Anonymous wrote:This is very hopeful news. It seems like a rational approach.

+1

Is this a plan?

The question is, how much sickness and how many serious illnesses will they tolerate before they send every home?

This is very hopeful news. It seems like a rational approach.

Silly OP here, the official announcement came out from UVA today, with more details.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Takeaways from a UVA professor after an academics townhall zoom meeting:

Classes start August 25 as planned
Term shortened - classes end before Thanksgiving
Some classes in-person / some classes online
Large classes online
Efforts being explored to hold classes evenings, weekends, J-term
No one has to go to class if they don't feel "safe"
Social distancing guidelines, PPE provided
Targeted and random virus testing
Quarantine plans for those with virus under development

Useless without addressing dorm space, shared bathrooms, cleaning protocols (will they hire a ton more staff to clean more everywhere?), social gathering limitations, whether the college will provide the PPE it says it will provide (appropriate masks are still in short supply), what are dining facilities going to do to alter their operations (no buffets etc.?)....And how will they source and pay for testing? Does anyone really believe vast numbers of tests will be easily available not just to UVA but to ALL the colleges planning to reopen in August promising extensive testing?

I'm sure they'll say that's all being decided but there is MUCH more to consider than classrooms and delivery of course content.

At most universities food and cleaning are contracted out to other companies who are coming up with their own health compliance plans and the cost of implementing them. So Sysco etc. is likely going to have a plan they carry out at all the schools and adjust the contract cost for institutions.

Tests only test whether someone has the virus at that exact moment in time. How many times are they going to test a student body for 28,000 students?

And what happens to University-run dorms?

Anonymous wrote:Takeaways from a UVA professor after an academics townhall zoom meeting:

Classes start August 25 as planned
Term shortened - classes end before Thanksgiving
Some classes in-person / some classes online
Large classes online
Efforts being explored to hold classes evenings, weekends, J-term
No one has to go to class if they don't feel "safe"
Social distancing guidelines, PPE provided
Targeted and random virus testing
Quarantine plans for those with virus under development

Useless without addressing dorm space, shared bathrooms, cleaning protocols (will they hire a ton more staff to clean more everywhere?), social gathering limitations, whether the college will provide the PPE it says it will provide (appropriate masks are still in short supply), what are dining facilities going to do to alter their operations (no buffets etc.?)....And how will they source and pay for testing? Does anyone really believe vast numbers of tests will be easily available not just to UVA but to ALL the colleges planning to reopen in August promising extensive testing?

I'm sure they'll say that's all being decided but there is MUCH more to consider than classrooms and delivery of course content.

That list seems to be missing a couple of big areas.

Since it doesn't address dorms, I take it that they aren't going to try to cut occupancy.

OK, maybe that is a bridge too far. But why don't they mention changes to dining halls?

I'm thinking either prepared meals to pick up and/or at least short scheduled eating slots to keep occupancy low.

Sounds reasonable.

Anonymous wrote:Silly Op, you know they’re just saying this because they want those sweet deposits right? Just wait till August, they’ll backtrack on this. /s

They kept to May 1.

Plenty of schools will back track if the data and state governments make them.

.

Silly Op, you know they’re just saying this because they want those sweet deposits right? Just wait till August, they’ll backtrack on this. /s

I hope that happens!

Takeaways from a UVA professor after an academics townhall zoom meeting:

Classes start August 25 as planned
Term shortened - classes end before Thanksgiving
Some classes in-person / some classes online
Large classes online
Efforts being explored to hold classes evenings, weekends, J-term
No one has to go to class if they don't feel "safe"
Social distancing guidelines, PPE provided
Targeted and random virus testing
Quarantine plans for those with virus under development