New Social Distancing Practices are Being Implemented at Most Colleges

Inside Higher Ed has reported that most Colleges & Universities are implementing new policies to help contain the spread of COVID-19 on their campuses this fall. They are having all incoming students read and sign codes of conduct that they agree to abide by and they will remove them from campus if they don’t abide.

Plans include:

  • Regular testing of all students
  • Written pledges that mandate students refrain from attending parties or large gatherings
  • Expectations that they adhere to written social distancing guidelines
  • The agreement to wear masks
  • Expectation to stay 6 feet away from other students when walking on campus

The issue with these practices is that many students will not adhere to these guidelines once they step foot off campus and how will Colleges be able to monitor off-campus activities?

College leaders’ doubts about enforcing social distancing are evident in a recent survey conducted by EAB, an education research and consulting firm. Seventy-two percent of survey respondents, which included vice presidents of student affairs and presidential chiefs of staff at 69 four-year institutions, said one of their top concerns related to social distancing in the fall is “motivating” students who live in residence halls to follow guidelines, according to the survey report. Nearly one-third of respondents said they had “high” confidence in their institutions’ ability to educate and promote social distancing among undergraduate students, while about 60 percent said they had “high” confidence in their ability to reinforce these practices among faculty members.

What is the solution? There are no easy answers. If Colleges want to have in-person classes this Fall these are the steps that they have to try and take. Unfortunately with the ease of transmission that occurs with COVID-19, large outbreaks at many College campuses are probably inevitable. That is why many students are considering staying home and studying online this Fall.

Here is a link to the original article on Inside Higher Ed – https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2020/07/15/student-conduct-codes-and-pledges-promise-good-covid-19-habits