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Northeastern now telling students to leave their dorms, in part over fear of new travel restrictions

After telling students they could stay in their dorms for the rest of the semester - even if they were taking their classes remotely like everybody else - Northeastern told students today they have to vacate their dorms by 5 p.m. on Tuesday.

Northeastern said it can make some exceptions for students for whom this would present an extreme hardship.

Northeastern said the change from its Wednesday announcement was "based on continuing guidance from public health officials," in particular to try to reduce "density" even more than just by cancelling in-person education and because of "the likelihood of more travel restrictions in the coming days."

Google spreadsheet for Northeastern students who need housing or storage and people who can help them.


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Comments

I wonder if BU will follow suit

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Harvard and others have been taking flack but it's best for the community to send students home if they have the ability to travel and a home to return to. (Obviously, that isn't true for everyone but it is for most.)

When students are in small dorms, the risk of cross contamination is high. Dorms are a lot like Cruise Ships (in terms of cabins and dining) and we know how well that's turned out. 20-somethings have a smaller risk of serious complications from COVID-19 but they are no less likely to contract it.

The more people who are in dorms, the more university staff need to be present. This puts these people at risk. Most (but not all) people will be returning to homes in which self isolation will be easier. They will be more suited to care for their parents (and vice versa) should that be needed.

Yes, there is a real risk in traveling that they bring the virus home to those potentially at a higher risk of complications. But this is countered with the very high risk to the students by staying in small dorm rooms with bathrooms and dining facilities shared by a large group of people.

So long as the universities make exceptions for those who really can't go home or have no home to return to, this is the right move. They should have done this two weeks ago.

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Especially the point about university support staff - eg. janitorial, dining, maintenance, etc. These people are low-paid and cannot work remotely.

However, I will say that this timeline seems very abrupt/accelerated. It's shorter than the 5 days that Harvard gave - which was already short compared to the ~1 week timeframe given by several other universities.

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Got an email from Mt. Holyoke today basically saying "hurry up" getting moved out. They still have the 20th as a deadline (unless you've applied to stay) but want students to move as soon as possible.

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But will be still be providing some youth services including meals...

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Or all of them?

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Cambridge, Somerville etc are not affiliated with Greater Boston...

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Some students that have no families or no place to go may be allowed to remain on a case-by-case basis. At least that is how some schools are playing this out. A surprise maybe to some but there can also be students who are on their own in life who are going to school as well as working that will have no place to fall back on. There is also the question of foreign students who would return to their homeland and find they will not be allowed back in for some time to come -- if ever. Hopefully this will play itself out in a way that is best for all.

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