THE CAVALIER DAILY Vol. 131, Issue 1 Thursday, September 3, 2020 EMMA KLEIN | THE CAVALIER DAILY ADVERTISEMENT 2 | www.cavalierdaily.com The Cavalier Daily Letter from the Editor-in-Chief To our readers: viding the University community across the globe for an online ed- tinue to build a more robust digi- port throughout this unprecedent- With students returning to with new, relevant and insightful ucational experience — combined tal presence and experiment with ed historic time as we all grapple Grounds this week, we are pleased information that inspires critical with a lack of funding and adver- innovative methods of storytelling with the effects of the COVID-19 to present our first print edition of conversation and impactful ac- tisements — we have decided to which convey our collective student pandemic. Please join us in our mis- the fall 2020 semester. In this issue, tion. While most classes are being print our newspaper less frequently experience amidst one of the most sion of keeping the University com- you will find stories about student’s offered remotely, COVID-19 is this semester with three issues per challenging times in history. munity informed and creating op- responses to attending in-person still very much a public health and month. We will continue to update In this time of shared uncertain- portunities for the next generation classes, concerns about living in safety threat to the University and our online digital content daily ty, it is more important than ever of journalists by making a tax-de- on-Grounds housing and how the Charlottesville communities, and through our website and social me- for us to stay connected, listen to ductible donation to The Cavalier community is navigating the Uni- our volunteer staff members and dia platforms, as well as send a daily each other’s stories and hold our Daily. versity’s reopening plan. editors are working around the newsletter to subscribers. leaders accountable. You can count As we find ourselves embarking clock to ensure that you can count Our goal is to resume weekly on The Cavalier Daily to continue on yet another historic semester on us to listen to your voices and print production once health and publishing breaking and investiga- faced with unprecedented challeng- keep you informed of important safety conditions improve and tive stories that answer the ques- Nik Popli es and uncertainties, The Cavalier developments. all students are able to return to tions that we all deserve to know. Editor-in-Chief, Daily remains committed to pro- However, with students located Grounds. Until then, we will con- Thank you for your continued sup- 131st term of The Cavalier Daily NEWS COVID-19 AT U.VA. BY THE NUMBERS TYRA KREHBIEL | THE CAVALIER DAILY 31 On Sept. 1 17,203 4,400 Since Aug.155 17 28 55 Total students moving into on- Grounds housing Students 117 Total positive before in-person tested classes begin COVID-19 Students positive Sept. 8 test results Student tested Total positive reported in cases negative cases in U.Va. U.Va. com- before community Student munity arrival cases Case data was obtained from U.Va. COVID Tracker, which was last updated Sept. 2 at 7:20 a.m. The tracker only includes data from testing conducted through U.Va. Health and pre-arrival testing vendor LetsGetChecked. NEWS Thursday, September 3, 2020 | 3 On-Grounds housing converted for quarantine The International Residential College, Johnson, Malone and Weedon and Shea House are the residences being converted Ali Sullivan | News Editor Residents of the Internation- al Residential College, Johnson, Malone and Weedon Houses and Shea House were given just 24 hours to choose a housing reas- signment or remain off-Grounds after learning on Aug. 28 at 8:00 p.m. that their dormitories were being converted into quarantine and isolation areas. Residents of the three housing communities received the Hous- ing and Residence Life email in- forming them of the decision just three hours after the University announced its intention to forge ahead with in-person classes this fall. In that Aug. 28 Return to Grounds email, the University’s senior leadership alluded to the creation of “additional spaces for isolation and quarantine.” University spokesperson Wes Hester said in an email to The Cavalier Daily that the choice to convert the residences was made in “real time” and “needed to be made quickly and was made after consultation with the Provost [Liz Magill], the Chief Operating Of- ficer [J.J. Davis] and the Vice Pres- RILEY WALSH | THE CAVALIER DAILY ident and Chief Student Affairs Officer [Patricia Lampkin].” “It just makes me wonder how many cases they’re actually expecting to have once everyone returns,” second-year Curry student Arnaldo Sandoval said. “This was a difficult