COVID-19 Killed at Oberlin College

COVID-19 is at bay…

Oberlin College has a long tradition of doing the impossible well and massively screwing up the simple and easy things.

These results are tracked at the Oberlin College COVID-19 Test Results Site. It is not clear that the testing volume is adequate for catching a fast-moving infection before it establishes a large foothold.

Building the blueprint

For several years, it seems that we could count on Oberlin College to exhibit the highest level of managerial incompetence, led by the secret fraternity/sorority of incompetent, doctrinaire people who have infested the BOT. It took the highest form of pathological Neo-puritanism to create the FUBAR mess with Gibson’s Bakery and a financial crisis for the College.

To recap, a hearsay slander mill that slandered Gibson’s Bakery set the College up for colossal legal damages in a still-unresolved case [as of 6/21/2021]. In this context, JD expected that the arrival of COVID-19 would be a golden opportunity to elevate managerial incompetence to a new level.

In reality, the College leadership worked cooperatively with the faculty and administration to develop a plan for re-opening the College while being protected against COVID-19 at the same time. The group worked hard to take the needs of all participants into account.

The plan’s core is to change from a two-semester academic structure to a three-trimester one. A given student would be present on campus for two of the three trimesters. This guaranteed a big drop in the number of students present at a given time, making social distancing much easier to achieve. This, combined with mandatory mask-wearing in conjunction with a rigorous COVID testing plan, was expected to reduce disease transmission significantly.

Students who did not observe the strict precautions went home to finish the trimester remotely. According to the latest count, about 16 are now at home. This example has not gone unnoticed by the remaining students.

One issue that has not been adequately addressed is the occasional desire by students for physical intimacy. This requirement is easily handled by requiring the students involved to wear hazmat suits. The College has not taken this obvious additional step. Such an administrative oversight is particularly surprising since the danger of spreading hazardous materials during intimacy was widely known long before COVID-19 arrived.

Dean of Students Meridith Raimondo defines COVID-19 policy. This policy was published under her signature after being routed through the Office of Communication first. The slow learners in the BOT and Administration are making progress!

Official, uncensored comments

M.R:

SO glad to read Oberlin’s darn good news–unlike from a friend’s son at USC:

Email from the university today: the rest of the semester is no exceptions — completely online. The possibility for spring semester being online exists.

I’ll say it again: your carelessness and refusal to wear a mask or socially distance is very, very personally offensive to me. I’m trying to have a senior recital at LEAST among other things . When you break social-distancing, I see that as an act of aggression against myself and others.

PLI:

As a community member, I’m planning on thanking the students I see out and about for being so responsible.

JLF:

Oberlin’s experience is significantly better than other small schools in my area. Congratulations to staff and students!

JG:

Just sharing this which comes from Oberlin and says they’ve sent home 16 students for not abiding by COVID protections: