Photo: Erin Kirkland for The New York Times Colleges Vowed a Safer Spring. Then Students, and Variants, Arrived.
Stephanie Saul and Shawn Hubler, The New York Times
With nearly a year of coronavirus experience behind them, leaders at U.S. universities ushered in the new term pledging not to repeat the errors of last year, when infection rates soared on campuses and in the surrounding communities.
Still, universities across the country have encountered obstacles to a smooth spring, ranging from the unexpected challenge of emerging variants to the more common issue of uncooperative students. And although most schools planned to increase testing as a way of spotting outbreaks early, it is an expensive proposition at a time when many institutions are struggling financially. |