Rutgers isn't exactly overflowing with money; why spend money on an event that can't happen? There is no plausible alternative; any commencement will bring people together and will risk a superspreader event. What do you see as what Rutgers could do that wouldn't risk getting a lot of people sick?
Rutgers cancels commencement on campus for second straight year
- Thread starter Tango Two
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Rutgers isn't exactly overflowing with money; why spend money on an event that can't happen? There is no plausible alternative; any commencement will bring people together and will risk a superspreader event. What do you see as what Rutgers could do that wouldn't risk getting a lot of people sick?
never said there weren’t variants and never said the variants aren’t adding to transmissions.
theres no evidence these variants are any worse lethal or contagious than the dozens of variants that came before them
while your points are valid, I still don’t think it’s the right idea. There’s plenty of ways to give the seniors a traditional commencement. HIgh schools all over the state did it last year. If RU really cared they’d find a way. I just don’t think they care enough.
all good, agree to disagree here. Thanks for being respectful
At the bare minimum a better version of a virtual one.
And I agree with @mikemarc1 here as the effort for alternatives is lacking.
I won't argue about your first sentence (I hate getting into a dispute about who said what like we see so often on the weather threads), but your second sentence is completely wrong. There is a lot of evidence the new variants are more contagious, and some emerging evidence that at least one may cause more serious cases (and therefore increase the probability of death).
You seem impervious to facts. I don't understand why.
You're wrong about "high schools all over the state." And could you please give an example of how "to give the seniors a traditional commencement?" You criticize the decision without offering a plausible alternative.
I know that many students were disappointed last year by the lack of a traditional commencement, but public health has to come first with so many dying each day. Maybe they could do a virtual one, but no one goes to graduation to hear the speeches; they go there for the excitement of the occasion.
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where is this evidence? Please link. I want real world evidence that these new mutations are more dangerous than previous mutations. Not just studies or opinion pieces.
Florida, where the mutation is mist widespread, is seeing declining cases and hospitalizations. UK..where the strain was first found, is declining considerably. As is SA, the place the other strain emerged. This real world stats are telling me these strains aren’t anymore dangerous than others.Until cases take off and hopefully they won’t again, I’m not seeing evidence
Commencement by major maybe? Or degree (instead of whole campus wide commencement).
Scatter these across two weeks. Just one quick example off top of my head
There is plenty of real world evidence that the mutations are more dangerous. You just refuse to believe the evidence. And I think *you* need to present evidence for assertions about the decline of the strain found in the UK.
I don't think this is a useful discussion. You just make up "facts" when you want to and deny real facts when you want to. We have thousands dying each day from covid-19, and you're obsessed with commencement. I don't think it's worth while to continue this dialogue.
All of those would be super-spreader events. You're just refusing to think and to consider the established evidence. Over and out.
here’s evidence from UK. If the UK strain is so much more contagious please explain how cases have fallen dramatically since it was discovered.
United Kingdom COVID - Coronavirus Statistics - Worldometer
United Kingdom Coronavirus update with statistics and graphs: total and new cases, deaths per day, mortality and recovery rates, current active cases, recoveries, trends and timeline.
www.worldometers.info
Here’s South Africa, home of the “most lethal strain”
however their deaths from Covid pretty much mirror the death charts in countries with other strains. Peaked in January and falling currently.
If the strain was more lethal one would think the death chart from SA would be deifferebt than those in other countries.
www.worldometers.info
however their deaths from Covid pretty much mirror the death charts in countries with other strains. Peaked in January and falling currently.
If the strain was more lethal one would think the death chart from SA would be deifferebt than those in other countries.
South Africa COVID - Coronavirus Statistics - Worldometer
South Africa Coronavirus update with statistics and graphs: total and new cases, deaths per day, mortality and recovery rates, current active cases, recoveries, trends and timeline.
www.worldometers.info
more evidence from Florida. Where the UK strain is “uncontrolled” according to most media.
