Georgetown University parents have flooded social media and administrators’ inboxes with messages urging the university to reopen campus for Zoom-weary students in the spring.
The effort to reopen campus began in the Class of 2024 parent Facebook group in September. Posts complaining about the negative effects of virtual learning on students quickly evolved into a full-fledged lobbying campaign to reopen campus.
After gathering momentum, parents created a separate Facebook group, “Students and Parents Advocating for Georgetown Students on Campus,” which now has over 500 members. The group’s efforts culminated in the circulation of a petition which has garnered over 1000 signatures from parents, students and other supporters as of Oct. 22.
The university originally planned to house the entire freshman class on campus but walked back its decision in August as the COVID-19 pandemic continued to worsen. Approximately 500 students are living on the main campus this fall because of academic requirements or unstable home situations.
Because of a supposed lack of communication from the university about spring semester plans, 52 parents of first-years signed and sent a letter to the university Sept. 21 demanding greater transparency and urging the university to bring students back, according to a Facebook post with a copy of the letter.
“We urge you to find a way to have freshmen on campus this fall, and no later than January, even if some or all classes are online,” the letter reads. “Is it imperative that the Class of 2024, who missed prom, graduation, and innumerable other once-in-a-lifetime high school experiences, is allowed to have what remains of their freshman year on campus? We believe the answer to this question is an emphatic and overwhelming yes.”
After receiving a muted response from the university to the group letter and other direct messages, the group published the petition Oct. 13. The social and emotional benefits of being on campus, the petition argues, outweigh the potential risks of infection spikes. As of Oct. 22, more than 214,000 COVID-19 cases have emerged on more than 1,600 college campuses across the country, according to a New York Times database.
“Unfortunately, COVID-19 will not be gone anytime soon, and we need Georgetown’s leadership to get their students who wish to be on campus to be allowed to do so no later than January,” the petition reads. “Students must have the opportunity to be a part of the Georgetown Community and the benefit of in-person learning which is only truly possible if they are on campus.”
The petition also demands the university be more transparent with the university community about its COVID-19 response plans, a critique raised by many students and faculty over the course of the pandemic.
The group hopes the petition will garner support from the broader Georgetown community, not just parents of first-years, according to Heidi Hermelin, the parent who wrote the petition.
“The goal of the petition was to create a platform for more people to have a joined voice to the administration that we feel it’s very important to the education and the emotional wellbeing of the students, and not just the freshmen,” Hermelin said in an interview with The Hoya.
The administration expects to publish a preliminary plan for the spring semester by Nov. 16, according to a systemwide email from University President John J. DeGioia (CAS ’79, GRD ’95).
“We are closely monitoring our capacity to meet the public health needs of our community, as the conditions of the pandemic continue to evolve. This involves reviewing a number of internal and external factors,” the email reads. “We are also closely monitoring the experiences of our peer institutions, with the understanding that each school’s approach reflects their individual context.”
In the meantime, the university will begin publishing more frequent updates for families about the university’s pandemic response. Students and families can also sign up for the university’s daily COVID-19 digest and watch DeGioia’s weekly video policy updates, according to an email from a university spokesperson.
Despite these moves toward greater transparency, the desire to reopen campus persists, and some parents have undertaken more intense strategies to compel the university to invite students back.
Some parents have suggested withholding tuition in the spring if Georgetown does not allow students to return, while others have commented that their student will begin applying to transfer schools, according to several posts in the Facebook group.
Other parent graduates have shared they will not be donating to the university until administrators communicate a plan to bring students back to campus.
This article was updated Oct. 24 to add details about the threat posed by COVID-19 on college campuses.
Nickname • Oct 24, 2020 at 7:46 pm
How did you even get into college? Just for your internship, you’re thinking about reopening the measure. Please go to your library database and read about COVID-19! This is an unprecedented crisis! Why is America the way it is? Ask your President! The US do not need to follow what China did, but what about Europe? The epidemic is now under control in Europe. If you have COVID-19, you’ll regret the decision you had to make to open the building again! Not only you, but all of us face the problem of the quality of this class! Your job should be to succeed in this environment, not to complain!
