Joan Gabel setting stage for resumption of U activity

Joan Gabel, University of Minnesota president

This isn't what Joan Gabel signed up for. The new University of Minnesota president would like to be expanding horizons. Surely that's the ideal of those in her profession, what it's all about. The talk now, quite in contrast, is to preserve, to minimize damage, maybe even to buy time? Yes, buy time by achieving some semblance of normal practice until crisis-type circumstances pass.
The virus came along in such a disconcerting way for all of us. It's still such a new wrinkle in our lives, the full ramifications may not yet have sunk in. In the short term we just do what we have to. We then try to put sort of a gloss on it. Surely a gloss of optimism at least. What if the facts as they roll out just counter our notions toward optimism?
The word "crisis" gets tossed around. The ubiquity of such terms dulls their import. A spokesman from the financial world is imploring for negative interest rates because we're in "an unprecedented crisis." Oh, that's rich. We were told of an "unprecedented crisis" in 2008 when the excrement hit the fan then. The 2008 "financial crisis" was not an act of God. Iceland had some female leaders at the top of government who put the criminal bankers in jail. That didn't happen here.
We can be so clueless here in the U.S. Why? The almost daily deluge of reports on Donald Trump's sheer stupidity rolls on. Watching the cable news channels comes off now as dull amusement. If all these reports don't induce corrections or resolutions, then it's just sort of a cacophony: background noise.
The futility of watching cable news grows on me more with each day - it's like the movie "Groundhog Day." I grew up with a national backdrop, taught to us by Andy Papke in civics class, of respectable, honorable and intelligent people, sensitive people, empathetic people leading us, and the norm persisted despite the differences tied to one's political party. Gerald Ford? He was the consummate gentleman. What would we call Donald Trump?
 
The U's plan of action
U of M President Gabel is recommending to the board of regents that the U resume in-person classes and reopen residence halls this fall. Also, she is suggesting that the various U campuses adjust the academic calendar so in-person instruction is concluded before Thanksgiving (for fall semester). Gabel even allows that state health inspectors might mandate that instruction be wrapped up earlier.
I imagine the various recommendations could potentially be contradicted by other sources of influence. Attorneys will have to weigh in, as they always must. Politicians will want normal life to resume as quickly as possible. Conflict on these matters looms. The biggest specter would be with the much-feared "second wave" of the virus.
Gabel says "we look forward to welcoming our new and returning students back to our campuses this fall." Of course she does. And what a wonderful scenario if this comes to pass. Gabel emphasizes there's "flexibility" in the current plans. The range of options would have to include the drastic and depressing stuff. We have already been dealt a blow.
I take walks east of Morris and observe the vast - yes vast - educational campus which also includes the K-12 school. Idle, expensive to manage I'm sure, and delivering such a negligible service now. "Remote" learning is just that: "remote." There's even concern that when a lot of idled facilities start up again, there's a risk of Legionnaires disease. We can't be sure of when all these facilities will return to any state that might approximate "normal."
The longer the campuses sit largely idle, the more the public will question the tax dollars paid to support them. Property taxes? Look out, man. Given that the Republican-controlled Federal government isn't likely to be helpful, stresses will mount considerably at the state and local levels. Mitch McConnell has talked about possibly "punishing" the blue states. What an absurd state our nation has fallen into.
The U is drawing up plans with consideration for social distancing. Good luck on that, man. Kids go to these campuses precisely to build a sense of community. The U talks about "sanitizing and cleaning efforts." Reminds me of a couple of the joke emails that have been sent around, accenting the futility and contradiction within all the cleanliness strategies. If you "wipe" something and miss a little spot, will that kill you? I suppose the risk for college kids isn't that they'll die, but they could bring the virus back home at Thanksgiving when they'll sit at the dinner table with grandma and grandpa.
The U says the use of masks will be "recommended." Not mandated. The masks would appear to kill off the whole music department. The U is addressing testing, isolation, quarantine and contact tracing. What an absolute mountain to climb.
Think about how big Gabel's job would be, even if the virus hadn't come along. Same with our Michelle Behr in Morris. Gabel is also having to deal with issues related to the U's relationship with the Minneapolis Police Department. Everything is in such a defensive mode. The idea is to preserve the precious asset that the U represents for Minnesota, to "buy time."
What will happen here in Morris? The hoped-for happy ending may not be forthcoming. And we have to wait until November for the next national election. And I'm not even sure the Democrats will make progress. Trump is announcing plans to resume his Nuremberg-type rallies. Can you imagine the amount of conflict that could now be fomented, based on the unrest of late? Morris is firmly implanted in "red" country. We should be fearful.
- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com