THE INDEPENDENT VOICE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT SINCE 1896 • VOLUME CXXVII, NO. 33 Tuesday, October 13, 2020 COVID-19 Tracker Current 203 176 10 CONFIRMED CASES AT Residential Cumulative Cumulative Staff Cases UCONN STORRS Cases as of 6:34 p.m. on Oct. 12 8 Residential Cases Commuter Cases White House COVID- UConn dining staff doctor visits UConn Hartford reflects on changes made for Fall by Thomas Alvarez non-staff members to sign in STAFF WRITER and out of the building.” [email protected] Carlsen said that the biggest change they had to make has Derek Carlsen, production also proven to be their most chef at South Dining Hall, successful: the switch away spoke about the challenges from buffet-style dining. He the dining hall faced this se- admits they still do struggle mester and the ways they with the adjustments, but it have overcome them. has largely been a success. When asked about their “We now prepare every- greatest challenge, Carlsen thing to order whether it’s said facing the unknown has a cup of coffee, a salad or a proved to be a major difficul- packaged meal. I thought ty. He said it was difficult to that we would have difficul- plan in advance, as challeng- ties with this transition, but es emerged suddenly. after some initial challenges “The current climate is and a change in traffic flow, filled with unknowns and I would say the way we are anything can change at a mo- doing things is working out,” White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx walks from a television inter- ment’s notice. Dorms going Carlsen said. “To be honest, view at the White House, in Washington. PHOTO BY CAROLYN KASTER/AP PHOTO in/out of quarantine cause a we do struggle at times. Try- by Mikhael Thompson to the pandemic and the future to have one of the highest rates drastic fluctuation in busi- ing to communicate through CAMPUS CORRESPONDENT of higher education. Dr. Birx of in-person classes in the ness which has us scrambling masks and Plexiglass can, at mikhael [email protected] praised UConn for being able country this semester and still to adjust orders and produc- times, be frustrating for both to adapt and deliver tradition- relatively low rates of corona- tion amounts,” Carlsen said. parties. Even with our strug- Dr. Deborah Birx, Response ally hands-on classes in dif- virus cases, indicating to her “Products that would nor- gles, the lines are short and Coordinator for the White ferent formats that allow for that the measures the univer- mally require a day’s notice moving quickly.” House Coronavirus Task maximal learning. sity is taking are working. can suddenly require a two These changes, Carlsen Force, met with University of “We heard from students “We have not seen large week lead time or simply be said, were shared with the Connecticut staff and admin- how much they value in-class- spreading events in the class- unavailable. We’ve had to re- staff well before their return istrators at UConn’s Hartford room learning and the labs that room,” Dr. Birx said.“That tells main fluid and react to each to campus. Even with the campus last Thursday and the resident of the University us that, if we take those same challenge that’s been thrown long layoff they experienced, stressed for students to remain was showing me — how they practices into our everyday life our way.” he said they remained in con- socially engaged while physi- are doing chemistry labs and both in public and private, and Carlsen said the changes tact with one another over the cally distant amid the corona- biology labs and really provid- we maintain physical distanc- made ranged from menu ad- summer. virus pandemic. ing that kind of experiential ing and mask usage, we can justments to better sanita- “Even though most of us UConn was one leg of Dr. learning that is very critical continue in the Northeast to tion and a system of tracking were on a lengthy layoff, Birx’s trip across the United to many of these scientific ca- control the virus.” when staff enters and exits. our department still main- He said these changes were tained contact with us via States to meet with college ad- reers,” Dr. Birx said. See BIRX, p. 2 ministrators about responding Dr. Birx said UConn seems made to help limit the number email and set up a website of people in confined spaces. for us containing resources “We’ve made a lot of and documents related to changes to our menus. These our [COVID-19] situation changes are an effort to re- both on-campus and within InForm launched as hub for duce wait times for students the department. Before our and to eliminate some supply return to work, we were re- issues … We have staff mak- quired to complete an on- UConn incident reporting ing laps around the building line training which included