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MIT moves all classes online for the rest of the semester

web.mit.edu

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Re: MIT moves all classes online for the rest of the semester

#51

Post by mumblemumble »

The "empty out campus" bit seems a bit overmuch to me. What's the epidemiologists' take on something like this?

I can see asking students who left for spring break not to come back. But asking students currently on campus to leave, and even demanding that they travel internationally, seems like it might just increase everyone's risk of exposure, and spread it around. Especially considering that, at least according to the stats they post on their website, about 75% of their international students are from Asia or Europe.

Re: MIT moves all classes online for the rest of the semester

#52

Post by Ericson2314 »

I am skeptical of these things. I would have cancelled classes but left everyone in their dorms. All the travel is no good, and high density but young and healthy people (watch their health improve with no crushing amounts of homework!) I wouldn't expect to speed up an epidemic as long as they aren't traveling.

Re: MIT moves all classes online for the rest of the semester

#53

Post by enitihas »

petschge wrote: post #40
enitihas wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yup, but it should free up professor time by a large amount. Manpower is still limited, but far more manpower is available compared to before.

I am at a (small) academic meeting right now and all of the professors in attendance fear how much extra effort this move to online-only classes will be and how it is going to cut into their research time.

Why should there be extra effort for online classes?

My university had a course where an external professor would deliver a mixed online/offline course. Videos were available on institute website. Professor would hold a class every week to go through that week's contents and clarify student doubts.

This saved a ton of effort on the professor's part.

Re: MIT moves all classes online for the rest of the semester

#55

Post by trhway »

blurbleblurble wrote: post #38

Wait but they're gonna fly home that doesn't make sense either

probably MIT administration tries to CYA by "Doing Something" "out of abundance of caution". After all if people get infected while on campus some creative lawyer may probably sue whereis MIT would bear no responsibility for whatever happens as result of all those people forced to spread around the country and the globe.

Some commenters mentioned that that is a preparation for possible outbreak there. Well, i'd think that preparation for outbreak would be making sure that various resources are stocked up (e.g. masks, handheld non-contact infrared thermometers, etc.), necessary personnel brought up and trained, "civilians" educated and all the travel and mass gatherings canceled/discouraged, quarantine procedures and checkpoints are established and ready to be activated, etc... That of course cost money and other resources. An alternative is to kick the can out to somewhere else.

Re: MIT moves all classes online for the rest of the semester

#56

Post by ericd »

neets wrote: post #5
JPKab wrote: post #2

One of my coworkers daughters is affected by this. The big question this begs: If there is no refund being offered for the content shifting online from in-person, why have in-person at all? Is room and board going to be refunded? If courses being taught online is an acceptable substitute, why have caps on admission at all? Edit: Understood that infinite sized classes aren't workable for human intensive grading, inter…

Aren't undergraduate ivy league programs more about signaling status than actually becoming educated?

The signalling is definitely a thing, but the bigger thing is just getting together with lots of smart people and working together to learn this stuff.

Re: MIT moves all classes online for the rest of the semester

#57

Post by Ericson2314 »

mumblemumble wrote: post #51

The "empty out campus" bit seems a bit overmuch to me. What's the epidemiologists' take on something like this? I can see asking students who left for spring break not to come back. But asking students currently on campus to leave, and even demanding that they travel internationally, seems like it might just increase everyone's risk of exposure, and spread it around. Especially considering that, at least according to…

There is an exception for some international students as stated elsewhere in the thread, but yes I still agree. Even the domestic churn of thousands of schools from various schools going home is no good. Massachusetts surely has one of the highest hospital densities in the country, too.

I would cancel classes, but allow everyone that wants to to stay put.

Re: MIT moves all classes online for the rest of the semester

#60

Post by 909832 »

akhilcacharya wrote: post #29
kasey_junk wrote: post #12

This seems like its likely to have dramatically more serious consequences for the less privileged students. Lots of people don’t have a place other than school they can live & be successful.

There are probably only a handful of MIT undergrads that are actually underprivileged per year (its unlikely enough with a middle class upbringing). I doubt this will be much of an issue, at least as much of an issue as it would be if my alma mater did this. They'll be fine.

Some data on the economic background of MIT students: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/projects/college-mobilit...
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