. . . .UW student petion to close school

[gardenmom5]

ok . . university with over 45K students (about half are undergrad), has a petition to close the school signed by 8K students. . . . . I'd really like to know what those students status is.  some students CAN'T stop.  (re: medical school, nursing school, etc.)    NO STUDENTS or family-associated with the school have covid-19.   this honestly almost feels like something I'd expect from high school students following the crowds.  which is why I ask, are they undergrads or grad students?   only about half the students live on campus/nearby.  there are students who commute from father out. 

there have been discussions elsewhere about how to do "remote" teaching, aka: online lectures etc.

1ds is currently a grad student there - he can't take time off.  - he has done "online" lectures, where he rarely needs to go in.

does remind me of one of 1dd's classes when she was a freshman - students wanted to push a test out farther.  'cause they weren't ready.  and why weren't they ready?  'cause they didn't' STUDY!    needless to say, the prof blew his stack.  (and that was at an expensive private university.  these are supposed to be adults.)

 

the end of the quarter is coming up soon (two or three weeks) - and without good reason, it would be damaging to the students education to close it now.

[HSmomof2]

That seems really over the top at this point, especially with no known cases there. I would also guess the vast majority of the university students are healthy and fairly low risk. I think it’s too early for that kind of closure. 
 

ETA: I’m not sure how just closing the UW would really slow transmission that much.....they’d have to close the other schools nearby and pretty much all of Seattle. 

Edited March 2, 2020 by HSmomof2

[Farrar]

There are known cases very nearby. It's looking like King County may become the epicenter. When similar things have happened in some other countries, eventually universities have shut down. I mean, if we start seeing large scale closures, then things around Seattle will probably be the first ones. So in that sense... they're not being totally out of nowhere.

They're obviously acting in fear though and it does seem very premature. If it becomes necessary, I assume the state and local government will make the call, not a student petition. But actual adults, sometimes in positions of power with lots of degrees and so forth are making these sorts of calls, so it doesn't seem "high school" to me. It seems like typical irrational humans. People are funny like that.

Obviously it would be highly disruptive but if it becomes a question of slowing the virus's spread to save lives, then they would have to stop or make other arrangements. I mean, sometimes there are emergencies. This isn't there yet, but if it got there, then yes, they actually can stop.

[Laurie]

38 minutes ago, gardenmom5 said:

ok . . university with over 45K students (about half are undergrad), has a petition to close the school signed by 8K students. . . . . I'd really like to know what those students status is.  some students CAN'T stop.  (re: medical school, nursing school, etc.)    NO STUDENTS or family-associated with the school have covid-19.   this honestly almost feels like something I'd expect from high school students following the crowds.  which is why I ask, are they undergrads or grad students?   only about half the students live on campus/nearby.  there are students who commute from father out. 

 

Maybe they're hoping for an early start to Spring Break...and to me it seems like it would be better to cancel Spring Break so they don't leave the area and end up infecting even more people and places (just in case some end up becoming ill).  

Edited March 2, 2020 by Laurie

[HSmomof2]

I can understand the consideration of shutting things down to slow the spread. However, if it’s been circulating for at least 6 weeks (and that’s probably being conservative), it would need to be large-scale shutdowns of the entire greater Seattle area, because I’m certain it’s pretty widespread throughout the area. Just closing one university wouldn’t be enough. 

[Terabith]

Aren't you near King County?  Honestly, anywhere around there, the idea of closing schools seems logical and rational to me.  I don't think it's necessarily immature students.  I think that would be prudent and a wise thing to do, especially since college students are in close proximity to one another and are less likely to get seriously ill and tested.  Going to all online classes would be fine, but I don't think it's out of line.  

[Guest]

There are a decent number of professors on Twitter looking at options for moving classes online, even if schools do not close. I am looking at the possibility of doing music lessons via Google Hangouts as well. I don't think it's unreasonable to provide an alternative so students who feel sick can stay home without fear of penalty. 

[catz]

My kid goes to a big ten university and there has been announcements that the school is making sure the technology infrasctructure would support online class options if that became necessary for a time.  It also warned kids going on upcoming spring break about possible inability to return if they end up somewhere with an outbreak and end up quarintined.  So I do think colleges are thinking about this kind of thing.   All their study abroad Italy students are returning this week.

Edited March 3, 2020 by FuzzyCatz

[gardenmom5]

1 hour ago, Laurie said:

Maybe they're hoping for an early start to Spring Break...and to me it seems like it would be better to cancel Spring Break so they don't leave the area and end up infecting even more people and places (just in case some end up becoming ill).  

I've seen some of those come up about florida and the beaches - favorite haunts for northern students for spring break when they go south.

1 hour ago, Patty Joanna said:

Bellevue School district is being petitioned to shut down.  

they've already been sending out notices that they are making plans for doing online classes if they need to go that route.  every middle/high school student has a laptop (district provided so they're all "the same".)  internet access maybe or maybe not.  

I have another IEP meeting for dudeling later this week - (we've been looking at different options for him and his school refusal.).  we'll see what happens.  right now, a lot could change in three days.

