“Nobody expects that this is going to go well,” said Brittni Ballard, a learning technologies librarian at the university’s Albert S. Cook Library. “But nobody wants to push back.”

and

‘When the library was open during spring break in March, we observed numerous instances of students violating social distancing guidelines within this space,’ reads a letter addressed to Provost Melanie Perreault from Cook librarians.

‘We have no reason to believe this behavior would be any different this fall,’ the letter said.”

Those words came from a Baltimore Sun article by Taylor Deville about how Towson is handling its reopening plans. I was impressed that a group of my librarian colleagues addressed the social distancing concerns observed during Spring break. I am well-pleased that someone is willing to speak Truth to Power on this issue.

It does seem that nobody is willing to speak out about this issue. It seems that since the University has given everyone options for “opting out” of being on campus, that any concern expressed about the whole community is allowed to fall on deaf ears. That is, “Why are you complaining about this plan? You have been given all the technology, software, and etc. necessary to work from home.” (I.e. since you CAN and are ALLOWED TO work from home, your remarks about the safety of the larger campus environment are somehow less valid.)

My own private hypothesis is that this is a financial and existential crisis for all higher learning institutions. The Universities have to get folks committed to paying for classes and other campus services, or face the fact that they may not choose to come back when the pandemic is under control. A stint in the Dean’s office told me that the salaries for faculty and staff account for a majority of the operating budget each year. And, If they don’t have the budget, people get laid off, furloughed, or fired.

I think every Institution has a good intention to assure its own survival, along with retention of faculty and staff. I don’t know that folks will tolerate another sudden closure, especially in light of expert advice that opposes reopening. Even public K-12 schools statewide (in Maryland) have opted for the Remote option for the first semester of the 2020-21 school years.

Thoughts and Prayers?

Comments?