As difficult a job as it’s going to be to keep K-12 students safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, imagine having to worry about more than 40,000 students on a large college campus.
As difficult a job as it’s going to be to keep K-12 students safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, imagine having to worry about more than 40,000 students on a large college campus.
As difficult a job as it’s going to be to keep K-12 students safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, imagine having to worry about more than 40,000 students on a large college campus.
Akers Hall To Be Isolation Dorm
MORE DETAILS NOW... ON A STORYWE FIRST TOLD YOU ABOUT ATSIX-30 -- THE PLANS TOTURN "AKERS HALL" INTO ACOVID-19 ISOLATION DORM FORM-S-U STUDENTS.FOX 47'S KELLAN BUDDY IS ONCAMPUS WITH A LOOK AT HOW IT'SGOING TO WORK."IT'S ESSENTIAL TO THEOPERATIONS OF THE UNIVERSITYTHAT WE'RE ABLE TO FOLLOW THECDC'SBEST PRACTICES OF ISOLATINGPEOPLE WHEN WE KNOW THAT THEREARE CASES, AND BEING ABLE TOCONTACT TRACE AND TEST PEOPLE."KAT COOPER..CHIEF COMMUNICATIONSOFFICER FOR MSU'S RESIDENTIALAND HOSPITALITY SERVICES,SAYS AKERS HALL WAS THE BESTCHOICE IN PART BECAUSE OF ITSLOCATION IN THE EASTNEIGHBORHOOD.
THE ROOMS IN AKERSALSO PREVENT ISOLATED STUDENTSFROM MAKING UNNECESSARY CONTACT."THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECE WASTHAT BATHROOM...THEY DON'T HAVETO ACCESS THE HALLWAY...THEYDON'T HAVE TO SEE ANYONE, SOTHAT MAKES IT REALLY IDEAL FORTHIS TYPE OF HOUSING."STUDENTS WILL BE GIVEN A LIST OFGUIDELINES THEY NEED TO FOLLOWSO THAT THEY CAN KEEP OTHERSSAFE ON CAMPUS."THOSE GUIDELINES INCLUDE HOW TOTAKE YOUR TRASH OUT, HOW TO GETFOOD, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO ORDERMEALS AND HAVE THEM DELIVERED TOTHE RESIDENCE, TO THE DOOR, SOTHAT THEY HAVE THEFOOD THAT THEY NEED TO BECOMFORTABLE."IF CASES BECOME TOO HIGH...ANDAKERS HALL REACHESCAPACITY...COOPER SAYSTHEY HAVE MULTIPLE OTHER OPTIONSFOR ISOLATION DORMS."AS NEW INFORMATION COMES IN,THE UNIVERSITY HAS DEMONSTRATEDTHE ABILITY TO BE FLEXIBLE ANDMOVE TO MEET NEW TARGETS.
THAT'SREALLY IMPORTANT TO THE SAFETYOF OUR STUDENTS."SO WHAT HAPPENS TO THE STUDENTSTHAT WERE SUPPOSED TO LIVETHERE?COOPER SAYS ONE OPTION THEY HAVEIS TO LEARN FROM HOME."THEY CAN STAY AT THEIRPERMANENT ADDRESS WITH THEIRPARENT OR GUARDIAN AND DO THEIRCLASSESFROM THAT LOCATION."BUT IF THEY'RE SET ON STAYING INA DORM... THEY CAN WAIT FOROTHERS TO OPT FOR ONLINECLASSES.
"AS STUDENTS PICK THATOPTION, IT'S OPENING MORE SPACEIN THE RESIDENCE HALLS SOSTUDENTS CANMOVE OUT OF AKERS HALL AND INTOOTHER SPACES."KELLAN BUDDY, FOX 47 NEWSM-S-U IS ALSO PUTTING NEWPROCEDURES IN PLAC ETO HELPPREVENT E SPREADOF CORONAVIRUS... AND HOPEFULLYKEEP AKERS FROM FILLING UP.ONE EXAMPLE IS LIMITING CAPACITYIN THE DINING HALLS TO50-PERCENT... ANDGIVING STUDENTS THE OPTION TOTAKE THEIR MEALS BACK TO THEIRROOMS.STUDENTS WHO CHOOSE TO TAKECLASSES FROM HOME INSTEAD OFLIVING ONCAMPUS... NEED TO SUBMIT THEIRAPPLICATION NO LATER THANWEDNESDAY,AUGUST FIFTH.STAFF MEMBERS THAT GETCORONAVIRUS WILL BE ASKED TOSELF-QUARANTINE IN THEIRHOMES FOR FOURTEEN DAYS.WE WILL KEEP YOU UPDATED ASM-S-U PUTS NEW COVID-19PROCEDURES IN PLACE.