Alejandro Parada • Oct 24, 2020 at 7:01 am
CDC Weekly Update from their website: “Nationally, the overall percentage of respiratory specimens testing positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19, increased from 5.6% during week 41 to 6.3% during week 42. Percent positivity increased among all age groups…. Based on death certificate data, the percentage of deaths attributed to pneumonia, influenza, or COVID-19 (PIC) for week 42 was 7.6%.” That’s 36 deaths among the student population, assuming that the pandemic does not get any worse in the upcoming holiday season as projected. If there was a loose gunmen that killed half of that many students in Georgetown it would be considered a national tragedy and the blame would have fallen on the university for not properly protecting their students. How is it possibly unreasonable to follow national trends and expert advice when structuring a temporary distance learning environment? Transparency has been amazing, I have received an email at least once a week discussing ongoing planning and concerns related to Covid-19.
David Tanczos • Oct 24, 2020 at 11:50 am
I certainly respect your opinion. Our group has been advocating for each student to have the option to live in the dorms or remain remote (just like many other schools have been doing successfully), so those wanting to stay remote would have the option to do so. Also, while we’d prefer for classes to be in-person, we are open to classes remaining online if the students are allowed in the dorms. In addition, the on-campus GU environment requires testing twice per week, masks, social distancing, and would have supervision (among many other safety measures), so it seems to be an extremely safe environment. Furthermore, we believe we are following the science — even Dr. Fauci is now saying that public health measures shouldn’t get in the way of opening, and that we should put the concept of a physical shutdown away. Instead, he says we should focus on public health measures to safely get us to where we want to go. Also, the stats that apply to the 20 year-old student population seem to be more accurately depicted in the comment by “Georgetown Sophomore” on 10/23 at 10:46 am. And while GU administration’s communication has improved recently, transparency has been a challenge. For example, the administration has indicated that the DC government has made opening a challenge, yet Catholic University, also in DC, opened to freshmen in August. I have not heard an explanation for how Catholic U could open to more students but GU couldn’t. It certainly seems to indicate that the decision to not open in August was GU’s, not the DC government’s. GU is an in-person university, and it has an obligation to its students to open as soon as it is safe to do so. Many other schools in similar environments have opened safely and successfully, so GU students deserve the option to at least live in the dorms. We have offered our help, cooperation, and support to the GU administration if there’s anything we can do to help achieve this goal.
Nickname • Oct 24, 2020 at 7:57 pm
The problem is Under certain medical conditions, the virus doesn’t necessarily kill you. However, it is enough to make students feel weak and withdraw from the class. Think about those who travel across the state. It’s contagious on planes, it’s contagious on trains, it’s contagious in public toilets, it’s too risky.GU must be careful in his decision. Without life, a diploma is nothing
gtown student • Oct 23, 2020 at 11:31 pm
y’all should read about all the massive outbreaks at schools that have much larger campuses and de-densified housing. In my dorm freshman year there was a point where each and every one of us had the flu – at the same time. and wait until you hear about the students’ experiences in quarantine housing at these re-opened schools. y’all would be kidding yourselves if you think there won’t be parties or large gatherings if every student is brought back.
Another thing: many students in actual need of on-campus housing were rejected in the fall. y’all weren’t rallying for them were you.
Before any class year is prioritized, gtown needs to get all their vulnerable students on campus. those without cushy homes. period.
Susan • Oct 23, 2020 at 9:59 pm
I thought I was alone, I want to sign that letter. I have called and called and left messages. no one answers !! Please someone let me know how to join this group. I live in New Haven.
Yale is back with a rapid test, Harvard has freshman, Cornell is back.Williams, Brown. Why are our kids outcasts?? They will lose their competitive edge. Why. Money. Because obviously we do t pay enough!!!!! Please reopen!!!!
Gtown Senior • Oct 23, 2020 at 12:10 pm
Let’s be real folks. The Georgetown University administration is incompetent and cowardly. The school community is irreparably damaged and students currently enrolled are left with a disgusting taste in their mouths. As if it’s not bad enough to not open, students on and off campus are treated like criminals in a quasi surveillance state. The school will be in financial ruins (more than it already is) given how much they’ve alienated their students. Kiss any alumni support goodbye.
