When do you think universities will open?

[googlepoodle]

I would think they would be definitely be working to a September deadlines for the new academic year.
But do we think any sooner? I am professional services staff and currently working from home.

I agree About the risk of deferrals google - but i think once people defer, theres quite a high risk (for universities) that some will decide not to go at all.

There might not be room for them anyway.

There’s no way we have the number of rooms available to be able to teach while socially distancing. We wouldn’t have space for that many classes. Timetabling is a nightmare at the best of time.

A lot of my teaching involves dividing the class into groups for them to discuss things, and we then come back together. I don’t see how this is possible if everyone’s 2 meters apart. At least teaching online means that I can create breakout rooms and recreate that group work.

A lot of my teaching involves dividing the class into groups for them to discuss things, and we then come back together
Same here, only way I can get some of them to speak!

For us the plans are to do 'dual delivery' teaching which I think means some socially distancing students in front of you, some remotely tuning in in and interacting in real time and it being recorded and available for the rest.

I will need a longer lie down in a dark room than usual after a lecture

Ours have announced 3 semesters with the idea that sem 1 is mainly online.

An option of January start for those courses with large overseas students--the teaching for them will go on through the Summer term.

Telegraph is reporting that manchester university has now confirmed that all lectures will be delivered online next term. The article suggests that other universities will follow suit. Im not sure if thats true - they may want to wait to see what the effect is on manchesters acceptance/drop-out/deferral rate.

At the same time the plight of students is also being discussed more - Allison pearson in the telegraph and alice thomson in the times, both pointing this out. As more students and dparents cotton onto the issues about next term, i suspect it may become more of a hot issue.

With lockdown starting to ease (rightly or wrongly) I think Manchester have made the call too soon. We shall see!

Yes it would be interesting to know why manchester decided they had to decide now (iyswim!). Lots of scope for students who havent yet accepted to wait to see what their other choices will do. Paradoxically students do have a bit of leverage over the universities - money! - but on the other hand the other options - a gap year - arent great.
My own view is that universities may be underestimating the drop out/no show rate from online only but we shall see! Manchester isnt saying it will be all distance learning though - i think the report is that they hope to do some ‘live’ seminars etc. Whether that is enough to persuade new students to commit 9.5k a year will be an interesting question. The very top reputation univs it almost certainly would be (imo) - others, less so.

Sorry by ‘top reputation’ i meant ‘most selective ‘ - i know the two are not the same. Pesky shorthand.

The plan for us (at the moment) is to do any large group teaching online, and bring the in for labs run at 1/4 - 1/3 capacity. Lots of repeat labs and lots of normal planned labs replaced with simulations.

I think it's not a bad plan in the circumstances, just have to mske sure there is enough lab work to satisfy the accreditation requirements.

I think non-lab subjects will be mostly online and I think that will be harder to sell.

Crossing my fingers that we all have jobs next year!

Bumbling that sounds v sensible to me

Littleacorns - I think you and I agree on everything

The staffroom sends its kind thoughts academics' corner.

Many thanks. You guys are being thrown to the wolves - especially primary level teachers. I think the government basically is forcing us into "herd immunity" without proper protections of a decent test, track and trace system. And schools are the next experimental area (after they botched care homes so appallingly).

At least we in the universities who need to work face to face with groups (and that is mostly academic & teaching staff - many PS staff roles can be done behind glass screens etc) have some time to see how it goes in schools.

Young people are potential "superspreaders' and teaching staff at universities are FAR more likely to be more vulnerable to C-19. I'm very fit & healthy, but I'm really nervous about catching C-19 - all the evidence of my health issues so far in my life point to me getting it rather badly (tendency to bag lung infections, asthma, bronchitis, pleurisy). I really don't want to die from some irresponsible student coughing in a seminar.

At least school children have parents who (one would hope) will keep them home at the first sign of any kind of cough/cold infection, even if it's not COVID.

Isnt global research saying kids are possibly/probably not superspreaders?

Though agree with rest about not being possible to social distance etc

My own view is that universities may be underestimating the drop out/no show rate from online only but we shall see!

Who is talking about online only? That is not what universities are planning.

Isnt global research saying kids are possibly/probably not superspreaders?

Not exactly. The data aren't there to conclude either way because the samples have been too small and in some studies unrepresentative. No one knows yet, so anyone stating certainty is talking agenda-led nonsense.

One point to note is that COVID-19 cases in Denmark jumped up 2-3 weeks after schools reopened. It might be due to schools spreading infection or it might not, but it's one to watch.