Which Colleges Have Handled COVID response well versus poorly?

[Anonymous]

I'll start. I am happy with how Juniata College has handled dorm move-outs (orderly, safely) and room and board refund (fair). Their communications have also come across as timely and transparent.

Other experiences? I think that this says something about a school's leadership and perhaps their values.

[Anonymous]

Is this another Liberty-bashing thread? Because we already have two of those.

[Anonymous]

No, I am sincerely curious to know what schools are demonstrating good crisis management.

For example, some gave students virtually NO notice or flexibility around moving out of the dorm. They made no tailored plans for students who had nowhere to go or to support international students. If I had a kid choosing between multiple schools right now, this information might interest me.

[Anonymous]

I have not seen postings about any college that did not allow internationals and students with special situations to stay.

[Anonymous]

I've been happy with McDaniel. My kid gets support from their Learning Support program. The counselors there have been calling, and helping him connect with teachers etc . . . They also offered pass/fail for more classes than usual and pushed back the date to make that decision so that kids could see how online learning works for them. Their response to dorm/meal plan costs seems fair.

[Anonymous]

It did not have to be as chaotic as it was a some schools:

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/11/us/colleges-cancel-classes-coronavirus.html

I know this is a very challenging situation, but some schools managed to present a well thought out plan, while others communicated in a piecemeal fashion, leaving subgroups of the student population panicking.

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/10/harvard-gives-students-5-days-to-evacuate-dorms-over-coronavirus-fears.html

[Anonymous]

Disappointed with RPI. They were on spring break when the school made the decision to go online classes. They extended spring break a week- but made students come back to get their stuff in that week. So far no refund.

[Anonymous]

I have been pleased with Smith's handling of the situation. Including timing of decisions, timing of implementation, support for students in special circumstances and communication with parents, students and the community as a whole.

I also think that the timing of Spring Break helped in their response. They were able to announce dorms were closing for the semester before break and had some built in time to gear up for remote instruction. Other schools weren't so lucky and had to announce during break, leaving students without access to their belongings and faculty scrambling to adapt courses.

[Anonymous]

I've been very happy with the Amherst College response. They were proactive and have continued to send out emails almost every day with information and just to check in. We've received a pro rata refund for room and board, and my kid is continuing to get paid to do his academic intern work remotely.

[Anonymous]

Vassar is communicating very well, I think. They're good at keeping us posted even about things that might happen. But they are not inundating us with stuff either. It's a good balance. They offfered to send laptops and crucial IDs left in any dorm rooms to students' homes so students would have those things sooner rather than later. We are getting room and board credited toward the future.

They set up a good process for clearing out dorm rooms, having students sign up online for a three-hour slot sometime during a week-long period to clear dorms. They showed real concern that students and parents not be violating social distancing by trying to move out. I had e-mailed the dean about that issue just before the process was set up, and he actually personally e-mailed me back in less than a day - I had not expected any response because I know they are swamped. I won't forget that he took the time to respond.

Unfortunately, the same day that students signed up for the move out slots, the state of NY announced the "essential only" orders statewide, and the college rightly interpreted that as shutting down their move-out plan. So stuff is still in rooms. NY state as well as NYC are hard hit with cases, so I'm fine with not going to pick up things. It's not the college's fault the kids can't (and shouldn't) be returning to get possessions.

Even though it's only a distant "if" right now, the college communicated a heads-up that the state and county may ask colleges for facilities to house mild and recovering covid cases. The president detailed for us what they'll do if Vassar is called on to help in that way (field house and alumnae house will be first locations used as neither houses students). It may never happen but it's good to know what the plan is if it does happen.

[Anonymous]

Princeton has done a very good, and sensible, job, as one would expect - the President, Chris Eisgruber, is an absolut rock star in academic administration circles.

[Anonymous]

Not impressed with Pomona's response: https://www.chronicle.com/article/Pomona-Students-Say-the/248284

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Princeton has done a very good, and sensible, job, as one would expect - the President, Chris Eisgruber, is an absolut rock star in academic administration circles.

Is Eisgruber a stage name?

[Anonymous]

Lehigh is doing well. The closure was decided while the kids were on spring break in early March. They gave several date options for move out, and some kids who were unable to come still have their things in the dorm. Room and board partial refunds were provided quickly. They still have about 200 international students on campus that were unable to return home and they are taking very good care of them. Updates have been frequent but not obnoxious. Online classes are going well. I’ve been very happy.

[Anonymous]

Davidson's response has been exemplary w/nearly daily updates from President Quillen. She has shown herself a compassionate and decisive leader during the past several weeks. The faculty, staff, students and alumni have come together to help the Davidson community out at large. Alumni have been donating money, food, frequent flyer miles and storage space and other resources to students in need.
https://www.davidson.edu/alert/covid-19