Starting this fall, Stanford University will alternate bringing half of its undergraduate students to campus during different quarters, with the majority of courses still happening online — even for students who are living there in person.
The university announced its plans for the next school year in a message to undergraduate students on Monday. Under the new schedule, which is subject to change given local health conditions, freshmen, sophomores and new transfer students will live on campus for the fall quarter and then learn remotely until the Summer 2021 quarter. Juniors and seniors can return to campus in person for winter and spring quarters next year.
A limited amount of housing will be available for undergraduate students who need to live on campus longer than their designated quarters due to special circumstances, including international students who may face travel or visa complications; students experiencing homelessness; students with home environments that prevent them from being able to participate in a remote learning environment or are unsafe; and student-athletes approved to prepare for and compete in their intercollegiate seasons, Stanford said.
No student will be required to return to Stanford for in-person instruction.
In the message to students, Vice Provost for Student Affairs Susie Brubaker-Cole and Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education Sarah Church cautioned that campus life won't look or feel the same when they return to Stanford.
"While we very much look forward to welcoming undergraduates back to campus, we need to be clear about what you should expect: The safeguards we will need to implement will fundamentally change the student experience," they wrote. "We are working with a group of students this summer to start creating ways to help students get acquainted and spend time with friends; however, there will be significant restrictions on in-person classroom use, dorm life, social life, guests and travel."
Most if not all classes will still be offered online, even for students living on campus, the administrators wrote. It is "highly unlikely" that Stanford will allow campus events and parties next school year, they said, and even small gatherings could be limited. All undergraduates will live in single rooms or two-room doubles on campus. The university is encouraging students to bring to campus only "essential items, things they can carry on their own if the need arises," given the alternating housing schedule and "the uncertainty associated with the COVID-19 pandemic," Brubaker-Cole and Church wrote.
Students will have to wear masks whenever they leave their rooms, including in the common areas of dorms and anywhere on campus.
"COVID testing, contact tracing, and quarantine/isolation will become a regular part of student life," they wrote.
The Studio 2 building in Escondido Village will house any undergraduate and graduate students who are required to quarantine and residences on the Row will serve as isolation housing for students who have tested positive for COVID-19.
Stanford is working to make the in-person experience special for freshmen and sophomores as well as offer "community building and support" while they're not at Stanford. The university is developing public service, internship and job shadowing opportunities that students will be able to participate in when they're not on campus.
The university said student, staff and faculty input helped to shape the plan, including most students' desire to to be on campus with students in their cohort year and seniors and many juniors have the least flexibility in course choices given they're closer to graduating. With commencement in the spring, it would also be "impractical" for seniors to live on campus in the summer.
Stanford's fall quarter will begin on Sept. 14. The university plans to announce soon the start and end dates for winter, spring and summer quarters.
For students who are eligible for financial aid, assistance will be available for three quarters of enrollment.
Stanford is still determining move-in dates for early September and how to bring students in while adhering to social distancing and other public health requirements.
Other "things we're still working on," Brubaker-Cole and Church wrote, include determining a grading policy for the academic year, creating processes for required testing, contact tracing and quarantine/isolation and figuring out how campus organizations like fraternities and sororities will operate.
Stanford will continue to update undergraduates and their parents about the 2020-21 academic year through a series of weekly newsletters.
"As with all planning for next academic year, this plan is dependent on our ability to safely reopen in alignment with county orders and with the guidance of public health officials," Brubaker-Cole and Church wrote. "We may change this plan if there is a surge in COVID cases, or if there is, for example, a vaccine that allows us to bring more students to campus safely."
Find comprehensive coverage on the Midpeninsula's response to the new coronavirus by Palo Alto Online, the Mountain View Voice and the Almanac here.
Comments
Charleston Gardens
on Jun 29, 2020 at 11:48 pm
on Jun 29, 2020 at 11:48 pm
How much will the tuition reduction be, to account for a diminished student experience? Stanford tuition ain't cheap.
