Jumping into to a Faculty Executive Council meeting where Kevin Guskiewicz is answering questions on UNC Chapel Hill's ongoing COVID disaster

Q: how will students be leaving?
KG: we'll work through a 'process' which Jonathan Sauls will be in charge of

Jonathan Sauls: move-out appointment will start tonight. They will make the process "just as successful as move in."

... was move-in successful, Jonathan? was it really?

KG: Campus Health will remain open. We are still encouraging students to get tested if they have come into close contact with a COVID patient.

Ken Pittman: confirms students can get tests if they have symptoms or if they've come into "close contact" with a COVID patient. They will still not be doing mass-testing which "the CDC wouldn't recommend."

Q: but might we consider going above and beyond CDC recs for students who are leaving campus and may not want to infect their families and communities?

Ken Pittman: No. "Experts are in a much better position to determine approach." If the university recommended we would do it. "I would hate to give students a false sense of security" based on a one-time test.

AHHHHH!!!!!

He did admit that it might be good to do that for students who go home right after getting the negative result (and presumably have not had exposure to anyone since the test).

Seems like a lot of students might want to do that! but sounds like campus health won't give the option

I recommend Walgreens in Durham for free rapid results tests. You have to sign up in advance and it fills up quick, so visit the site in the morning. [on the screening form, remember to check that you live in an area with community spread]
https://www.walgreens.com/findcare/covid19/testing

KP: 'close contact' means 15 minutes or more, one or both of you aren't wearing masks. You have to meet this definition to get tested at UNC campus health.

Individuals in a classroom or residence hall that are not in 'close contact' per that definition won't be contacted.

KP: our sense is that our students have done a great job meeting community standards while in classrooms.

An infectious disease expert says that the way to keep your family safe is to quarantine when you get home.

Who's gonna tell them that not all students have their own rooms?

Additional recommendation of wearing masks within your household for 14 days.

Jonathan Sauls: "I do expect refunds will be issued" for housing. "We're still working out the mechanics."

KG: we're talking about a different de-densification from what we did this spring. Faculty were told to be prepared for this.

Bob Blouin: we're trying to maintain some independence for schools, but faculty have prepared for all methods of delivery

Q: How many fewer students in Chapel Hill are expected because of this approach? And what are other risk mitigation approaches that we can use to get students to wear masks off campus?

JS: "compliance on campus has been extraordinarily high"

JS: haven't done as well off-campus, but we expect students to maintain compliance both on and off campus. It's difficult to enforce unless there's a citation against a particular student. We're working with police to develop strategies to create an "accountability environment"

Q: enforcement strategies?

KG: UNC Police have been working with Chapel Hill Police

Q: what about restaurant closures?

KG: doesn't know because that's a town issue

Q: what has been learned about student exposures or other exposures that we can use to plan for the future?

Bob Blouin: we've had no transmissions between faculty and students, or lab and faculty transmissions, or infections of clinicians. Most transmissions are in social sphere

BB: that was a lesson learned. "and of course many people anticipated that."

KG: it's just the activity off campus that we don't have control over + the migration back into residence halls.

BB: one thing we've learned is how flexible our faculty are. They have so diligently invested hard work in the re-opening under very harsh conditions

Q: it would be helpful if the university saw online not as a failure but as an alternative. I appreciate what Bob said but it would also be more helpful to praise the faculty in public.

KG: I agree.

KG: one faculty members was so grateful for the opportunity to teach in person for even a week.

[omg, I'm so glad everyone's priorities are in order]

Q: will resources be provided to students who don't have anywhere to go?

KG: yes, they can stay on campus, though their rooms may be moved.

JS: we try to work with students on individual basis to accommodate

Q: how are students advised to go home?

JS: individual basis. Might be hard from some students in northeastern corridor who are operating under travel restrictions. But more are in driving distance. Most who remain will probably be international students

Q: what about frat/sorority houses?

JS: we'll remain in conversation. Orange County Health dept. reviewed all of their re-opening plans. Some are under quarantine. These houses are private and likely will work with their national organizations.

Q: are there any consequences from University standpoint for frat/sororities breaking guidelines?

JS: we can't identify specific students from videos. but anyone remains subject to guidelines. Consequences can be losing on-campus housing or disenrollment, but it's on indiv basis

Q: Pushback to earlier comments from KG and BB. Folks teaching f2f hybrid courses were told we may have to switch, but we were not told it would happen so quickly. On a broader note: UNC is being mocked, ppl are afraid to go out. How can we repair relationships and reputation.

KG: sorry, didn't hear the question.

[repeats]

KG: we have to continue working with Chapel Hill/Carrboro. We will continue engaging with conversations going forward. We have work to do. "Leading global research institutions like ours" help society adapt.

Q: staff are concerned about their safety. Have you been contacted, and it what ways are we assisting with their needs?

KG: I've met with various groups, like employee forum. "their voices are important." "our staff will be critical moving forward"