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The United States is entering its worst period for COVID-19 infections to date. This past week the nation averaged 145,712 new cases reported per day, according to The New York Times. On Friday, the U.S. reported 184,000 new cases, a new record and far more than the country experienced in the first and second waves of the virus in April and July.
In response, colleges have been pulling back from their in-person operations. Two universities announced online transitions this weekend, and one imposed a curfew. Fifteen football games were canceled or postponed, while athletics staff at one university refused pay cuts.
The University of Maryland at College Park announced that all undergraduate classes will be moved online beginning today, and they will remain that way through the end of the semester. The university encouraged students to get tested for the virus and start making plans to return home. The university cited rising cases in the state of Maryland and in Prince George’s County, where College Park is located, as reasons for the shift.
Villa Maria College in Buffalo, N.Y., announced that all classes would be transitioned to an online format starting Nov. 23 and remain that way for the rest of the semester. Campus will be open for essential services.
Saint Joseph's College of Maine announced that it was switching to online for the rest of the semester because of 12 COVID-19 cases.
The College of Saint Rose, in New York, announced that it will shift to all online courses on Tuesday. The college has had very few COVID-19 cases, but officials noted that New York State numbers are rising.
And the state of Michigan ordered a three-week shift to online education for colleges and high schools, starting Wednesday.
Florida A&M University has reinstated a curfew for students in residence halls. Students must remain in their rooms from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Monday through Thursday and 12 a.m. to 6 a.m. Friday through Sunday. The first curfew went into effect Aug. 22 and was lifted Oct. 9. New weekly COVID-19 cases are rising at the university. The curfew is meant to prohibit large gatherings or parties, officials told the Tallahassee Democrat.
In the athletics world, 15 college football games were canceled or postponed this week due to rising numbers of COVID-19 cases. Eight of the 10 leagues were facing at least one cancellation or postponement, with the Southeastern Conference facing four, CBS Sports reported. Those four SEC cancellations included games between Auburn University and Mississippi State University; Texas A&M University and the University of Tennessee; the University of Alabama and Louisiana State University; and the University of Missouri and the University of Georgia. The University of California, Berkeley, and UCLA also faced cancellations this weekend. Such cancellations have been occurring throughout the season and are now creating issues within the leagues, as some teams have played many more games than others.
At the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, eight football assistants rejected pay cuts proposed by the athletics department to help offset financial losses from the pandemic, the Knoxville News Sentinel has reported. The news was a result of a public records request on the part of the Sentinel. The athletics department is expecting a $40 million loss in revenue this year.
The salaries for the employees that did not accept pay cuts range from $200,000 to $1.6 million. Pay for coaches and assistants at Tennessee is protected by their contracts, meaning they must voluntarily accept any pay cuts. Two other football assistants at Tennessee did accept pay cuts.