Georgetown Sophomore • Oct 23, 2020 at 10:47 am
In a school of 7500, assuming a 0.3% positivity rate (as previously reported) and a 0.003% mortality rate (for people ~20 years old), we would lose 0.000675 students. In any other scenario—one not being distorted for political gain, in which people’s mental health and academic/professional futures aren’t being held hostage—that would round to zero. We lost thousands of times that number of students last year in natural disasters and accidents, yet we don’t ban students from travel or driving.
The administration claims time and again that the quality of Zoom University is the same as on-campus, yet they tout DC’s opportunities and atmosphere (which one can only take advantage of in-person) at every chance they get. The hypocrisy is disgusting. So now I have to commute over an hour each way for an internship (lucky to live somewhat close to DC), since they’re smart enough to have in-person opportunities.
Nickname • Oct 24, 2020 at 7:48 pm
How did you even get into the GU? Just for your internship, you’re thinking about reopening the measure. Please go to your library database and read about COVID-19! This is an unprecedented crisis! Why is America the way it is? Ask your President! The US do not need to follow what China did, but what about Europe? The epidemic is now under control in Europe. If you have COVID-19, you’ll regret the decision you had to make to open the building again! Not only you, but all of us face the problem of the quality of this class! Your job should be to succeed in this environment, not to complain!
Nina • Oct 23, 2020 at 10:02 am
Excellent Article. The students need to be brought back to campus in January. Zoom calls is not what a college experience is about. COVID is not going away. We all have to learn how to live with it. Georgetown administration needs to step up and develop strategies on how to bring students back safely.
David Tanczos • Oct 22, 2020 at 9:41 pm
As a parent in the Facebook group referenced in this article, I am concerned that the GU administration seems to be defining “health and safety” solely as the number of COVID cases without taking mental health impacts of anxiety and depression into consideration when making their decisions on whether to open to more students and to how many. The feelings of isolation and abandonment are real, and the mental health impacts can be severe. In fact, even Dr. Fauci is now saying that public health measures shouldn’t get in the way of opening, and that we should put the concept of a physical shutdown away. Instead, he says we should focus on public health measures to safely get us to where we want to go. Also, the GU administration has said that the campus is currently open, when in reality, it’s closed to 94% of all undergrads. Last, during one of last week’s Zoom sessions for GU’s Family Weekend, GU described the virtual environment as delivering a “Signature Georgetown experience”. While we certainly appreciate the hard work and dedication of the faculty, the virtual environment lacks the richness of the in-person experience and it isn’t what our students deserve. Even if just the dorms are open and classes are online, that’s a huge step forward. The administration has recently shown some improvement in communications which is appreciated, and we hope that continues. The next step is to open to a significant number of students in January. It can be done safely.
Kelly G DePaulo • Oct 23, 2020 at 1:55 pm
Thank you, David!! This is exactly right. I couldn’t agree more. Could you please share the link for the Facebook group? It’s not coming up in searches. My husband and I both graduated from Gtown, we have 1 child who is an alum, and another who is a current student. This cannot be allowed to go on any longer. It is damaging so many student’s lives. We saved for so many years to send our children to college. To think that we are paying ridiculous amounts of money for the university to play loose and free with the devastating consequences of keeping young people out of school. Notre Dame, Villanova, Boston College, & many others have all figured out ways to make it work for students. I believe Georgetown’s lack of leadership is unconscionable.
Suzie Maguire • Oct 23, 2020 at 6:10 pm
I agree Kelly!
David Tanczos • Oct 23, 2020 at 7:59 pm
Hi Kelly, here’s the link to the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/314824786483249/
Saasha Orsi • Oct 22, 2020 at 2:56 pm
Please address in another article how many universities are bringing back their seniors for spring semester- this connection that this will create will continue on well beyond graduation from a development point of view- crazy that the administration hasn’t focused in on this given the class of 2020 had no special send- ofd
M. Schmidt • Oct 22, 2020 at 2:37 pm
The affect on all the classes of the student body is terrible. They each lose a crucial experience in different ways.
My son is a sophomore and was only on campus for one full semester his freshman year. If spring semester is off campus, he will have missed three semesters with an on campus experience.
He has friends at Notre Dame, another private catholic college, that are on campus with a very well managed testing and quarantine (should it be necessary) system.
