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THE CAVALIER DAILY Vol. 131, Issue 5 Thursday, October 15, 2020 EMMA KLEIN | THE CAVALIER DAILY 2 | www.cavalierdaily.com The Cavalier Daily NEWS This week in-brief U.Va. increases size of permitted CD News Staff gatherings to 10 people indefinitely The University announced Oct. 13 that students and individuals are now permitted to U.Va. issues partial refunds to students gather in groups of 10 — an increase from the previous rule of five. This restriction will be in place indefinitely. living at home, on-Grounds students The University’s other restrictions — wearing masks, maintaining a physical distance of six feet, limiting visitors and avoiding unnecessary travel — which were extended for an following two-week delay of fall semester additional two weeks Oct. 6, will remain in place for at least another week. Dean of Students Allen Groves wrote in an email to students that because the Universi- The University issued partial refunds throughout the end of September to on-Grounds ty’s metrics today are “much better” than in September when the restrictions were original- students for housing and all-access dining plans that were not used during the first two ly imposed, University leadership is confident that individuals can gather in slightly larger missed weeks of the semester, as well as to those who chose to stay home for the fall semes- groups without risking the health of one another. According to the University’s COVID-19 ter. dashboard, the daily average number of cases dropped to 14 Oct. 9 after four weeks at or Refunds were issued as the deadline for students to receive further refunds of tuition, above 20. fees and housing costs approached as a result of withdrawing from the University, taking a Groves also discussed the ongoing expansion of the University’s testing program — on- leave of absence or leaving an on-Grounds housing contract. Oct. 6 marked the end of the Grounds students will now report for saliva screening or nasal swab testing at least once refund period. every nine days. Housing refunds were issued to undergraduate students who did not move into their According to Groves, this expansion will be helpful in detecting and eliminating cases on-Grounds housing until after Aug. 31. Students received refunds ranging from $255 for in the Charlottesville community, and while an increased number of tests may lead to an first years to $310 for upperclassmen living in the most expensive singles on-Grounds. These increase in positive cases, the University is monitoring these metrics closely and will make refunds were calculated as 7.65 percent of the total amount students had spent on their further decisions based on the situation and their capability to respond to it. housing contract for the fall semester. Dining refunds only applied to All Access meal plans, and ranged from $190 to $200. The largest refund was for students who chose to study outside of the Charlottesville and Albemarle area this semester — for these students, the fall 2020 mandatory fee and stu- dent activity fee has been reduced by $660. According to the University’s prorated refund schedule, students will not receive any further tuition and fees refunds if they choose to withdraw or take a leave of absence from the University at any point on or after Oct. 27. 10.8 10.9 10.13 10.14 U.Va. announces opt-in credit/ general credit/no credit grading KHUYEN DINH | THE CAVALIER DAILY option for undergraduates On-Grounds students will now report for saliva screening or nasal swab testing at least once every nine days. Students will be able to opt into a credit/general credit/no credit grading system between Nov. 2 and Nov. 6 for their classes this semester, per a University-wide email sent Oct. 9 by Provost Liz Magill. Unlike last semester, when credit/general credit/no credit was U.Va. reports 1,000 total positive the default option for grades, students must opt in no later than Nov. 6 — about one month before final exams. The decision was made with “unanimous agreement” from undergraduate school deans, cases, 893 of which are students as well as engagement with students, student leaders and faculty and staff, who have cited Since Aug. 17, the University’s COVID-19 tracker has reported 1,000 positive cases of higher levels of anxiety, stress and other challenges related to the pandemic. coronavirus in the University community — including faculty, staff, students and contract- The decision comes after an open letter authored by student leaders urging the Univer- ed employees. University students make up 893 of the total positive cases. Of the 1,000 total sity to adopt a default credit/general credit/no credit grading option this semester garnered cases, 105 are currently active, and 10 were reported yesterday. over 1,700 signatures. Student Council also passed a resolution earlier this semester in sup- These numbers are only reflective of students who have tested positive through the port of extending the spring semester’s grading policy, and the Faculty Senate discussed a Student Health & Wellness or the U.Va. Health Clinic. The University’s COVID dashboard resolution Monday on whether it should advance discussion of a system that would require does not include the number of positive student cases that may have been detected with students to apply to take their classes credit/general credit/no credit. pre-arrival testing. The updated grading policy only applies to undergraduates, and Magill added that deans The dashboard also reports 12 percent of the student quarantine rooms to be current- of the Darden School of Business, School of Medicine and School of Law will be announc- ly occupied and four percent of student isolation rooms to be occupied. These numbers ing decisions on this matter to their respective schools soon. include students who are in post-travel quarantine. NEWS Thursday, October 15, 2020 | 3 Mid-semester check-in: Students adjust to unusual year A month after move-in, first-years share their thoughts and experiences halfway through the semester Maryann Xue, Stratton Marsh & Max Paley | Staff Writers This semester, first years have been hit with an unprecedented number of obstacles — undergoing dorm-wide testing, being placed in quarantine and isolation rooms and spending their first few months of college with limited social con- tact while taking classes in front of a computer screen. There have been 232 cases in first year dorms. Currently, University COVID-19 guidelines restrict gatherings to no greater than 10 individuals, mandate mask-wearing and prohibit travel to and from Charlottesville. Previously, Balz-Dobie, Echols, Kellogg, Lefevre and Hancock resi- dential halls all underwent manda- tory testing after positive indicators of COVID-19 were found in the dorms’ wastewater. The Universi- ty announced Oct. 13 that all on- Grounds residents will be tested for COVID-19 every nine days. As of Wednesday, a total of 232 cases of COVID-19 have been identified among first-year residence halls and Lawn residents, 33 of which have been reported since the start of Oc- tober. Normally all first-years are re- quired to live in on-Grounds resi- dences, but this semester 74 percent of the first-year class chose to live on Grounds, with others choosing to stay at home or take a gap year AVA PROEHL | THE CAVALIER DAILY given the unusual circumstances. 150 students elected to take a gap year — Normally all first-years are re- quired to live in on-Grounds resi- dences, but this semester 74 percent of the first-year class chose to live on Grounds, with others choosing to stay at home twice the normal average — accord- or take a gap year given the unusual circumstances. ing to the Office of Admission. First-year College student Nish- ita Ghanate is living on Grounds room. While Ghanate thought the antine for two weeks. It’s been a lot standard first-year experience, you she prefers traditional lectures and this semester. When she first moved initial few days in quarantine hous- of fun meeting new people here and know, because of all the COVID reg- paper, she does believe that she’s get- in, she thought that it would be dif- ing were fine, she eventually started getting to experience what college ulations, but I’m still trying my best ting more used to the format day by ficult to meet people but what she feeling lonely. life is like.” to have it within the regulations and day. didn’t expect was that everyone in “By the middle and end it was After being on-Grounds for the protocols,” Galicia said. “But it’s Kim’s original roommate also her dorm was still friendly despite pretty lonely just being there all around six weeks thus far, first-year definitely not a first-year experience opted to stay at home, so they have the limited availability of social ac- alone … and it was kind of an anx- Engineering student Brandol Galicia that would be considered ‘normal.’” been studying together over video tivities. A month later, she has found ious experience,” Ghanate said. “Be- doesn’t believe he has gotten a “true” Galicia, however, also does calls. She has also joined organiza- that while she’s making friends un- cause you’re just alone and you don’t first year experience. not regret his decision to stay on tions such as University Singers, der difficult circumstances, it wasn’t know what’s going on at your dorm In residential halls, to prevent Grounds because he feels that if he Asian Student Union and Grace as hard as she thought.