funds. Many private colleges were already teetering on the edge of financial calamity before the pandemic and could be pushed into bankruptcy if large numbers of students choose to delay enrollment or demand steep price discounts for online learning.
This week’s decision by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency to revoke the visas of foreign students who remain enrolled in fully online programs will make matters worse. Many colleges have papered over chronic budget shortfalls in recent years by enrolling large numbers of foreign students who pay full tuition rates.This week’s decision by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency to revoke the visas of foreign students who remain enrolled in fully online programs will make matters worse. Many colleges have papered over chronic budget shortfalls in recent years by enrolling large numbers of foreign students who pay full tuition rates.
Harvard and M.I.T. have now filed a lawsuit, citing the Department of Homeland Security official Ken Cuccinelli’s statement that the regulations were designed to “encourage schools to reopen.”Harvard and M.I.T. have now filed a lawsuit, citing the Department of Homeland Security official Ken Cuccinelli’s statement that the regulations were designed to “encourage schools to reopen.”
Colleges also face huge shortfalls in housing revenues. Students who learn remotely aren’t paying a discount on dorm fees — they’re just not paying. A Seton Hall University professor, Robert Kelchen, has found that some small liberal arts colleges receive more than 30 percent of their annual revenue from housing, dining and other auxiliary sources. Washington State University, which plans to open for business and requires freshmen to live in dorms, has declared that no housing refunds will be given even if the university is forced to close midsemester because of Covid-19.Colleges also face huge shortfalls in housing revenues. Students who learn remotely aren’t paying a discount on dorm fees — they’re just not paying. A Seton Hall University professor, Robert Kelchen, has found that some small liberal arts colleges receive more than 30 percent of their annual revenue from housing, dining and other auxiliary sources. Washington State University, which plans to open for business and requires freshmen to live in dorms, has declared that no housing refunds will be given even if the university is forced to close midsemester because of Covid-19.
President Trump denounced Harvard’s decision this week, calling it “ridiculous” and “the easy way out” a day after stating on Twitter that “Schools Must Open in the Fall!!!”President Trump denounced Harvard’s decision this week, calling it “ridiculous” and “the easy way out” a day after stating on Twitter that “Schools Must Open in the Fall!!!”
Updated July 15, 2020Updated July 15, 2020
The coronavirus can stay aloft for hours in tiny droplets in stagnant air, infecting people as they inhale, mounting scientific evidence suggests. This risk is highest in crowded indoor spaces with poor ventilation, and may help explain super-spreading events reported in meatpacking plants, churches and restaurants. It’s unclear how often the virus is spread via these tiny droplets, or aerosols, compared with larger droplets that are expelled when a sick person coughs or sneezes, or transmitted through contact with contaminated surfaces, said Linsey Marr, an aerosol expert at Virginia Tech. Aerosols are released even when a person without symptoms exhales, talks or sings, according to Dr. Marr and more than 200 other experts, who have outlined the evidence in an open letter to the World Health Organization.
Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days.
Scientists around the country have tried to identify everyday materials that do a good job of filtering microscopic particles. In recent tests, HEPA furnace filters scored high, as did vacuum cleaner bags, fabric similar to flannel pajamas and those of 600-count pillowcases. Other materials tested included layered coffee filters and scarves and bandannas. These scored lower, but still captured a small percentage of particles.
A commentary published this month on the website of the British Journal of Sports Medicine points out that covering your face during exercise “comes with issues of potential breathing restriction and discomfort” and requires “balancing benefits versus possible adverse events.” Masks do alter exercise, says Cedric X. Bryant, the president and chief science officer of the American Council on Exercise, a nonprofit organization that funds exercise research and certifies fitness professionals. “In my personal experience,” he says, “heart rates are higher at the same relative intensity when you wear a mask.” Some people also could experience lightheadedness during familiar workouts while masked, says Len Kravitz, a professor of exercise science at the University of New Mexico.