University South
on Jun 30, 2020 at 12:58 am
on Jun 30, 2020 at 12:58 am
Anonymous,
Full tuition is far less than full cost of the education, so students are already getting a discount on cost. Then most students don't pay full tuition and many pay little or no tuition. so those students effectively get an even bigger discount.
Students have the option to live at home if they don't want to pay to live on campus because the campus atmosphere will be relatively sterile. Do they prefer to spend the term with their parents or spend time at a place where they can have some limited in-person interaction with their peers?
Old Palo Alto
on Jun 30, 2020 at 1:45 am
on Jun 30, 2020 at 1:45 am
It seems like this kind of schedule would increase the spread since there would be more air travel trips.
University South
on Jun 30, 2020 at 7:55 am
on Jun 30, 2020 at 7:55 am
Students that return in the fall will leave in November and not come back until June. There is no back and forth during that time. So very limited travel.
another community
on Jun 30, 2020 at 8:44 am
on Jun 30, 2020 at 8:44 am
It sounds like the students will be in solitary confinement. The adverse mental health issues for students will likely be much greater than Covid-related ones. Many other universities are welcoming all students back and having a mix of live and remote instruction. Stanford could do much more for the students. What happened to Stanford's statement that class in tents was a possibility? Stanford has the space and the resources to make it happen.
Los Altos
on Jun 30, 2020 at 11:09 am
on Jun 30, 2020 at 11:09 am
I'd take a year off for self-directed reading and online education with MIT Open Access and other equivalent providers. Then, I'd return to campus in Fall 2021 PROVIDED there is a highly protective Covid vaccine with minimal side effects. Staying on campus is not an option IMHO. Shared hallways, shared air conditioning, shared restrooms (including showers and basins!!!), the list goes on an on.
Palo Verde
on Jun 30, 2020 at 11:22 am
on Jun 30, 2020 at 11:22 am
Stanford with its $26 billon endowment could easily take steps to socially distance its students by renting now-vacant hotels and other unused property. If I were a Stanford student, I would demand half tuition discount for half-year learning.
Duveneck/St. Francis
on Jun 30, 2020 at 2:05 pm
on Jun 30, 2020 at 2:05 pm
When they stroll or bike into downtown, can Stanford students please wear masks? Many of us are, let’s just say, older than Stanford students and their circulating in our community may increase our risk as many would likely be asymptomatic.
Please don’t take all our local test capacity, either. We local residents need to have this. Only recently were we able to get a test at PA City Hall - Thank you! - this was VERY helpful to the 2,130 or so of us northern Santa Clara County residents who finally got tested.
Knowing Stanford’s power and financial muscle, I fear they will take all tests, PPE, medical capacity and whatever else may b3come crucial.
Old Palo Alto
on Jun 30, 2020 at 2:30 pm
on Jun 30, 2020 at 2:30 pm
@anonymous. Good suggestions. I suggest posting your comments on reddit in the r/stanford community/subreddit. Many students read it - especially international students.
University South
on Jun 30, 2020 at 5:01 pm
on Jun 30, 2020 at 5:01 pm
JR,
Students will be attending classes for 3 quarters, same as usual. They can spend 2 of the 3 quarters on campus, if they wish, but they are not required to do so. Students can transfer another school if they don’t like the Stanford program, but which school do you KNOW will be doing a better job?
University South
on Jun 30, 2020 at 5:07 pm
on Jun 30, 2020 at 5:07 pm
Renting hotel rooms would require mingling between the campus and community, which would be risky for both groups. Absolutely NO undergraduates will be allowed to live off-campus.
The university has canceled all reunions, and I suspect that if football games are played nobody living off-campus will be allowed to attend.
Students will be sent home before a Thanksgiving and almost all of that group will not return until June. I would also guess students could be sent home if they flagrantly violate the limited group restrictions.
Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Jun 30, 2020 at 6:46 pm
on Jun 30, 2020 at 6:46 pm
Universities are some of the most impacted organizations because of our administration's mismanagement of the pandemic (starting with 125,000 Americans dead as opposed to just 9,000 in Germany with 1/4 our population, or areas in parts of Southeast Asia with the same population having only 2,000 deaths.)
I would hope that now that Stanford and other universities have a plan, that they would all decide to put real effort into ensuring their distanced students can figure out easily where their voting residency is and how to register to vote/vote absentee. Young people have historically found it difficult to vote when they are in college, this fall there will be more uncertainty than ever. The colleges should take it as their civic duty to ensure that all students can vote.
Old Palo Alto
on Jul 1, 2020 at 7:45 pm
on Jul 1, 2020 at 7:45 pm
If student athletes are required to be on campus for the entire school year because of their training and competition demands there could be only 2 student athletes from each class year per sport required on campus while the rest of their classmates who are not athletes are either there for 2 quarters or not at all. I would suspect that student athletes might prefer to take a gap year .
Stanford
on Jul 6, 2020 at 2:18 pm
on Jul 6, 2020 at 2:18 pm
The Trump administration says they will deport foreign students if their universities are not offering in-person classes during the pandemic. CNN News report: Web Link
Old Palo Alto
on Jul 7, 2020 at 4:27 am
on Jul 7, 2020 at 4:27 am
I don't understand how universities can allow students to return to campus to live and eat in dormitories, sit in enclosed rooms for instruction, or work in labs.
The situation is getting worse in the US, and also in countries like New Zealand and Australia who are having trouble dealing with their returning citizens.
It is unbelievable how Stanford is discussing housing assignments with their international students at this time. Just tell these students to stay in their homelands for now.
It is for their protection, and the protection of our community - regardless of what the government says. It is common sense. Stanford should not allow themselves to be blinded by the loss of foreign money during a global crisis.
They should start focusing on downsizing themselves like other corporations if they want to survive this.
Stanford
on Jul 7, 2020 at 11:03 am
on Jul 7, 2020 at 11:03 am
Donald Trump and Betsy DeVos says schools must fully reopen this year. Online classes and part-time classes are a scam to discredit the Republicans. AP News report: Web Link
Stanford
on Jul 7, 2020 at 2:03 pm
on Jul 7, 2020 at 2:03 pm
CNN News report: "Trump administration's planned purge of international students serves a cruel purpose"
Web Link
Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Jul 7, 2020 at 2:38 pm
on Jul 7, 2020 at 2:38 pm
Posted by student, a resident of Stanford:
>> The Trump administration says they will deport foreign students if their universities are not offering in-person classes during the pandemic.
If every student who is on-campus has at least one in-person class, would that satisfy "the administration"? A lot of lectures with 500+ students might as well be online anyway, but, it would be nice to have at least one 10-person seminar per quarter/semester anyway, with classes held outdoors. Has the administration actually published regulations? If they have, where are the regulations online?
College Terrace
on Jul 7, 2020 at 9:38 pm
on Jul 7, 2020 at 9:38 pm
FYI my department (like I'm sure many others) is really trying to offer in-person classes each quarter to provide the opportunity for international students to legally remain on campus.
Duveneck/St. Francis
on Jul 7, 2020 at 11:08 pm
on Jul 7, 2020 at 11:08 pm
At some colleges, students will not be permitted to go off campus. I would request that Stanford follow this rule. It's not great for the local economy, but it will help keep Stanford and the community safe.