56 minutes ago, Terabith said:

Aren't you near King County?  Honestly, anywhere around there, the idea of closing schools seems logical and rational to me.  I don't think it's necessarily immature students.  I think that would be prudent and a wise thing to do, especially since college students are in close proximity to one another and are less likely to get seriously ill and tested.  Going to all online classes would be fine, but I don't think it's out of line.  

yes -  I had three babies in the hospital where the deaths occurred. I remember touring it when it opened in 1972.

the UW seattle campus has 45,000+ students.  it's not that easy to just close it.  some subjects, probably could figure out a way to do them online for spring quarter - other subjects - not so easy  It's a major teaching hospital, and attached associated other hospitals that have medical field students.    

1ds is in grad school (he commutes) - his prof's already mostly do online classes, only meeting when necessary, but that's grad school not undergrad.  (he goes to the library so he's not distractedp being at home.)

 

29 minutes ago, dmmetler said:

There are a decent number of professors on Twitter looking at options for moving classes online, even if schools do not close. I am looking at the possibility of doing music lessons via Google Hangouts as well. I don't think it's unreasonable to provide an alternative so students who feel sick can stay home without fear of penalty. 

online would make sense for those subjects  that can be done online ( I have no problem with that, as it would cut down the number of students.  I do think it would be a headache, but doable.  it would also take time to set it up.) - that doesn't work for all subjects.    e.g. 2dd was a chem major in undergrad, she wouldn't have been able to do any lab work.   and last year, 1ds spent a lot of time in the lab (deliberately breaking things.) - he wouldn't have been able to do that either.   

[gardenmom5]

6 minutes ago, FuzzyCatz said:

My kid goes to a big ten university and there has been announcements that the school is making sure the technology infrasctructure would support online class options if that became necessary for a time.  It also warned kids going on upcoming spring break about possible inability to return if they end up somewhere with an outbreak and end up quarintined.  So I do think colleges are thinking about this kind of thing.   All their study abroad Italy students are returning this week.

UW has cancelled their study abroad to areas of concern.  (I don't remember the exact areas off the top of my head.)

[Terabith]

24 minutes ago, gardenmom5 said:

online would make sense for those subjects  that can be done online ( I have no problem with that, as it would cut down the number of students.  I do think it would be a headache, but doable.  it would also take time to set it up.) - that doesn't work for all subjects.    e.g. 2dd was a chem major in undergrad, she wouldn't have been able to do any lab work.   and last year, 1ds spent a lot of time in the lab (deliberately breaking things.) - he wouldn't have been able to do that either.   

I agree it would be a headache, and there are some things that can't be done online.  But honestly.....so what?  It's a major epidemic.  It's life and death for a LOT of people, both students and the people to whom the students spread it.  I really honestly think shutting things down would be a smart move.  Infections in China have slowed WAY down since they shut down cities.  I don't think it's feasible to do it to that degree here, but I also don't think closing schools, as unfortunate as that would be, would be a dumb move.  

[NorthwestMom]

I actually wonder if that petition was only signed by UW students or if it got into the mainstream media and outsiders signed it too.  Their winter quarter is almost over, it's just about 2 weeks left at this point. 

[Guest]

From what I'm seeing, most of the people looking at online are looking at moving lectures online, which would reduce people on campus at a given time, and doing multiple, smaller lab options for those classes that require it, and in some cases rearrange faculty so lower risk people are doing classes that have to be done face to face. Not a complete halt, but reduce the exposure, since it seems likely that there will be a lot of asymptomatic or slightly symptomatic cases in college dorms if it gets there, who may not feel a need to miss classes due to illness. 

[gardenmom5]

27 minutes ago, Patty Joanna said:

I guess Japan has moved to online classes already or is in the verge.  

I think I saw they closed all schools.  don't know about colleges.

[vonfirmath]

6 hours ago, HSmomof2 said:

That seems really over the top at this point, especially with no known cases there. I would also guess the vast majority of the university students are healthy and fairly low risk. I think it’s too early for that kind of closure. 
 

ETA: I’m not sure how just closing the UW would really slow transmission that much.....they’d have to close the other schools nearby and pretty much all of Seattle. 

 

No known cases at the University but it's IN King County. Evergreen Hospital is not that far away. I can understand the sentiment.

 

(I lived for 14 years in this area. I've got a lot of friends there still)

Edited March 3, 2020 by vonfirmath

[Pen]

3 hours ago, kand said:

The fact that it’s a commuter school makes it all the more risky, IMO. There are lots of students commuting in from the very areas where this is now obviously circulating. Many using public transit. If they wait a couple weeks for the case numbers to explode, they will have missed the window to dramatically decrease the spread. 

As long as they are running business as usual, students will feel obligated to go in, even if they’re not feeling well. And even if the students can handle it fine, they are then spreading it around to all the people they come in contact, including their families at home, who probably frequently have older or health challenged members. 
 