The steroid, dexamethasone, is the first treatment shown to reduce mortality in severely ill patients, according to scientists in Britain. The drug appears to reduce inflammation caused by the immune system, protecting the tissues. In the study, dexamethasone reduced deaths of patients on ventilators by one-third, and deaths of patients on oxygen by one-fifth.
The coronavirus emergency relief package gives many American workers paid leave if they need to take time off because of the virus. It gives qualified workers two weeks of paid sick leave if they are ill, quarantined or seeking diagnosis or preventive care for coronavirus, or if they are caring for sick family members. It gives 12 weeks of paid leave to people caring for children whose schools are closed or whose child care provider is unavailable because of the coronavirus. It is the first time the United States has had widespread federally mandated paid leave, and includes people who don’t typically get such benefits, like part-time and gig economy workers. But the measure excludes at least half of private-sector workers, including those at the country’s largest employers, and gives small employers significant leeway to deny leave.
So far, the evidence seems to show it does. A widely cited paper published in April suggests that people are most infectious about two days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms and estimated that 44 percent of new infections were a result of transmission from people who were not yet showing symptoms. Recently, a top expert at the World Health Organization stated that transmission of the coronavirus by people who did not have symptoms was “very rare,” but she later walked back that statement.
Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks.
A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a ventilator, according to the new study.
If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.)
If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others.
Harvard’s president, Lawrence Bacow, said in a statement that colleges were being pressured via the new ICE policy to open “on-campus classrooms for in-person instruction this fall without regard to concerns for the health and safety of students, instructors, and others.”Harvard’s president, Lawrence Bacow, said in a statement that colleges were being pressured via the new ICE policy to open “on-campus classrooms for in-person instruction this fall without regard to concerns for the health and safety of students, instructors, and others.”
Colleges in states that have taken a more aggressive approach to reopening may feel pressure to avoid online options. And of course there’s the prospect of the coming college football season, with thousands of empty stadium seats not generating revenue and publicity for the alma mater. Multimillion dollar coaching contracts don’t pay for themselves.Colleges in states that have taken a more aggressive approach to reopening may feel pressure to avoid online options. And of course there’s the prospect of the coming college football season, with thousands of empty stadium seats not generating revenue and publicity for the alma mater. Multimillion dollar coaching contracts don’t pay for themselves.
Many university faculty are alarmed by the prospect of returning to campus, particularly those who are older or medically at risk. After intense criticism, the University System of Georgia reversed a policy that would have strongly “encouraged” the use of masks in classrooms instead of mandating them. University decision-making continues to evolve along with the latest public health statistics and knowledge about disease transmission.Many university faculty are alarmed by the prospect of returning to campus, particularly those who are older or medically at risk. After intense criticism, the University System of Georgia reversed a policy that would have strongly “encouraged” the use of masks in classrooms instead of mandating them. University decision-making continues to evolve along with the latest public health statistics and knowledge about disease transmission.
The distinction between “online” and “in-person” learning can be murky — a small, intensive seminar conducted over Zoom can be more interpersonal than a sterile lecture delivered “live” in an auditorium. And college students learn a great deal outside the classroom. For students who have insecure access to food and housing, campus can be a safer and more stable place to be.The distinction between “online” and “in-person” learning can be murky — a small, intensive seminar conducted over Zoom can be more interpersonal than a sterile lecture delivered “live” in an auditorium. And college students learn a great deal outside the classroom. For students who have insecure access to food and housing, campus can be a safer and more stable place to be.
But it’s telling that the universities with the most money and prestige are coalescing around a safety- and technology-centered approach to higher learning that millions of students will be denied.But it’s telling that the universities with the most money and prestige are coalescing around a safety- and technology-centered approach to higher learning that millions of students will be denied.
Kevin Carey directs the education policy program at New America. You can follow him on Twitter at @kevincarey1.Kevin Carey directs the education policy program at New America. You can follow him on Twitter at @kevincarey1.