Florida COVID - Coronavirus Statistics - Worldometer
Florida COVID-19 Coronavirus update by county with statistics and graphs: total and new cases, deaths per day, current active cases, recoveries, historical data, trends, projections, and timeline.
www.worldometers.info
cases have been falling since Jan 3. If this is happening with an “uncontrolled” virus I don’t think this variant is as infectious or dangerous as media and officials are warning.
hope that’s sufficient evidence for you, enjoy the weekend!
We are giving ideas but...
No they wouldn't...
And @mikemarc1 is right, HS across the state of NJ were doing the spread out, mask up, limit the amount of guests.
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Why is it an event that can't happen? there are hundreds of people in the Shop Rite I was just in, inside. The Super Bowl just had tens of thousands of fans in the stands. ARMY had graduation LAST May. Those that don't wish to participate don't have to, those that do, can. We have something like 3000+ people a day testing positive in NJ, they're in the herd. Hundreds of thousands more will be vaccinated by then. the transmission rate is dropping every day. We will never reach a zero chance, never. There will always be some risk. College aged population is at a statically zero risk of severe covid reaction. In either scenario, grandma probably stays home and stays safe ( her personal choice) but regardless, I'll wager grandma would like the ceremony to go on for her grandchild. Most parents would like to see the ceremony go on for their children and most college graduates would like to attend their ceremony.
At any university that allowed students to be on campus, they overwhelmingly showed up. That tells me the vast majority of families have no issue with their children being in an on campus setting, with thousands of other students in close proximity. Time for Rutgers to allow students and their families to make decisions for themselves. We are the customer, the paying customer and IMO, Rutgers has forgotten that.
Allowing grown adults to make a risk/reward decision for themselves isn't difficult. For those that fear the virus, stay home, stay sheltered, wear double masks. Any of the stupid, selfish folks that attend the graduation will be wearing a mask in any public setting that you might come across them? I simply don't understand the fear. Yes, people have died from covid. Roughly 6000 people die every month in NJ for any variety of reasons. If you check the nj.gov statistics, there HAVE NOT been any access deaths in NJ since May 2020. the same amount of people are dying in NJ as normally die, pre covid. The vast majority of covid deaths are elderly and those with multiple co-morbidities. those folks shouldn't go to a large graduation ceremony, but they should have the choice to regardless. It should be a personal choice....IMO
West Point had 1100 graduates last year; Rutgers has far more. How are you going to keep all the Rutgers grads six feet apart?? Graduates of West Point did fourteen days of quarantine. Do you think you could get all the Rutgers grads to quarantine for any length of time, even a week?? West Point didn't allow family or friends to attend -- is that what you want? If you think I made this up, look at my link, which is from an impeccable source.
It’s a start.
As was suggested don’t make it a University wide one but school one. You could even break it down even further by discipline: electrical engineering one day, civil the next. Masters candidates the following week with PhD ones a day or two later. The social distancing thing would be very easy to accomplish in a 52K Stadium and a 8K RAC.
As for the quarantine requirements, that time frame was last year. Now to enter an event in NY State you will need to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test 72hrs prior.
Just some ideas.
You think you could get everyone to get a test 72 hours prior, particularly when the test is uncomfortable? Do you wnat a graduation without family or friends, or insist that each group sit it six feet apart? Do you want to try to have each school graduate in the stadium for social distancing, and tear up the grass from multiple events? (The RAC isn't much better unless your going to insist that everyone wear some variety of gym shoe? -- otherwise the floor will be destroyed). It's reasonable for the University to say, "we're not going to spend money putting on a graduation like that."
Actually it's lazy.
The football is field turf. If it can handle very large men in all kinds of weather running up and down, cutting and turning and still look this good, while also been used by MLAX and WLAX...I think it can handle a much smaller scale commencent scheduled over a few days or weeks. As it is now it's used already for a much bigger commencent (for years now) with no issues to the field.
