Observations One Week In

[Wheels Of Steel]

Here are some observations at the end of the first week of the semester (the beginning of my 36th year on the faculty):

1. There are surprisingly few people on campus. The parking garages are less than half full even at the busiest times of the day. Driving around campus, even at class-change times, is easy. Walking down hallways devoted solely to classrooms, most are empty.

2. Most of my colleagues are teaching remotely. Students seem truly appreciative that they have an opportunity to actually meet face-to-face (or, more appropriately, mask-to-mask). The first day, as the students in my undergrad class filed out, person after person simply said "thank you!"

3. Students are doing their part. They are wearing masks, even outside on the walkways and sidewalks.

4. Classrooms are restricted to less-than-half capacity. My undergrad class of 18 students was moved from a room that seats 35 to one that seats 45. Every-other seat in every classroom is designated "off limits." Students can only enter a classroom after every person from the previous class has left. Sanitary wipes are in every classroom, and students are instructed to wipe down their desk/table when they arrive.

5. I don't have any football players this semester (and only 1 women's basketball player).

6. Everyone seems to be fully aware that things could collapse in a matter of days (and we'd be back to the sort of shutdown we experienced in the spring).

7. Lecturing for 75 minutes in a mask is not easy!

 

[KentuckyBoiler]

Here are some observations at the end of the first week of the semester (the beginning of my 36th year on the faculty):

1. There are surprisingly few people on campus. The parking garages are less than half full even at the busiest times of the day. Driving around campus, even at class-change times, is easy. Walking down hallways devoted solely to classrooms, most are empty.

2. Most of my colleagues are teaching remotely. Students seem truly appreciative that they have an opportunity to actually meet face-to-face (or, more appropriately, mask-to-mask). The first day, as the students in my undergrad class filed out, person after person simply said "thank you!"

3. Students are doing their part. They are wearing masks, even outside on the walkways and sidewalks.

4. Classrooms are restricted to less-than-half capacity. My undergrad class of 18 students was moved from a room that seats 35 to one that seats 45. Every-other seat in every classroom is designated "off limits." Students can only enter a classroom after every person from the previous class has left. Sanitary wipes are in every classroom, and students are instructed to wipe down their desk/table when they arrive.

5. I don't have any football players this semester (and only 1 women's basketball player).

6. Everyone seems to be fully aware that things could collapse in a matter of days (and we'd be back to the sort of shutdown we experienced in the spring).

7. Lecturing for 75 minutes in a mask is not easy!

Thanks for the information

 

[Riveting]

Here are some observations at the end of the first week of the semester (the beginning of my 36th year on the faculty):

1. There are surprisingly few people on campus. The parking garages are less than half full even at the busiest times of the day. Driving around campus, even at class-change times, is easy. Walking down hallways devoted solely to classrooms, most are empty.

2. Most of my colleagues are teaching remotely. Students seem truly appreciative that they have an opportunity to actually meet face-to-face (or, more appropriately, mask-to-mask). The first day, as the students in my undergrad class filed out, person after person simply said "thank you!"

3. Students are doing their part. They are wearing masks, even outside on the walkways and sidewalks.

4. Classrooms are restricted to less-than-half capacity. My undergrad class of 18 students was moved from a room that seats 35 to one that seats 45. Every-other seat in every classroom is designated "off limits." Students can only enter a classroom after every person from the previous class has left. Sanitary wipes are in every classroom, and students are instructed to wipe down their desk/table when they arrive.

5. I don't have any football players this semester (and only 1 women's basketball player).

6. Everyone seems to be fully aware that things could collapse in a matter of days (and we'd be back to the sort of shutdown we experienced in the spring).

7. Lecturing for 75 minutes in a mask is not easy!

Yes, thanks. Are you speaking behind a glass shield - and if so, doesn't that eliminate the need you to wear a mask, assuming the students are well back? What do you teach, btw?

 

[MilwaukeeBoilerFan]

Here are some observations at the end of the first week of the semester (the beginning of my 36th year on the faculty):

1. There are surprisingly few people on campus. The parking garages are less than half full even at the busiest times of the day. Driving around campus, even at class-change times, is easy. Walking down hallways devoted solely to classrooms, most are empty.

