Posted by: @laura-f

Posted by: @lovendures

Posted by: @rosieheart

Not yet officially moving online, but San Diego State University and the University of San Diego have told faculty and students to prepare for the likelihood of moving to online instruction within the next two weeks. 

When they say to prepare, they are actually preparing you to process the info.  It will happen unless pigs fly.

The first confirmed case here in San Diego is at Scripps Green Hospital, which is right near the main UCSD campus. All our colleges here are close by, no surprise they plan to close all of them for a time.

Thanks, Laura.  I've been looking for updated info on this! Strange to think that a hospital I regularly visit (well Anderson out patient) has a person going through this.   Have you see anything about which part of the county (North, South, East) the patient lives in?

Yale has now also announced that they are moving to online classes.

https://communications.yale.edu/covid-19-information#movingclasses

@rosieheart

No, but it was a travel-related case. Here's what I found:

https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/county-health-officials-to-give-update-on-coronavirus/2281999/

The UN in NY has shut its doors to the public.

Let that sink in for a moment.

@coyote

Well, ironically, my ancestors on my father’s side were part of that particular travesty in Plymouth and they weren’t Wampanoag.  First boat.  I come from a long line of English settlers who stole land from Native Americans.  I tend to sympathize with the indigenous peoples and respect their cultures and spiritual beliefs.  I grieve for the many losses of Native Americans and believe that even today they live much more in tune with the earth.

Posted by: @lovendures

A recent list of college/University closing, when and for how long

• • • Massachusetts Institute of Technology: In-person classes with more than 150 peoplewill be moved online. 

Actually late this afternoon, MIT changed its mind and decided to close ALL classes starting next week, and after spring break the following week, undergrads will not be allowed back to campus. All classes will be conducted online for the rest of the semester.

Posted by: @coyote

Posted by: @coyote

I guess the first universities to cancel classes set off a cascade of panicked responses among college administrators across the nation. None of these administrators want to be in a minority group that has decided to keep on-campus academics and activities up and running. If a student or staff/faculty member gets the virus, it's a liability issue.

Yes, I had heard about Stanford a few days ago and it was because a faculty member tested positive, and students may have been exposed.  (It's been reported the students in question are self-isolating). 

I had started wondering whether this could happen because a few of my friends are professors at major universities, and they are traveling internationally for conferences CONSTANTLY, often every week, to present papers and meet and collaborate with fellow international experts who are also traveling constantly.  They also have grad students/postdocs working closely with them who are often traveling to get their own names out there for future job prospects.  

It's really such a high-risk group of people, it's no surprise universities are having to move as much a possible online.

As of this morning, ALL  campuses in the University of California system have announced they're moving online.  Over 280,000 students attend UC schools.

The California State University system is also now recommending and encouraging all 21 of their campuses to do the same. If all of the CSU schools do this, it would affect an additional 480,000+ students.

Johns Hopkins University also is moving online.

@rosieheart

I work at a technical college in NY (RPI), and it's currently Spring Break. The administration just decided to cancel in-person classes and move them online from March 16th to at least March 30th. In the meantime, we were all briefed about working from home and are set up to do that if necessary. Every second, the situation seems to change. We went from cancelling large events and social distancing to cancelling classes in less than 24 hours. Honestly, I wouldn't mind working from home. I'm starting  a new job working for the State next week, and I'm really uneasy about it. What if everything closes before I'm even able to start my new job? Not to mention, financially my family isn't prepared for a loss of income (the same situation as most people, it seems). I'm already prone to anxiety and there's so much general panic about this... Anyway, just thought I'd chime in. :P

Regarding the UC universities.

I mentioned this yesterday in the main virus thread:

"Janet Napolitano is the is the former Sec. Of Homeland Security under Obama, a former Gov. of Arizona, and a former Arizona state attorney General.  She is the current President of the UC university system in California.