With a smaller class size as suggested it becomes even easier to social distance in a 52K seat building. So the 6ft thing wouldn't be too hard for the graduates or family.
The RAC also has ways to do this to protect the floor if needed. Monmouth University lets almost every HS in in Monmouth County use their facility and has no issues with the floor.
If this scenario was offered:
- Have to have a good test prior
- Only 2 friends/family members to view from the stands/seats
- Smaller ceremony
- Maybe not just in May, possibly into June
I bet many would say, "Where do I sign and where do I pick up my cap and gown?"
Btw, I have been part of the planning for such events in NYC as the US Open, Macy's Fireworks and NYE in Times Square. So I do have an idea what's involved for things like this.
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BTW, you might want to consider this link: https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/0...an-the-original-virus-variants-scientists-say
As you can see, the evidence is mounting that the strain first found in the U.K. (it could have come from anywhere) is indeed more deadly than the original strain. For anything, restrictions ought to become tighter not looser as this strain becomes dominant in the U.S.
As you can see, the evidence is mounting that the strain first found in the U.K. (it could have come from anywhere) is indeed more deadly than the original strain. For anything, restrictions ought to become tighter not looser as this strain becomes dominant in the U.S.
Last night (by permission of Governor Murphy) I was able to watch my HS age son play ice hockey in person and INSIDE for the first time in over a year. His older brother had his college hockey season cancelled (official word came today). * I''ll take my chances. Bet many say the same thing...especially after the vaccine options.
* But that's me.
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I'm glad you focused on the single ARMY event from 9 months ago. The point, which you missed, is that if there's a will, there's a way. As e5fdny showed with multiple options, it could be done. It's about leadership. It's always easier to say why you can't do something. It's takes a leader to say why it can be done. I urge you to read the letter below from the president of Purdue University. ( a medical Phd by the way )
Annual Open Letter to the People of Purdue from Mitch Daniels
www.purdue.edu › messages › 2101-med-openletter-full
This is a leader. This is what a leader does. Facts, science data show it can be done. President Daniels lays it all out. Hindsight is 20/20, and other universities have shown it can be done. Certainly Rutgers can find a way to have some sort of graduations for its seniors, they've earned it.
Oh STFU with the fear mongering already and get out of your academic echo chamber for 5 minutes.
anyone doing a study can find what they want to find if they look hard enough.
again can you explain the drop in deaths in SA with a deadlier strain? Wouldn’t a deadlier strain make deaths rise?
why are cases decreasing in UK with a more contagious variant? Wouldn’t s more contagious variant make cases rise?
More evidence these new strains are not significantly more concerning than others..despite the panic porn
Online Petition Urges Rutgers to Consider Hosting In-Person Commencements
The online petition, which has been virtually signed by more than 1,100 people, is asking the Class of 2021 to forgo any future donations to the school if a “concerted effort isn’t made to hold appropriate school convocations or a commencement ceremony by July 2021.”
www.tapinto.net
The online petition, which has been virtually signed by more than 1,100 people, is asking the Class of 2021 to forgo any future donations to the school if a “concerted effort isn’t made to hold appropriate school convocations or a commencement ceremony by July 2021.”
Online Petition Urges Rutgers to Consider Hosting In-Person Commencements
NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ – Olivia Kuzman ticks off the events and experiences that Class of ’21 has been robbed of by the COVID-19 pandemic.
the variants are a way for them to keep controlling you...wake up people, cases are dropping like a rock and they are pushing variants more than ever
FYI...Montclair State with 20K+ students plans to have a real in person commencement this spring.
Looks like it will be individual schools, instead of one big one, spread over a few weeks.
Looks like it will be individual schools, instead of one big one, spread over a few weeks.
who are “they”? Rutgers administration? You don’t really think they would prefer in-person graduations if they thought it could be done safely and economically?
"Brilliant Minds" at a world top 50 University can't figure it out lol. When crap happens Rutgers is always "Duck and Cover U"
