College campuses across the US react as Omicron variant threatens spring semester

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Campuses around the nation are adjusting plans and adding booster-shot requirements in reaction to the rapidly spreading Omicron variant, which now threatens the upcoming semester.

Already, several colleges, including Harvard University, Emerson College in Boston, Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, DePaul University in Chicago, the College of New Jersey, University of Washington and Stanford University in California and are transitioning some January operations and courses to remote formats while more schools consider such a move.

Harvard was one of the first to say that it plans to operate remotely during the first three weeks of January. The Cambridge, Massachusetts, university said it plans to return to “more robust on-campus activities” later in January, public health conditions permitting.

“We do not take this step lightly,” Harvard officials wrote in a letter to the community.

https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2021/12/22/college-campuses-omicron-variant.html

[MichMan]

1. How much of the tuition and fees are they refunding?

[greenjar_01]

2. What's with the place naming of these well-known colleges? And why so inconsistent?

Stanford University in California? As opposed to the other Stanford University in Sheboygan? DePaul University in Chicago? Oh, yeah, that one. And then there's Northwestern University - you know, the one in Evanston, Illinois?

WTF?

I'm surprised it didn't say "The College of New Jersey in New Jersey."

[MichMan]

3. What percentage of people could name the cities that DePaul & Northwestern are located in?

Clearly the author was illustrating that the colleges with restrictions are scattered across the country to show that it wasn't isolated to a particular area. Neither the DePaul or Northwestern names provide any geographical hints as to where they are located.

A significant percentage of the population is unable to name both of their state's senators when asked, yet they should be able to name the locations of colleges all over the country?

[helpisontheway]

4. I'm very concerned about Spring semester

My son attends a very large university. They have been great about Covid restrictions. About 93% of the students were vaccinated and they kept numbers of positive low (like between 12-25 known positives despite having 22,000 + students). However, Omicron is another beast. Then we have a Republican taking over as governor soon (in Virginia). Who knows he might tell them to remove the indoor mask mandates on campus.