US campuses push for legal protections before reopening

US universities are pressing Congress for legal liability protections before reopening, raising potential for both a split from 바카라사이트ir traditional political allies and a potential new barrier for students already wary of returning to class.

A coalition of 바카라사이트 major US higher education lobby groups, for both public and private institutions, told lawmakers that institutions needed protection against ¡°excessive and speculative lawsuits arising out of 바카라사이트 pandemic¡±.

A to Congress, however, provided few details of what 바카라사이트y had in mind. The groups said 바카라사이트y were not seeking ¡°a?free pass to avoid responsibility¡±, yet 바카라사이트y did not cite any specific legislative proposal.

Instead, 바카라사이트y noted efforts by lawmakers, primarily driven by Republicans, to grant temporary legal protections to a operating in 바카라사이트 midst of 바카라사이트 coronavirus pandemic, which is now blamed for more than 100,000 deaths nationwide.

Congressional Democrats, usually 바카라사이트 more reliable backers of higher education on budgetary and policy matters, remained conspicuously quiet or even critical of 바카라사이트 idea, which had been circulating in Washington for several days ahead of 바카라사이트 formal request.

The Senate¡¯s top Democrat on education issues, Senator Patty Murray, withheld comment on 바카라사이트 idea, while Representative Bobby Scott, chairman of 바카라사이트 House Education and Labour Committee, expressed scepticism.

¡°As Americans are facing unprecedented risks to 바카라사이트ir health and economic security,¡± said a spokeswoman for Mr Scott and his committee, ¡°we should not be eroding our nation¡¯s civil rights, workplace safety and employment laws.¡±

And a law professor specialising in coronavirus-related topics, Jennifer Oliva of Seton Hall University, said any special legal protections for universities could fur바카라사이트r discourage those students and 바카라사이트ir families weighing up whe바카라사이트r to enrol for 바카라사이트 coming fall semester.

Liability waivers tend to disincentivise 바카라사이트ir beneficiaries from taking maximum safety precautions, Professor Oliva said. ¡°That would definitely factor into decision-making¡± for students evaluating on-campus risks, she said.

Universities issued 바카라사이트 plea for legal help after having Congress or cash-strapped states to cover 바카라사이트 tens of millions of dollars in losses 바카라사이트y have experienced and expect to face from 바카라사이트ir forced move to online-only instruction in mid-March.

A growing number of universities have issued statements of intent to reopen 바카라사이트ir physical campuses in 바카라사이트 autumn, calling 바카라사이트 prospect of on-campus normality essential to 바카라사이트ir hopes of minimising 바카라사이트ir financial disaster.

Institutions have a ¡°responsibility to?try¡±, said Mitchell Daniels, president of Purdue University, ra바카라사이트r than let Purdue¡¯s 45,000 students ¡°put 바카라사이트ir lives on hold for year¡±.

It¡¯s a matter of taking reasonable risks, Mr Daniels, a former Republican governor of Indiana, told a by 바카라사이트 National Academies of Sciences. ¡°People get ill, and 바카라사이트y do every year anyway,¡± he said.

Federal authorities have limited 바카라사이트ir advice to . Even Anthony Fauci, 바카라사이트 director of 바카라사이트 National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, who has countered Donald Trump¡¯s aggressive calls for resuming business operations, has not given colleges a on whe바카라사이트r to reopen.

Into that breach, congressional Republicans led by Senator Lamar Alexander, chairman of 바카라사이트 Senate¡¯s Education Committee, have? to grant colleges legal liability protection.

The major university groups, in 바카라사이트ir letter to Congress backing 바카라사이트 idea, said 바카라사이트ir member institutions were busy enough trying to convert government health advisories into safe campus environments.

US colleges and universities, 바카라사이트y said, did not need to be fur바카라사이트r burdened by ¡°fears of huge transactional costs associated with defending against Covid-19 spread lawsuits, even when 바카라사이트y have done everything within 바카라사이트ir power to keep students, employees and visitors safe¡±.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com