Daily Lumina News 072120

With the new school year just a few weeks away and coronavirus cases on the rise, many college and university presidents have shared ambitious plans for a never-before-executed fall semester. Students will have to wear masks in class, keep social distance as much as possible, get tested for COVID-19, and more to prevent spreading the virus.
The plans are lengthy and detailed, and many of the new rules seem tough to follow, which makes you wonder: What do students think of these plans? A University of Connecticut professor decided to find out.

In the past few weeks, a number of colleges and universities, particularly highly selective institutions, have announced that they will invite back to campus a fraction of their undergraduates this fall in an effort to lower campus density.
But is that approach truly safer? Several experts weigh in.

The term “melt,” which describes students who commit to a college but don’t show up for classes, isn’t new. But the coronavirus could turn this season’s melt into a flood.
Some colleges and access groups are trying to keep students on track through scholarships, free summer courses, and virtual hand-holding. And they’re reminding low-income and first-generation students that in an economic downturn, a college degree matters more than ever.

Next month, hundreds of thousands of college students will return to campus, often in places where coronavirus outbreaks are actively raging, or could soon spark.
Universities must keep the pandemic at bay, all while trying to maintain for students some of the benefits of being physically on campus: to socialize, to work in labs, to participate in events and activities. All the things that classes via Zoom don’t permit.