Things went better than expected on the first day of school at Zoom University.
Thomas 100 was empty. You could hear a pin drop in the normally bustling foyer outside it. Any comfy couch in the Harry Potter Room was yours for the taking. There were no students arguing with the Willard Preacher. No frisbees were being tossed on Old Main Lawn. There was neither Chick-Fil-A line nor a need to scramble to get a table at which to eat it.
Penn State is planning to offer prorated housing and meal plan reimbursements due to the financial strain this virtual period poses.
How many times did the professor say to ask questions in the chat section?
Coronavirus or not -- no on-campus resident should feel in danger or unsafe when following guidelines laid out by their university.
One of Penn State's 11 coronavirus action groups is devoted specifically to commencement, and the page says this group has "contingency plans for all manner of developments."