Most UC Universities announced they would be closing their campus' today.  I expect more by the end of the week.  I have no doubt her understanding of the complexities of running a state, law and her understanding of Homeland Security issues,  (think FEMA and other disasters issues ) have played a huge role in why these Universities are not going to be open and will switch to on line classes.  

This is why we need competent people in charge of ...important organizations. We can't afford any more failures."

I have no doubt she is the main force behind this closure in the UC system.  She is uniquely skilled to understand all angles of this crisis.  I am sure other presidents and regents of university and college systems are following. I read somewhere a week or two ago there were nation wide phone conferences with some.  

This was likely planned for a little bit to give schools time to figure out how to implement before pressing the button.

The UMass system and Northeastern University have finally caved and plan to switch to remote learning after their spring  breaks. That's 100,000 more students out of school.

Michigan is following suit today. Michigan State U is going to online classes as of this afternoon; University of Michigan no classes tomorrow and Fri. and then starting back up online-only as of Monday. Eastern Michigan and Central Michigan also going to online. Wild to see all the closures coming.

We have had two identified cases here in Michigan and many public meetings/events have been canceled and we are waiting to see what the regular schools will do. From what it looks like in Italy, I think closures now are a good idea. The best case scenario is to do all of this and in a month have us all say, did we really need that? Rather than wait and try to "close the barn door after the horse ran out." 

Governor Cuomo just announced today that SUNY universities will also be switching to online learning for the rest of the semester, as of next week. The math department at my school was in absolute chaos today trying to figure out how to make the switch to distance learning. Not sure what I'm going to do for my lab classes lol. 

Thank you, @lauraf for starting this thread.  

Not a cancellation but the Final Four basketball will be played without fans

https://www.ajc.com/sports/college/ncaa-says-basketball-tournament-will-played-without-fans-stands/GEtek5S8EgszkOaDiJC6VN/

@jeanne-mayell. you're welcome

Also - everyone - I have cancelled myself - I have dropped out of all indoor group activities (dance class, chorus, etc.) for the time being, have let know all "in charge" type people know why, asked them to consider postponing all upcoming events. Also BCC'd many peers in these same groups, and all are being very supportive, acknowledging that I'm the first to "jump" and thanking me for paving the way so they may also.

It occurred to me last night in the middle of a dance class - as much as I love this and as much as I lover performing, it won't matter a lick if I'm dead of COVID, so what do I care if people end up hating me for quitting? At least they'll be able to hate me in person and not posthumously.

OMG!!!!

OMG!!!

HE just canceled Europe!

NO European Flights for 30 Days!

HOLY SMOKES FOLKS!!!

The NBC season cancelled.

Tom Hanks and RIta Wilson have the virus, as stated in another thread.

I found this article today:

Closing Schools Saved Lives During the Spanish Flu. Can It Work for Coronavirus?

We have a vastly different set of circumstances now, particularly for working families.

I am hoping though that this will be a catalyst though for more flexibility when it comes to work and study. For everyone who is shut out of balancing work and family, or accessing work or study. I also can't ignore that shutting down and slowing down commuting and travel is likely to have a marked effect on emissions.

https://www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-coronavirus-has-temporarily-reduced-chinas-co2-emissions-by-a-quarter

https://abcnews.go.com/International/severe-reduction-emissions-coronavirus-mitigate-climate-change-long/story?id=69334246

As others have mentioned before on this forum, I believe the Covid-19 pandemic will force us find new solutions and change how we live and work. Will we have healthcare reservists in the future for example?

Posted by: @laura-f

Also - everyone - I have cancelled myself 

Not making light of your decision, but I love you for this. I giggled when I read it.

I want to cancel myself too ... but then I realized, especially since I work from home and am otherwise a total hermit, that I don't have anything to cancel ? ? 

As of now, my kids' school (elementary) remains open. Not sure how much longer I'll continue to send them. My husband works in a hospital as an electrician...won't even go into the fears that brings out in me....I'd like to cancel all of us, honestly.