institutions

Submitted by Marjorie Valbrun on September 24, 2020 - 3:00am

University and college administrators are clearly having a tough time monitoring the daily activities of students during the pandemic, much less controlling their risky behaviors on weekends. This was evident in the parties and other gatherings widely documented on social media during Labor Day weekend and the subsequent spikes in COVID-19 outbreaks on campuses across the country[1].

This was not the case at North Carolina A&T State University, a historically Black institution where, in a first, classes were held on Labor Day.

“We held classes to discourage our students from going anywhere,” Todd Simmons, associate vice chancellor for university relations, said matter-of-factly -- and unapologetically.

The plan appears to have worked. NCA&T had no reported large student gatherings or parties during that time. And after scouring various social media sites, campus officials determined students were largely compliant with a raft of public health rules being strictly enforced on and off the Greensboro campus.

Classes will also be held next month during what was traditionally a short fall break held after midterm exams. Simmons said he heard not a peep of pushback from students.

"I think they thought it was worth the trade-off" of being allowed back on campus and keeping the university open, he said.

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