decision and we wish it were otherwise,” Hester said. “Now I have to look out for my about everything,” Ding said. mitories. foot on the IRC since I’ve been The decision has blindsided safety in terms of who I’m with,” With HRL offices closed on While Bailey is frustrated with here.” on-Grounds housing residents, Madhiwala said. the weekend, some residents re- the lack of communication, he Choosing to move off-Grounds who said they had no idea their Each housing community be- port that they have been unable said the real issue is breaking up a presents other difficulties. housing was under consideration ing converted into a quarantine to find answers to their housing tight-knit community of students Second-year Curry student for quarantine conversion. and isolation area was below 35 questions. The only information — especially one grounded in the Arnaldo Sandoval planned to Among the students forced to percent capacity, according to Ding has obtained, she said, has celebration of multiculturalism, move into the Johnson, Malone relocate days before their move-in Hester. been through the principal of diversity and inclusion. and Weedon Houses Sept. 6. With date is fourth-year College stu- “Of the 4,400 students living the IRC, Engineering Prof. Reid “They haven’t just moved stu- his classes in full-swing and move- dent Jenny Ding, who has lived in our residences, this decision Bailey, who said in an interview dents,” Bailey said. “They’ve hurt in just around the corner, he has in the IRC since her second year. impacted a couple hundred stu- with The Cavalier Daily that he a community.” little time or resources to find Amid the tumult of online classes dents,” Hester said. had not been consulted prior to Ding called the decision to housing off-Grounds. and post-grad job hunting, Ding Affected students still have the the University’s decision to shut break up IRC — which boasts “I’m ultimately left to live on- had found solace in knowing she option to cancel their on-Grounds down dormitories. the largest international-to-do- Grounds,” Sandoval said. could return this fall to the IRC contract at no penalty, provid- Bailey learned in a later con- mestic student ratio on-Grounds Hoping for a single bedroom, — a community that she calls ed that they contact HRL before versation with Dean of Students — “hypocritical” in the face of the Sandoval asked to move to Bond home. their move-in date. Students who Allen Groves that University ad- University’s well-publicized ef- House for his reassignment — an “That was one less thing I had move into higher-priced hous- ministration had initially planned forts toward racial justice, such as option is Madhiwala is consider- to worry about,” Ding said. ing reassignments will not have to alert students of the decision the recently-formed Racial Equity ing as well. The late-night Housing and to pay more than they were ini- Friday morning but ultimately Task Force. Madhiwala said he is also con- Residence Life email now leaves tially charged for the IRC, John- delayed the notice. Students in the IRC were pro- templating staying at home. If he Ding and other residents with son, Weedon and Malone or Shea A source from within HRL — vided the option to be reassigned were to move into a new dormito- two options — submit their pref- House. If they move into low- who asked to remain anonymous to Hereford or Brown College, the ry, he would be doing so without erence for a new housing assign- er-priced housing, they will pay due to an HRL policy which re- University’s two other residential the community he forged in his ment or forfeit their on-Grounds the lower rate. stricts employees from speaking colleges. That offer, Bailey said, two years at the IRC. housing. Residents may also indicate to the press — said several Resi- reveals a detachment between “It’s almost as if I’m going back That binary choice worries their preference for a single or dent Advisors had already moved administration and residential to first year as a third-year stu- IRC resident and third-year Col- double room. into the residences being consoli- college students who choose their dent,” Madhiwala said. lege student Soumil Madhiwa- Still, questions remain. dated for quarantine. Those RAs housing not for the residential The lack of transparency as la, who fears being reassigned to Madhiwala wonders wheth- received communication of their college experience, but for the last-minute nature of the decision an on-Grounds apartment with er he will be able to stay with reassignment to different dormi- college’s unique community. leaves Sandoval wary for the fu- roommates who fail to take ade- his roommate if he is reassigned. tories nearly an hour after their “The fact that that is included ture of the fall semester.