I think moving everything possible online right now is the right decision. This is the time to do that. It stinks, but having 10% of the student body hospitalized would be worse. And if I hear one more person say it’s no worse than the flu, I’m going to blow. I don’t know why people keep saying that. It’s 100 TIMES more deadly than the flu. Even the cases that aren’t fatal, 20% of them are severe and require hospitalization. I’m pretty sure every single person would get a flu shot if the flu had a 20% rate of being hospitalized and likely on a ventilator at some point. I wish it was just like the flu. 

 

I agree. 

[Pen]

I think the petitioners have basically the right idea depending on what details are...

I would personally favor a switch to mostly online — online for all situations possible, and a careful plan for physical distancing for when not possible to be done remotely and online—rather than a 100% closure. 

I think people need to be proactive and try to get out in front of this rather than be forced into much more draconian situations due to being behind the 8 ball repeatedly

 

 

UW has had a longstanding tradition of excellence in its medical school infectious disease program built by the late, great, William Kirby.  In my heart, I feel certain he would approve, And imagine that not taking such action would have him rolling in his grave.  My 2 cents.

 

This virus needs to be slowed, slowed, slowed... it is moving way too fast .  

Action must be taken to slow it down now or almost certainly there will be far more disruption to lives, on time graduations, the economy , etc, a little ways down the virus spread freeway. 

[EKS]

I suspect we will see school closures across the region by the end of next week.

Frankly, if they want to have any chance of containing this thing, they need to be proactive, not reactive.  

[HSmomof2]

56 minutes ago, EKS said:

I suspect we will see school closures across the region by the end of next week.

Frankly, if they want to have any chance of containing this thing, they need to be proactive, not reactive.  

I agree.....but it will need to be widespread closures, not just a few schools or places here and there. I think covid-19 is already widespread in the area, much more so than is being reported. Very few people have actually been tested, so I think we’re only seeing the tip of the iceberg. 

[Sneezyone]

22 hours ago, Patty Joanna said:

I guess Japan has moved to online classes already or is in the verge.  

 

China has moved, almost nationwide, to online classes for K-12 and uni students. Many of my VIPKID students started this week, even in regions without any confirmed cases.

Edited March 3, 2020 by Sneezyone

[Arcadia]

Crosspost

https://www.chronicle.com/article/U-of-Washington-Cancels/248198/

“The University of Washington's flagship Seattle campus announced that it would cancel all in-person classes and move them online for at least the next few weeks. The university is the first major U.S. campus to take such drastic action amid rapidly growing fears of the novel coronavirus and the disease it causes, Covid-19.”

ETA: https://www.washington.edu/coronavirus/

Edited March 6, 2020 by Arcadia

[gardenmom5]

36 minutes ago, Arcadia said:

Crosspost

https://www.chronicle.com/article/U-of-Washington-Cancels/248198/

“The University of Washington's flagship Seattle campus announced that it would cancel all in-person classes and move them online for at least the next few weeks. The university is the first major U.S. campus to take such drastic action amid rapidly growing fears of the novel coronavirus and the disease it causes, Covid-19.”

ETA: https://www.washington.edu/coronavirus/

all three campuses will be closed starting Monday.  They'd been hoping to make it to the end of the quarter (which is very soon - finals is next week or the week after.)

this was after someone tested positive.   they work in an off-campus office, and have been self-quarantined for a couple weeks.

Edited March 6, 2020 by gardenmom5

[gardenmom5]

On 3/3/2020 at 4:34 PM, kand said:

I agree. This article suggests Seattle is currently where Wuhan was on Jan 1. They waited 3 weeks to start closing things down Jan 21. If they want to stop this from getting completely out of control In Washington State, like it did there, now is the time to start shutting things down. At this point, the huge Comic Con that happens there in one or two weeks is saying they will not cancel unless they are made to. 
https://www.statnews.com/2020/03/03/washington-state-risks-seeing-explosion-in-coronavirus-without-dramatic-action-new-analysis-says/

for them it can also be a money thing.  if they're told to by the state/health-dept/city, their insurance would cover cancellation costs.

by declaring a state of emergency in washignton, it waives copays/testing fees/and a lot of other associated expenses.

[gardenmom5]

On 3/3/2020 at 12:45 PM, HSmomof2 said:

I agree.....but it will need to be widespread closures, not just a few schools or places here and there. I think covid-19 is already widespread in the area, much more so than is being reported. Very few people have actually been tested, so I think we’re only seeing the tip of the iceberg. 

and our now classed as first death, was retroactive.  he died before he was tested.

[gardenmom5]

I had someone post to a FB group by some media personality doctor (guess he didn't make enough in private practice - his specialty is addiction) claiming this isn't that bad.  I am so sick and tired of hearing this foolishness.

I pointed out the Spanish flu "wasn't that bad" the first year either.  (I should go back and add the following year/2nd wave it had a 10 - 20 % mortality rate.  3 - 6 % of the entire global population died.)  and that we don't have a vaccine.  (which won't be available in "months" - it takes time to develop, then produce, then dispense.), we dont' have antivirals - just support for the critical patients. flu has a mortality rate of <1%.  this has a mortality rate of (at least) 4%.

dh is starting to show concern. He's usually fairly cavalier.  not for himself (he's in his 70s, but healthy) - but for me and my "not healthy".