Wednesday, September 9, 2020
The Villanovan | 5
OPINION
OPINION
Student Responsibility During the Time of COVID-19 Maggie Cavanaugh Staff Writer Responsibility is a scary word for any college student. It piles up in syllabi, calls from parents and general expectations of our growing place in the world. The pandemic has added another layer of nuance to the responsibility that college students share, and no case better shows this than Northeastern’s dismissal of 11 freshmen who violated the school’s social distancing guidelines. Obviously, Twitter users held a thought-provoking and civil discussion about the role of institutional obligations versus youth versus the role of community safety, and obviously, this is sarcasm. Word limits and hashtags do not promote the careful gradation of consideration that this situation deserves. In the case of these Northeastern students, they signed a contract stating that they would abide by rules issued by their administrators. Their administrators agreed tocreate comprehensive safety measures that if followed would keep their community
safe. Even the parents had to sign a statement saying they understood the risks and accepted that students could be sent home, forsaking tuition, if they violated the rules. These 11 students violated the rules, got caught and were sent home. Beyond this case, there is a strong desire to pin all of the blame for university shutdowns on the students who violate the rules. “Do you really want to be the reason that Tulane and New Orleans have to shut down again?” Tulane’s Dean of Students said. “Prove them wrong,” University President Peter M. Donohue, PhD, O.S.A., said. We all laughed at videos of UNC freshmen making water slides and saw evidence of our own freshmen gathering. Other sophomores and myself used our six months of seniority on this campus to blame them as the reason we could be sent home. However, that’s not entirely fair. Students absolutely should carry some of the responsibility for keeping themselves and those around them safe. Those who break the rules deserve to be sent home. However, new studies about the coronavirus and con-
tainment come out every day. Harvard and Yale recently published a joint study on how frequent and strategic surveillance testing is needed to figure out which students are sick before they infect others. Debate still rages about the safety of dining halls, shared bathrooms and indoor classroom space. Institutions do share some of the responsibility for keeping us safe. In UNC’s case, the Dean theorized that certain aspects of dorm living, like communal bathrooms, were ulti-
mately what allowed cases to spread unchecked. However, in Notre Dame’s case, a two-week lockdown of online classes allowed the school to get a handle on the cases. Most colleges have created contact tracing departments who work quickly to notify the potentially infected friends and lunch buddies of a sick student, but students can make it easier by being strategic about with whom they keep company. It’s a strange semester, Villanova, but we can make it a good one.
Villanova students must follow school and CDC guidelines to stay on campus this semester. Courtesy of The Philadelphia Inquirer
Letter to the Editors: 9/11 — A Letter From the Editors: Moment of Silence and Love No More Parties in Radnor Michael H. Skurecki University Alumnus, Class of 1991 On Sept. 11, 2020, the 19th anniversary of the terrorist attacks upon our soil, let us again remember, honor and reflect on those who perished and the families and friends they left behind. We must keep our flags flying and participate in ceremonies that will keep the memories alive for the past, present and all future generations. During the day on 9/11, we must reserve a moment of silence, reflect on the events and share our love and compassion for the victims and family members. On this day of infamy, our hearts, along with those who have perished and those left behind, will be united. This attack on our country and our principals must never be forgotten. We honor those who perished in New York World Center Tower’s attack which included Flight 175 passengers (51) and crew members (9), Flight 11 passengers (76) and crew members (11) and those in the Towers: firefighters, police, response teams, medical and other agencies and individuals (2605), for a total of 2,752 victims. I lost 15 of my fellow Villanova graduates in the Towers.
Letter
to
Mike Brown Director of the Office of Veterans and Military Service Members
This year marks the 19th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on this country. For many on that day, it was just a typical Tuesday, but that quickly changed to a day that
We honor those who perished in the Pentagon attack in Arlington Virginia, which included Flight 77 passengers (53) and crew members (6) and those in the Pentagon that included military and civilian personnel (125), for a total of 184 victims. I lost my Northrop Grumman Corporation co-worker, Julian Cooper. We honor those who perished on a field near Shanksville Pennsylvania, Somerset County, whose actions on board the aircraft prevented it from continuing on the course to what has been determined our White House. This included Flight 93 passengers (33) and crew members (7) for a total of 40 and an unborn child. We must never forget our 9/11 victims as we continue to love our country and be proud that we are Americans. At every opportunity, we must also thank our military members, veterans and various agencies who are responsible for protecting our country. On Sept. 11, 2020 and all future anniversaries, we must remember our 9/11 victims “not who they were, but who they are.” God Bless America, our 9/11 victims and families, our military, our veterans, our wounded warriors and our citizens. In remembering, there is peace.
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ended far from typical, and one that changed the world forever. Since then, we have fought in two separate wars, we have gone through several presidential elections, and we are currently going through a global public health crisis. What have we learned, and where are we headed? What we as an institution
The University is beginning random testing starting this week. This is fantastic news; many on campus have been calling for the school to test more often since we arrived on campus. What this also means, however, is that students will no longer be able to get away with holding parties, either on or off campus. It is no secret that there have been a few parties that have gone on since we have been back on campus. Despite most students taking the commitment to CARITAS seriously, there are some who seem to think that it does not apply to them and have continued to act as though there is not a global pandemic currently going on. While you may have been able to get away with this so far, surveillance testing will end that. Random testing ensures that, in all likelihood, you will be caught if you choose to host or attend parties this semester, especially when combined with contact tracing. Parties will cause large outbreaks of COVID-19 since the disease is incredibly contagious, meaning that, among other things, your chances of getting caught will increase once testing begins. Surveillance testing is unequivicolly a good thing for the University community. It ensures that those who
The
are not respecting the commitment to Community First aren’t causing outbreaks that affect the rest of the community. As we have been saying since we came back to campus, it is on each and every one of us to ensure that we are holding each other accountable this semester. While it is true that the vast majority of students will not be severely impacted by COVID-19 even if they contract it, it is selfish to think that your decisions will not impact high risk students, staff and faculty. Our community has been extremely lucky thus far, but that does not mean that we are out of the woods yet. The Villanovan Editorial Board fully supports the University’s decision to enact surveillance testing. It is a necessary further step towards ensuring that we remain on campus for the remainder of this academic year. We are aware that the temptation to act like things are normal is strong, but we cannot do that this year. To those that have been following the entirety of Community First and CDA guidelines thus far, we applaud and thank you for taking the steps necessary to staying here. To those who haven’t, we sincerely hope that the addition of randomized testing will ensure that everyone is helping to protect one another.
Legacy
lost that day were 15 people who were proud alumni of Villanova, and there is a stained-glass window in Corr Chapel, that lists their names, and pays tribute to them. We also have students on this campus who because of 9/11 chose to join the military, or students here, whose parents served in Iraq or Afghani-
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stan, and are here working towards their degree. The legacy of 9/11 is complex, and one that varies depending on your perspective. What I hope we can do this year, is take a step back from our hectic lives, and remember those who died, those who served, and those who carry on.
