Today, the Florida Department of Health announced the highest single-day increase in COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began in March with over 5,500 cases reported. There are currently 109,014 cases and 3,281 deaths in Florida and it will inevitably continue to rise. 

It is for this reason that we request that the administrators at Stetson University be proactive and make the fall 2020 semester online from the start. Currently, Stetson University is planning for in-person classes and has announced a number of guidelines we will have to follow for our own safety. Unfortunately, this does not guarantee that members of the community will not contract COVID-19. The risk of community spread will be high given that thousands of students will be moving in and many will be living in shared spaces. No matter how much social distancing we do, the risk will still be high. 

In addition, if the state government were to implement another stay-at-home order during the semester, it is likely the University will end all in-person classes and switch to remote learning. Starting the semester online will ensure that students are not disrupted in the middle of the semester by having to move back home which is what happened in the spring 2020 semester. 

In this big decision, accessibility should be a guiding factor. For many students, Stetson is home. If students need to live on campus because of extenuating circumstances back at home, then the option should exist for them to do so. However, only campus apartments should be open and not residence halls with communal bathrooms.

It is in the best interest of the entire Stetson community that fall 2020 be completely online. Face-to-face learning is an integral staple of Stetson University but that should not get in the way of public health. The administrators of Stetson University have a responsibility to keep the students, faculty, and staff safe and the best course of action is to make the fall semester completely online from the beginning.