(09-14-2020 04:10 PM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  

(09-14-2020 03:19 PM)Volente Beach Owl Wrote:  

(09-14-2020 02:58 PM)Intellectual_Brutality Wrote:  Just to be clear, you're under the impression that the logic-driven adult on this *forum full of Rice grads* is...you, but not Houston Owl and whoever agrees with him/her? And so you're here to enlighten those folks because they just seem to be falling for fear-based pseudoscience? And, to emphasize, this is all happening on a forum full of well-educated folks?

Some humility might be helpful.

This thread wouldn't be 24 pages long if there weren't many logic-driven adults who were exasperated that such thinly-supported, logic-defying arguments are driving such important decisions. I suppose I'm accustomed to a board room setting where unsubstantiated arguments result in ridicule and a swift dismissal. Here apparently we play along, not wanting to offend, when such an obviously flawed argument is put forward. That's fine if we are talking about who is going to win a football game. But when we are discussing whether our football season is played, or whether actual school takes place, then it's time to put the pleasantries aside and speak up. It's actually past time for this, and I have zero confidence that Leebron will show the courage to lead... which is why my frustration with Rice right now is at an all time high.

Let's look to the initial results at UNC, one of the leading universities for COVID-19 research/information (in both public health and medical) to understand why all logical arguments do not point towards the bolded (opening schools in the first place).

UNC was WELL prepared to bring students back on campus and manage the flare ups they knew were going to occur, but even they completely underestimated just how difficult COVID-19 is to contain and manage in the collegiate setting.

Sick college students take up resources and become vectors for spread, which can then affect the general population (i.e. older individuals) that live in the same town as them. Plus, there continue to be questions about long-term impacts that COVID-19 can cause. At the same time, while UNC students picked up COVID-19 like crazy, they did not spread it outside their population, and to professors or the general community. That's likely because they actually observed the social distancing/mask wearing norms when outside of dorms/frats/parties, so they do not seem to be a major burden on the healthcare system.

But anyone who wants to try and argue that there is a clear answer in all of this, isn't using logic, IMO, as they're clearly ignoring the very obvious pros/cons with reopening or resuming completely normal activities (like playing sports). Like I said earlier, the biggest issue to me are when decision makers are not completely transparent about their decisions, and what information and risks they're taking into consideration.

Well said. I'm as frustrated as anyone with the wavering and indecisiveness. Reading between the lines I think the reason for us continuing to push things back is precisely because the university as a whole has done such an exceptional job in it's comprehensive and flexible reopening plans vis-a-vis most other schools, and because after almost a month of students on campus Rice's positivity rate is an incredibly impressive 0.08%. I know that sounds counterintuitive, but perhaps the thinking is that we're doing so well so far, let's not rock the boat in the hope of getting through the entire semester.

We can all quibble with that argument if, in fact, that's the basis for what's going on, but from a university-wide perspective-- and not simply athletics-- there is sound logic to it.

Again, I'm not defending the decision; simply providing a rational explanation for it.