Harvard closing for rest of semester

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is good. Prevention of spreading the virus is the best thing we can do for ourselves.

+1

Does it lead to prevention, though? Won't the students now be off to other places, but still out and about? Maybe more so because no longer tied to going to classes and their college campuses. I'm just not sure?

I suspect the college kids will be going to movies and bars in their local towns and doing pickup games in their local towns.

This, it seems premature to take these kinds of steps unless there is an actual case of coronavirus at the college. I'd be upset if my student was sent home (kids aren't old enough) given how much tuition is. It isn't like Harvard is going to reimburse families for 1/2 semester room and board, or 1/2 semester of no college experience. Would make more sense to offer virtual offering just to kids who are high risk and don't want to remain at school.

+1. I agree, premature. And there are almost 30 colleges in Boston - which ones won't be pressured to do the same following Harvard? The big ones won't be far behind.

No idea what international students do; find a sublet perhaps.

[Anonymous]

I have major concerns with this. I went to Amherst — one of the schools shuttering it’s on campus operations — and I had classmates who were homeless, disowned by their families for being gay, refugees of war, first-gen, the primary earners in their families, and otherwise lived very precarious lives. If their dorms closed down as is happening here, they would have had literally no where to go. And there were way more than you’d think. The DCUM posters (and anyone else) who think everyone has a safe home and supportive family to return to, reliable internet access, food to eat, etc. are stunningly naive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The colleges don't care if it takes DC an extra semester to complete their degree. It will mean more money for the colleges.

Think it through.

1) Colleges and universities report out their graduation rates and post-graduation placement rates; if it takes students extra time to complete their degree, that reflects badly on the institution, and affects rankings.

2) You need space for incoming classes.

Come on. Think.

[Anonymous]

Yes, sublet. But extremely difficult on 4 days' notice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is good. Prevention of spreading the virus is the best thing we can do for ourselves.

+1

Does it lead to prevention, though? Won't the students now be off to other places, but still out and about? Maybe more so because no longer tied to going to classes and their college campuses. I'm just not sure?

I suspect the college kids will be going to movies and bars in their local towns and doing pickup games in their local towns.

This, it seems premature to take these kinds of steps unless there is an actual case of coronavirus at the college. I'd be upset if my student was sent home (kids aren't old enough) given how much tuition is. It isn't like Harvard is going to reimburse families for 1/2 semester room and board, or 1/2 semester of no college experience. Would make more sense to offer virtual offering just to kids who are high risk and don't want to remain at school.

It's the professors that are high risk, and the workers.... but rich schools historically don't care about workers. They got a big black eye last huge snow storm... workers had to get to Harvard to feed the poor students during the snow storm when they easily could have just served them sandwiches... or asked the kids to work the cafeteria.

You think Harvard is going to continue to pay hourly workers who aren't working?

[Anonymous]

13:00. I know that public health is very important, and I’m not even saying I disagree with these decisions. I’m just saying that I sure hope Harvard et al are carefully considering what problems this will present to a large number (maybe even the majority?) of students at the institution, and have strong plans in place to help these students navigate those issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, sublet. But extremely difficult on 4 days' notice.

And not feasible for the very large number of Harvard students who rely on their financial aid for living expenses. You think they just have an extra $750 or whatever a month lying around to sublet?!

[Anonymous]

The email to Harvard parents makes it clear that the "asked not to return" isn't optional. The FAQs linked in the email state that there are only narrow circumstances where a student can remain on campus, such as their home country is not possible (Italy etc).

Apparently students are in a frenzy this morning. There are no boxes available to pack in for example. The adults seem to be passing the buck for questions raised by students.

[Anonymous]

From a logistics perspective, seems it would be easier to send kids home for a few weeks and let them return to pack up their stufff, etc. . . at some point in the future. Kids that can't afford to go home might be given the option of staying. It seems the goal is to prevent large gatherings of people. There are other ways to get there that would take into consideration the students' well being and financial situation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The colleges don't care if it takes DC an extra semester to complete their degree. It will mean more money for the colleges.

Think it through.

1) Colleges and universities report out their graduation rates and post-graduation placement rates; if it takes students extra time to complete their degree, that reflects badly on the institution, and affects rankings.

2) You need space for incoming classes.

Come on. Think.

they are still graduating on time, this does not affect graduation.

[Anonymous]

Force move-out of dorms by Sunday, that is insane, in light of the circumstances (or lack thereof). There is no reason not to allow more time, like by the end of spring break.

Dear Harvard: just because you are among the first colleges to do this doesn't make it an example of leadership.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is good. Prevention of spreading the virus is the best thing we can do for ourselves.

+1

Does it lead to prevention, though? Won't the students now be off to other places, but still out and about? Maybe more so because no longer tied to going to classes and their college campuses. I'm just not sure?

I suspect the college kids will be going to movies and bars in their local towns and doing pickup games in their local towns.

This, it seems premature to take these kinds of steps unless there is an actual case of coronavirus at the college. I'd be upset if my student was sent home (kids aren't old enough) given how much tuition is. It isn't like Harvard is going to reimburse families for 1/2 semester room and board, or 1/2 semester of no college experience. Would make more sense to offer virtual offering just to kids who are high risk and don't want to remain at school.

It's the professors that are high risk, and the workers.... but rich schools historically don't care about workers. They got a big black eye last huge snow storm... workers had to get to Harvard to feed the poor students during the snow storm when they easily could have just served them sandwiches... or asked the kids to work the cafeteria.

You think Harvard is going to continue to pay hourly workers who aren't working?

Yes I do especially since they have already been paid for food plans.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Force move-out of dorms by Sunday, that is insane, in light of the circumstances (or lack thereof). There is no reason not to allow more time, like by the end of spring break.

Dear Harvard: just because you are among the first colleges to do this doesn't make it an example of leadership.

You can't figure out how to move out by Sunday?

[Anonymous]

For those saying it's an overreaction when there hasn't yet been a CV case at Harvard, Jason Furman makes this point in his twitter thread linked above:

"How do 6,700 undergraduates living in dorms and eating together in dining halls self isolate? How could we send them home then?"

Once there is a confirmed case, the logistics of handling it become incredibly complicated, more so than the logistics of closing early.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have major concerns with this. I went to Amherst — one of the schools shuttering it’s on campus operations — and I had classmates who were homeless, disowned by their families for being gay, refugees of war, first-gen, the primary earners in their families, and otherwise lived very precarious lives. If their dorms closed down as is happening here, they would have had literally no where to go. And there were way more than you’d think. The DCUM posters (and anyone else) who think everyone has a safe home and supportive family to return to, reliable internet access, food to eat, etc. are stunningly naive.

I was wondering about Amherst feeling the need to close while UMASS in the same town is not.