2. Most of my colleagues are teaching remotely. Students seem truly appreciative that they have an opportunity to actually meet face-to-face (or, more appropriately, mask-to-mask). The first day, as the students in my undergrad class filed out, person after person simply said "thank you!"

3. Students are doing their part. They are wearing masks, even outside on the walkways and sidewalks.

4. Classrooms are restricted to less-than-half capacity. My undergrad class of 18 students was moved from a room that seats 35 to one that seats 45. Every-other seat in every classroom is designated "off limits." Students can only enter a classroom after every person from the previous class has left. Sanitary wipes are in every classroom, and students are instructed to wipe down their desk/table when they arrive.

5. I don't have any football players this semester (and only 1 women's basketball player).

6. Everyone seems to be fully aware that things could collapse in a matter of days (and we'd be back to the sort of shutdown we experienced in the spring).

7. Lecturing for 75 minutes in a mask is not easy!

Thank you for sharing and helping to keep young men’s & women’s lives moving forward.

 

[Boilerscuz]

Thanks for the Purdue perspective. My daughter goes to CU Boulder and they’ve cut her back from 1.5 classes a week to 1 in person. Thankfully her one class in person is her hardest (Fourier transforms) but they cut out her going to Physics 3 lab (quantum) completely. How the hell can they give her a grade in a physics lab without actually doing a lab?

If you’re like any of my profs in college don’t you have at least 10 feet between you and the students? Why can’t you be maskless, it seems it would help with teaching as well since they can actually see your face.

 

[jmohlman]

Here are some observations at the end of the first week of the semester (the beginning of my 36th year on the faculty):

1. There are surprisingly few people on campus. The parking garages are less than half full even at the busiest times of the day. Driving around campus, even at class-change times, is easy. Walking down hallways devoted solely to classrooms, most are empty.

2. Most of my colleagues are teaching remotely. Students seem truly appreciative that they have an opportunity to actually meet face-to-face (or, more appropriately, mask-to-mask). The first day, as the students in my undergrad class filed out, person after person simply said "thank you!"

3. Students are doing their part. They are wearing masks, even outside on the walkways and sidewalks.

4. Classrooms are restricted to less-than-half capacity. My undergrad class of 18 students was moved from a room that seats 35 to one that seats 45. Every-other seat in every classroom is designated "off limits." Students can only enter a classroom after every person from the previous class has left. Sanitary wipes are in every classroom, and students are instructed to wipe down their desk/table when they arrive.

5. I don't have any football players this semester (and only 1 women's basketball player).

6. Everyone seems to be fully aware that things could collapse in a matter of days (and we'd be back to the sort of shutdown we experienced in the spring).

7. Lecturing for 75 minutes in a mask is not easy!

Simply, thank you!

 

[Woodsa]

Purdue has 40 total cases with 37 recovered. Not sure what the total population is right now but if this stays true then the next step to return to a bit or normal is an adjustment to either the social distancing or mask policy.

 

[Wheels Of Steel]

Hi folks, thanks for your inquiries; let me see if I can clarify a couple of points.

1. It is true that our classrooms have a plexiglass barrier mounted on wheels. They are maybe 5 feet wide and 6-and-half feet tall. I suppose that if you stood behind a lectern they might be of some use. I use the entire 30-or-so feet at the front of the room and every bit of available space in front of me (think of a preacher at a revival meeting). No reason to try and drag that apparatus around with me!

2. All instructors have been provided with face shields, but we are required to wear masks, regardless of whether we're also wearing a face shield.

3. The Purdue dashboard, updated daily, says that, as of August 29th, there have been 96 positive tests (84 students, 12 employees):

Protect Purdue - Purdue University’s response to COVID-19

Protect Yourself. Protect Others. Protect Purdue. What you need to know to about our response to COVID-19 and the procedures in place to keep our campus safe.

protect.purdue.edu

 

[NVboiler]

A little news on this- https://www.yahoo.com/news/please-dont-kill-him-fall-043121408.html .