Read more about the article COVID on Campus:  Containing hot spots a difficult challenge
A group of men stand outside of Campus Bar and Grill shortly after close on the night of Sept. 5, 2020 in downtown Columbia, Mo. College-age students continued to gather together and drink after the new city ordinance stopped alcohol sales at 9 p.m. and closed bars at 10 p.m. every evening.

COVID on Campus: Containing hot spots a difficult challenge

When universities across the U.S. reopened and welcomed tens of thousands of students back to campus this fall, students partied in apartments, at pools and on the lawns of Greek houses — celebrating as if COVID-19 did not exist. Local public health departments and universities alike received thousands of reports about students at over-packed parties and bars where they could be seen maskless, violating social distancing and gathering size limits. Some schools created ways for complaints to be filed.

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Read more about the article COVID on Campus: Unprecedented challenges, mixed results
As Covid-19 testing takes place on the University of Illinois Quad in Urbana, IL on Wednesday, September 16, 2020. Photo by Darrell Hoemann.

COVID on Campus: Unprecedented challenges, mixed results

An analysis of the efforts at four major Midwestern universities shows that no matter what schools tried — whether it was Illinois’ much-touted testing program or Missouri’s lack of comprehensive or random testing — the results were much worse than predicted. At those campuses and the flagship universities in Indiana and Wisconsin, at least 15,000 tested positive for COVID-19 this fall.

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Read more about the article University makes cuts to student services at off-campus community living officeHousing Explorer web page
The Housing Explorer was among one of the cuts to student and community resources made by the University of Illinois's Off-Campus Community Living Office.

University makes cuts to student services at off-campus community living office

At a time when students are struggling with leases, lockdowns, and landlords, the University’s Off-Campus Community Living Office has cut services and made major changes in its office. Among the cuts have been the elimination of the online service known as the “Housing Explorer,” which allowed students with information on rental properties in the Champaign-Urbana and to complain about landlords who provided poor housing.

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Read more about the article University of Illinois COVID-19 complaints and social media reveal how widespread violations wereGavin Good
Pi Kappa Phi fraternity was among several other frats and sororities that were widely reported for COVID-19 violations. Pi Kappa Phi is on conduct probation through May 2021.

University of Illinois COVID-19 complaints and social media reveal how widespread violations were

A review of more than 400 complaints about partying and public health violations, multiple disciplinary actions and partial lockdowns at apartment complexes show the impact of the partying and social gathering was far wider than previously recognized. While many students obeyed guidelines that included wearing masks and social distancing, a significant number of students held or attended large parties and social gatherings at Greek houses, dorms and apartments. Public records show that four fraternities and one sorority have been disciplined and more than 1,000 students were disciplined.

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U Of I Data: Undergrads In Greek And Certified Housing Contracted COVID At Higher Rates Than Others

URBANA – Undergraduate students comprised the vast majority of COVID-19 cases at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign during the fall semester, with the highest infection rates occurring among students living in fraternities, sororities and other private, campus-certified housing.

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Read more about the article University of Illinois Beckwith Services program continues to leave questions for students with disabilitiesZain Bando
University of Illinois students Avery Schaefer (left) and Zain Bando (right) at the WPGU radio station.

University of Illinois Beckwith Services program continues to leave questions for students with disabilities

The Beckwith Services program at the University of Illinois is known nationwide for being a top-tier resource for students with disabilities to be able to independently attend a university. But with COVID-19 precautions in place, these students have lost the resource this semester and are unsure where they stand as the upcoming Spring semester quickly approaches.

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Read more about the article University building monitoring for COVID-19 lax after shortfall in hiringVivian La
A vacant building monitor desk in the School of Literatures, Cultures and Linguistics in Urbana.

University building monitoring for COVID-19 lax after shortfall in hiring

To get into University of Illinois buildings, students and employees are supposed to show an app saying that they’ve had a recent, clean COVID-19 test. Nearly one-third of the time, however, there’s no one at the door to check their status.

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Read more about the article Calculation of COVID-19 positivity rate by university produces lower numbers than state
The Illinois Department of Public Health reports 7-day rolling averages of the COVID-19 test positivity rate for each region of Illinois. Champaign County, home of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, is part of region 6 which has experienced 8 days of positivity increases, reaching 12.2% on November 8.

Calculation of COVID-19 positivity rate by university produces lower numbers than state

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s revised calculation of the campus positivity rate of COVID-19 has potentially lowered the rate substantially by reducing the number of reported positive tests. Epidemiologists say the more accurate way to calculate positivity would be to divide unique positive tests by unique total tests, but that information is not always available.

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Read more about the article Campus crime reports significantly different; Some call for reform of federal Clery ActUniversity Housing
Campus crime locations include residence halls, such as Hopkins Hall, which had at least 13 incidents in the 2020 fall semester at the University of Illinois.

Campus crime reports significantly different; Some call for reform of federal Clery Act

Last year, 233 criminal incidents occurred on the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign campus according to the 2019 annual security and fire report, mandated by the federal crime reporting law for colleges known as the Clery Act. But the university’s daily crime log routinely reports many more incidents. Some law enforcement officials said the Clery Act guidelines can be confusing and unclear for crime reporting and can lead to ‘unintended harms’, especially in the wake of COVID-19, which may make campuses appear less safe than reality.

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Read more about the article The University Of Illinois Dials Back Statements About FDA Authorization For Its COVID-19 TestPhoto: Christine Herman/Illinois Newsroom
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign requires students and employees get tested regularly for COVID-19, using a saliva-based test developed by its own researchers.

The University Of Illinois Dials Back Statements About FDA Authorization For Its COVID-19 Test

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s saliva-based COVID-19 test has never operated under emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, despite prior claims that it did, an FDA spokesperson tells Illinois Newsroom. So far, campus officials say the U of I has been contacted by 35 organizations, including other universities, expressing interest in adopting the campus’ Shield program, which involves testing, contact tracing and other mitigation measures.

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