Weekly Briefing: What We Can Learn From 3 Campus Outbreaks

The past month shows just how strongly colleges' decisions can affect the health of their surrounding communities. ADVERTISEMENT [logo] Was this newsletter forwarded to you? [Please sign up to receive your own copy.]( You’ll support our journalism and ensure that you continue to receive our emails. [Read this newsletter on the web](. What we can learn from 3 campus outbreaks. [image] Geoff Crimmins, The Moscow-Pullman Daily News, AP When students return to campus, odds are there will be a Covid-19 outbreak. What effect can those outbreaks have on residents of the colleges' home counties? How quickly can campus outbreaks reach other residents? To better understand the dynamics of such transmission, our Francie Dieptracked case numbers in more than 50 counties whose four-year colleges have enrollments that make up a significant proportion of the county population. One trend repeated itself in several places: From four to 12 days after students move into dorms, coronavirus cases shoot up in the county. Public-health officials suggested that the spikes had been driven by students. Students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Iowa State University both started to move back onto campus on August 3. In Orange County, N.C., where Chapel Hill is located, the average number of new Covid-19 cases was below 20 per day for most of the summer. But from August 13 to August 27, that number blew up. The county saw 754 new cases. UNC reported 814 new cases among students and 12 among faculty and staff members. UNC's numbers were higher than the county overall, suggesting that the virus had been mostly contained on the campus so far. [UNC ditched its plan]( for an in-person fall semester on August 17, and students were encouraged to leave their dorms. But as long as some students live in the area, the county isn't home free. Story County, home to Iowa State, saw a spike in cases around the same time. Though there's little evidence so far that shows the university's infections are reaching the community, Les White, Story County's public-health director, said there are still fears the virus will spread. Wendy Wintersteen, Iowa State's president, told the [Iowa State Daily]( on Monday that she had no intention of moving to an all-remote semester. Here's the kicker: Story County's daily tally of new cases, on a per-capita basis, has outpaced Orange County's. Calling off in-person classes may not be the saving move administrators hoped for. Enter Washington State University, in Whitman County. In late July, Washington State said it would hold nearly all of its undergraduate classes online, and dorms would be open only to students who demonstrated need. The university asked students not to return to campus, but many had already signed leases for off-campus apartments. Classes began on August 24. On August 22, Whitman County saw a steep rise in cases. Washington State is starting mobile testing, both on campus and off, where students live. If students test positive, they'll be told to stay home, like other Whitman County residents. Every campus is handling its coronavirus outbreaks differently. This past month shows just how strongly colleges' decisions can affect the health of their surrounding communities. Read [Francie's story here](. Paid for and Created by Microsoft [Reaching All College Students]( Worldwide, one in five people deal with some kind of learning disability. With new technology, higher ed has an opportunity to make learning accessible to an even greater population. ADVERTISEMENT Subscribe to The Chronicle Our mission, at a time of crisis and uncertainty, is to ensure you have the information you need to make the best decisions for your institution, your career, and your students. Please consider subscribing today to sustain our continuing coverage. [Subscribe Today]( Lagniappe. - Learn. Did you know that the board game Candy Land was developed for bed-ridden children with polio? Me neither. [Read this brief history]( of the game. - Read. What color best represents the pandemic? [Periwinkle](. - Listen. After listening to the podcast [Wind of Change]( and watching the TV series The Americans, I'm hooked on stories — preferably true stories — about the CIA. In [this episode]( of Fresh Air the author Scott Anderson talks about his new book on the CIA's early years and failures. - Watch. [Louisiana Channel]( the YouTube channel for the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, in Denmark, has an "advice to the young" video series. [Start with Patti Smith's advice]( and browse them all. Cheers, —Fernanda This Week‘s Top Reads SEWAGE SURVEILLANCE [Covid-19 Is Threatening the In-Person Semester. Can Wastewater Testing Help Save It?]( By Nell Gluckman [image] As more students return to campus, some colleges have started testing the sewage flowing out of dorms and other buildings to try to detect positive cases before they turn into outbreaks. ADVERTISEMENT THE REVIEW [The Future of the Academic Work Force]( [image] How will the pandemic change the way higher education works? LEADERSHIP [The Pandemic Isn’t the Only Problem Facing Mizzou’s Chief]( By Sarah Brown [image] As Mun Choi deals with rising Covid-19 cases among students, he’s also trying to recover from a series of flareups over his leadership and decision-making. Job Announcement Assistant Womens Lacrosse Coach position available at Carroll University[Visit jobs.chronicle.com]( for more details. Paid for and Created by Dipont Education [Cross-cultural exchange prepares students for life abroad]( Dipont Education found that introducing western-style debate in English to Chinese students offers them a unique and deep cultural insight to succeed at universities in the U, UK, and Australia. The Chronicle's Latest Featured Report: The Post-Pandemic College [JUST RELEASED] [Leading experts examine how the pandemic will shape higher education]( in the years to come and what the college of the future may look like. To recover well, colleges must develop a more externally-focused business model, direct resources to expand professional development in online teaching, and continue to expand mental-health services. Job Opportunities [Search the Chronicle's jobs database]( to view the latest jobs in higher education. What did you think of today’s newsletter? [Strongly disliked]( // [It was OK]( // [Loved it](. [logo]( This newsletter was sent to {EMAIL}. 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