sanitizing ‘touchpoints’ and job-specific training… We high use areas,” Carlsen said. came back to campus a week by Naiela Suleiman clude academic integrity or schol- “When a person clicks on the “We have social distancing or two before students re- STAFF WRITER arly misconduct; bias-related issue or concern that applies, it au- guidelines and placed a limit turned,” Carlsen said. “It [email protected] incidents; violations of policy or tomatically connects people with on the number of people al- was during this time we had law; crime, including anonymous the appropriate form,” Reitz said. lowed in the office. We’ve also multiple staff meetings to The University of Connecti- tips; discrimination and/or ha- “Since this isn’t a replacement of had a ‘buzzer’ installed on our discuss changes that would cut has launched a new website rassment; hazing; concerns about the current system, this doesn’t rear entrance and require any be taking place.” where students and others can off-campus parties; workplace supplant or supersede other re- easily find appropriate resourc- concerns; safety threats, to one- ports; it just makes the process es and support following an in- self or others; sexual and gender easier and smoother for those cident, Stephanie Reitz, UConn misconduct; student or student seeking to make a report to the cor- spokesperson said. organization behavior; or other rect university office.” “The new site simplifies the incidents,” Reitz said. InForm is available to anyone reporting process by letting The new process is an at- coming into contact with the UCo- people go to the InForm site as tempt to simplify the reporting nn community, Reitz said. a central resource where they process at UConn and make it “Most forms can be anonymous, can also use a ‘form finder’ tool more accessible to students and while a few others regarding em- to locate the best report for their others, Reitz said. ployee issues may need a contact situation depending on their person so the University can fol- identity, the identity of the other low up,” Reitz said. “It follows a party or parties involved, the “It is my sincere regular process of each depart- type of incident and other fac- ment receiving the forms, with tors,” Reitz said in a UConn To- hope that this each department having informa- day article. site demystifies tion on its website about what hap- The website was developed by pens after a report is filed.” the Division of Student Affairs the reporting Breanna McFarlane, sixth-se- in partnership with a number of mester CLAS student, was one of university departments. process and helps many who participated in a work- “It is my sincere hope that this reporters feel group that helped develop the site demystifies the reporting website. process and helps reporters feel confident that “Having these forms and re- confident that their concerns their concerns sources located in one place is go- will be addressed appropriately ing to make it easier for students to and know that support is avail- will be addressed report bias-related incidents and able to them,” President Thom- appropriately and know about support services that as Katsouleas said in a letter to are available to us,” McFarlane the UConn community. know that support said. “Furthermore, it will allow InForm stands to act as a hub is available to the administrator to be more in- for all existing and new forms a formed about incidents that are student might look for. them.” happening at UConn, so they can Students wait in line for food at South Campus Marketplace “Types of incidents that can take better care of the diverse stu- on Monday evening. PHOTO BY MATTHEW PICKETT, GRAB PHOTOGRAPHER/THE PRESIDENT THOMAS KATSOULEAS DAILY CAMPUS be reported through InForm in- dent population.” For more... dailycampus.com The_DailyCampus The_DailyCampus The Daily Campus Tweet of the Day Fabian Ardaya EDITORIAL| PAGE 4 MENTAL HEALTH | PAGE 5 MBB | PAGE 12 @FabianArdaya COVID concerts and the It’s ok not to be ok Newcomers for a new era how the hell does someone viability of evens in a pandemic do this without tearing every muscle of their legs, back and ass 02 Tuesday, October 13, 2020 • DailyCampus.com News Trump holds st rally since Birx visits Hartford contracting coronavirus campus, praises SANFORD, Florida (AP) — from Joint Base Andrews, the “We know that that is ask- Just a week after his release president’s doctor released an ing for trouble when you do UConn’s COVID- from the hospital, President update on his health that said that,” Fauci said. Donald Trump returned to the Trump had tested negative for Some medical experts have campaign trail Monday for the the virus — and had done so on also voiced skepticism that response first time since contracting the consecutive days.