On Monday, classes start at my university. I am stressed. And not just due to the primary effects of COVID-19. My university is taking an intermediate approach on teaching face-to-face. All lecture classes are to be taught using distance education techniques (mostly Zoom, some lectures recorded, some synchronous). However, for those courses that have an experiential component (labs, studios, clinical, internships), it is impossible to replicate the experience through on-line simulation. So, these experiential components will be happening with students meeting faculty face-to-face. Being a chemist, I teach labs. We have arranged for students to work alone, and keep socially distant as they are working, but thus far, this is all theoretical. We have yet to see how it works in practice.
If that weren’t enough, a student from one of my upcoming classes contacted me to tell me he tested positive for COVID, and was thus quarantined for two weeks. I have been wondering just how prevalent infection was going to be among students. This gives me a clue.
Things are even more stressful at hubby’s university. They are opening with all classes proceeding face-to-face. Classrooms are all set up for social distancing. All students and employees have to take and pass an on-line test (self-reporting) before entering any building on campus. At hubby’s building, they take your temperature, too. Hubby has reported witnessing many instances of students and employees not wearing masks (or not wearing them properly), and not social distancing. Last night, the local news reported that 4 students at his university tested positive for COVID-19. We’d both like to know what the trigger will be for moving all (or at least most) classes from face-to-face to on-line. We’re both hoping that we can avoid a case of COVID-19, but it will be like playing Russian roulette, worse for hubby than for me.
If that weren’t enough, I have mentioned previously that my university is in dire financial straits, to the point where they are considering firing tenured professors, as well as discontinuing various academic programs. It appears that the administration is panicking, and panic does not lead to well-reasoned thought or action. Last week, my department chair received word that all of my department’s academic programs would be placed on moratorium. We would no longer have chemistry graduates of any sort, under the vision of the administration. I put a lot of work into accrediting our program, and that will all go up in flames. But also, this suggests that the administration has targeted members of my department for “retrenchment” (the local term for firing). We’re going to fight this as best we can, but even if we are able to save some degree programs, I suspect we won’t be able to save all of them, and the retrenchment ax will fall on someone in the department (though I can save at least one such retrenchee by retiring).
All of this news and associated activity intended to save our programs, while we’re trying to get ready for the beginning of classes among students who may be carrying a deadly virus leads to having to deal with a lot of stress, and at about the worst possible time. We will press on, but it feels like we’re teaching our courses on board the Titanic.
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Top Comments (August 12, 2020):
From Kluger2:
A comment by hpg in today's Good News Roundup (authored by arhpdx) mentioned that the new Monmouth poll said ALL age groups support Biden over Trump, except people 50-64. MarcKyle64 wanted to know what is the problem with this age group, and when schoen suggested it could be a personal hygiene issue, this was MarcKyle64’s most excellent response.
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This comment by logsol in Jen Hayden’s front page post on a man-baby’s response to having to wear a mask in a place of business.
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