My fears of reopening schools

Actually national guidance does play a role in those decisions. It is accurate that local areas have the final say but the Federal Government can control a lot of purse strings and that will influence the decisions that are made.

 

I've spent the last five months watching this decision-making process unfold at a Tier 1 research institution, married to someone who has been involved in that process at the highest level, and I can tell you that as regards the "in-person" vs. "virtual instruction" re-opening decision, the "the Federal Government can control a lot of purse strings" consideration has had virtually zero influence on that decision.

This is not to say that certain federal policies have no effects at all. Obviously the F-1 visa guidelines issue did, but ultimately that really didn't affect the basic question of opening with in-person instruction vs. virtual instruction. It simply complicated the implementation of whatever re-opening plan was being considered at the time by individual institutions.

 

My school took federal money through the CARES act, and half of it (about $30 million) is earmarked for in-person teaching.

 

good point

 

I must say, after all my fretting and anxiety, my school gave me a health exemption at the last moment (based on age alone, apparently: 52), so I am teaching online now! Kudos to my school. And they have laid off no one, out of a huge faculty. Respect.

I can't tell you what a difference it makes, going to bed at night, not fearing I might wake up sick in the morning. That would extend through the whole year. I imagine parents of young students will feel that way all school year.

as I lay me down I realize
we are being terrorized​

Half of my American students wanted to attend class in person. About 5% of my international students wanted to attend in person. So about 9 students didn't get their wish.

I filed three different requests and one appeal to finally get out of the classroom. My impressions is that the school was glad to give out exemptions and get out of liability, but the only way to do it was to file a health claim.

 

I'm sure it varies and depends on the board of governors etc. I know of at least one University where there were absolutely influence and additional attempted influence by those that align themselves with what Federal Leadership puts forward. But there is also push back and some Universities have enough to not be influenced while others don't.

 

that's interesting to know, I'd also be curious about which university if you could share it. I will say as a followup to sirbaihu's point about the CARES Act money--I think any college or university for whom that is a serious enough amount of money to influence their decision to open live vs virtual, is probably already going to be in the situation financially of having to reopen and go live, because of the money involved with housing and dining halls etc. There are a lot of small schools that live hand-to-mouth and require the room and board fees from undergraduates to break even. So even there while the federal money is not insignificant, it is really irrelevant to a decision those schools are economically forced to make to re-open live. The "choice" to go virtual was never a real option for those small schools with little or no financial resources.

 

Sure, the University of Toledo in Ohio

They are pretty much a midsize towards the smaller end of middle, I'd say.

 

Roll Tide!

It's hard to astonish anymore with breathtaking displays of leadership Abdication, what with 200,000 Americans dead, 1000 a day dying, and the President actively not caring and in fact trying to make it worse.

But congratulations Alabama, University of, you have caught my eye.

 

And, not surprising...

University of Alabama orders faculty to keep quiet about outbreak

https://www.ajc.com/news/university...et-about-outbreak/7ZAHSQPNDRBINBEF3A6YAVMPRE/

 

good luck w that.

 

So you’re telling me that by limiting testing, limiting visibility, suppressing information, not having access to affordable healthcare, and not having a financial safety net for exposed people that cases skyrocket? Obviously, this is the work of an unnamed, highly coordinated group of people trying to undermine American society and it’s economy for the sole purpose of making our baffoon of a president look more baffoony.

Or you know, it could just be common sense. I swear that we live in the dumbest timeline of the Twilight Zone.