Cornell admin will offer residential instruction this fall because it "is a better option for protecting the public health of our community than a purely online semester." This conclusion is supported by models from researchers at Cornell. (1/9) https://covid.cornell.edu/updates/20200630-reactivate-campus.cfm

In a residential semester, testing reqs can be enforced for students living on&off-campus with the threat of restricting access to campus for non-compliance. If classes are purely online, access to campus would be immaterial to those who return to live off-campus anyway. (2/9)

The models show that the # of infected is lower in the residential scenario than in the purely online scenario because they make the crucial assumption that 0% of the undergraduates living off-campus will undergo asymptomatic testing/screening in the fully online scenario. (3/9)

In fact, the modellers have clarified that "if we achieve high compliance with once-per-5-day testing in the virtual instruction setting, then we do see fewer infections than the residential setting, with the breakeven point around 50% compliance." (4/9) http://theuniversityfaculty.cornell.edu/covid-19-information-for-instructors/the-re-opening-committees/c-pot-and-c-tro-final-reports/frazier-modeling/replies/#4

In other words, the model predicts a higher # of infections with residential instruction than with virtual instruction when at least 50% of the expected number of students who return to live off-campus comply with the proposed testing plan. (5/9)

Is it unreasonable to think that >50% compliance with the proposed testing is achievable just through voluntary adherence? Many people may prefer to be tested frequently to know if they catch the virus and to prevent spreading the virus to friends/the greater community. (6/9)

Beyond that, surely there are ways to enforce some amount of testing for off-campus students. After all, these students would be enrolled in classes. Threat of losing access to virtual resources (email, libraries, etc.) is at least as efficacious as losing access to campus (7/9)

Yes, students could lie about whether they are living off-campus to avoid testing. Can we not brainstorm how to legally verify where students are living while respecting their privacy? Even a trust-with-severe-punishment approach merits consideration. (8/9)

I want, as much as anyone, to return to residential instruction in the fall. But if society is not ready for dense social gatherings in other aspects of life, is it not arrogant for us to think that our cause is somehow more noble + therefore more worth the societal risk? (9/9)