K. Schmidt • Oct 22, 2020 at 2:13 pm
Excellent article bringing visibility to a larger audience. Parents have considerable and valid concerns about the negative mental, intellectual and spiritual impact of the probable decision to keep all of the student body, or a large percentage, off campus next semester. Students will continue to miss a crucial component of their Georgetown education, Washington, DC.
The Georgetown College website page promotes, ‘The Washington, DC Classroom’.
“Beyond the monuments and museums, DC is a city where students can extend their learning in practical and professional environments.”
“Beyond internships, students can travel easily into Washington, DC, to find resources to support their education.”
“The college is committed to connecting our students to opportunities typically unavailable to undergraduates.”
Georgetown Sophomore • Oct 23, 2020 at 10:46 am
In a school of 7500, assuming a 0.3% positivity rate (as previously reported) and a 0.003% mortality rate (for people ~20 years old), we would lose 0.000675 students. In any other scenario—one not being distorted for political gain, in which people’s mental health and academic/professional futures aren’t being held hostage—that would round to zero. We lost thousands of times that number of students last year in natural disasters and accidents, yet we don’t ban students from travel or driving.
The administration claims time and again that the quality of Zoom University is the same as on-campus, yet they tout DC’s opportunities and atmosphere (which one can only take advantage of in-person) at every chance they get. The hypocrisy is disgusting. So now I have to commute over an hour each way for an internship (lucky to live somewhat close to DC), since they’re smart enough to have in-person opportunities.
Benjamin Eneman • Oct 26, 2020 at 10:14 am
1) “assuming a .3% positivity rate” is a bit of a stretch. That may well be what it averages out to, but there’s always the chance for a spike in which far more students get it.
2) “and a .003% mortality rate (for people ~20 years old)” except again, you’re forgetting a variety of factors—people with pre-existing conditions affecting lung health, people with diabetes or hypertension or other cardiac illnesses, immunocompromised folks, and so on—*and* of course the fact that students would be far from the only people on campus in the event of a full-fledged return. Professors, facilities workers, —how many of *their* lives are you willing to sacrifice? Are you so confident that it will “round down to zero” given that hundreds of thousands of people have died of covid this year? I’ve struggled with mental health issues for a very long time, and I get that this sucks. Online school is not the same as on-campus school. I get it. But we don’t have the right to buy the ability to be on-campus with other people’s lives.
Maria Sosa • Oct 22, 2020 at 1:21 pm
Thank you for your well written and well researched article and for bringing attention to this important issue. It is imperative that Georgetown begin making plans instead of excuses and allow students to be on campus. Covid 19 is not going away any time soon. We need to plan and prepare but also go on with our lives. It is vital that students be on campus.
Darlene Rowley (P’24) • Oct 22, 2020 at 12:19 pm
Thank you to The Hoya for highlighting our efforts. We need to get these students back on campus, the toll this is taking on them mentally is dire. Open the library, give the students their life back. GU will undoubtedly have cooperation from students to keep everyone safe!
Ashley Tucker • Oct 22, 2020 at 12:15 pm
Thank you for covering this incredibly important issue! Please bring the class of 2024 on campus in January! It is imperative!
Kate Woodsome • Oct 22, 2020 at 11:32 am
GU Should be obligated and determined to bring back our seniors who will be graduating next year. So many other colleges have worked out safe plans and we don’t understand why GU is not working harder to adapt to plan for their seniors! It’s proven it can be done let’s just do it.
A kaden • Oct 23, 2020 at 10:57 am
Yes! Fordham is doing a great job with all students back at their 2 densely populated city campuses. They test and their overall covid positivity rate is around .001% and of those who have tested positive, a large majority live off campus. This can be done!
Nickname • Oct 24, 2020 at 7:38 pm
You guys only care more about yourself instead of other’s life. Will the US be able to test the population on the same scale as China? Would everyone cooperate? Life comes first! Why do college kids don’t care about the public’s life! COVID-19 can rebound in all countries. Do you think the U.S. is doing better than Europe? Europe is facing a case rebound. And those who clamor to go back to school will be life killers
Amy kaden • Oct 22, 2020 at 11:01 am
With the impressive research being done at GU combined w the fact that DC has the 5th lowest cases of covid, it should be possible to bring students to campus. And if the neighborhood is a concern, students on campus should be far more desirable to them than the hoards of kids that will be inundating the neighborhoods should GU not open.