Stanford
on Jul 8, 2020 at 11:56 am
on Jul 8, 2020 at 11:56 am
Harvard and MIT sue Trump administration over online-only instruction for foreign students in the US. CNN News report: Web Link
Stanford
on Jul 8, 2020 at 12:00 pm
on Jul 8, 2020 at 12:00 pm
Harvard, MIT sue Trump administration over rule that strips visas from international students. NBC News report: Web Link
Stanford
on Jul 9, 2020 at 2:13 pm
on Jul 9, 2020 at 2:13 pm
99 members of Congress demand Trump administration withdraw threats to deport foreign college students. NBC News report: Web Link
Stanford
on Jul 9, 2020 at 10:18 pm
on Jul 9, 2020 at 10:18 pm
California Will Sue Trump Administration Over International Student Visa Policy. CBS News report: Web Link
Stanford
on Jul 13, 2020 at 4:27 pm
on Jul 13, 2020 at 4:27 pm
200 universities and 17 states sue the Trump administration over the threat to deport foreign students attending universities with online classes during the pandemic: Web Link
Stanford
on Jul 14, 2020 at 1:21 pm
on Jul 14, 2020 at 1:21 pm
The Trump administration abandons plans to deport foreign college students. CNN News report: Web Link
College Terrace
on Jul 14, 2020 at 9:45 pm
on Jul 14, 2020 at 9:45 pm
Very few classes will be offered in-person, and most of these will be taught by un-tenured faculty members who are typically younger and at lower risk and can be more easily coerced into risking their health. Overall this will be Zoom U lite.
Green Acres
on Jul 17, 2020 at 8:23 pm
on Jul 17, 2020 at 8:23 pm
Now that all K-12 schools in Santa Clara County will be online only this year dur to rising COVID-19 infections, will Stanford move their classes online as well? Or is the health of Stanford junior faculty and students less of a concern that that of K-12 teachers and students in PAUSD and other Santa Clara county schools??
Stanford
on Jul 18, 2020 at 9:18 pm
on Jul 18, 2020 at 9:18 pm
I get the sense that Stanford undergrads and their parents are not terribly concerned (and certainly significantly less concerned than PAUSD parents) about students or instructors contracting covid-19 by participating in one of the few in-person classes. Instead, they seem content that the residence halls will remain open so students can enjoy the social/networking benefits of living on-campus for 2 quarters, even if most of their classes are on Zoom. Please remind me why some of us are being coerced to put our and our families' lives on the line for what appears to be a minor component of the college experience.
Old Palo Alto
on Jul 19, 2020 at 6:21 pm
on Jul 19, 2020 at 6:21 pm
@ Assistant prof
I believe foreign students (both undergrads and graduate students) will be the greatest presence on campus. They put up the biggest fight to stay in March to remain on campus for the remainder of the year. Many do not want to return to their home countries because it may ruin their long term immigration goals of staying and working in the US forever. Students from developing countries paid migration brokers in their home countries lots of money to fix their applications to get into Stanford - so they have no intention of returning - Covid or not. Their excuses to stay were lame, but they "won".
Students who are not already on campus - are on their way. Some TA's still have no idea what courses they will be teaching.
Check Reddit (r/Stanford) "Stanford PhD Life" for posts made just in the past day or so.
Clearly these graduate students are disregarding rules, and the health and welfare of the community. These overly social grad students don't care if they infect people in our community by their shopping, drinking, partying, and dining out. They think they are above the law.
Here are just a few excerpts from Reddit from the past day.
"Hi! I’m an incoming PhD student and a social butterfly! I was curious to know if PhD students here engage in social activates/events, or are students more introverts?"
"brokeh1b
Well, if you want, you can always hang out around Palo Alto (Menlo Park may be better since it belongs to San Mateo) under the county’s guidance. Stanford cannot control what grad students are doing off-campus."
---------------
"Rains hosts Thursday beers EVERY week! It’s mostly for Rains people, but I’ve seen many people from outside (even postdocs). Stop by one of those!"
Duveneck/St. Francis
on Jul 19, 2020 at 8:21 pm
on Jul 19, 2020 at 8:21 pm
@Newsom Order Impact,
A district in a County who is off the watch list for 14 days can offer in-person live instruction. In addition, in Santa Clara County, any district, private school, or charter may ask for a waiver elementary to be taught in-person live with protocols. Yes, for right now, for the next two weeks, PAUSD is in this pickle, but we can get out of it. The order does not apply to non K-12.