A network-based group testing strategy for colleges

Group testing has recently become a matter of vital importance for efficiently and rapidly identifying the spread of Covid-19. In particular, we focus on college towns due to their density, observability, and significance for school reopenings. We propose a novel group testing strategy which requires only local information about the underlying transmission network. By using cellphone data from over 190,000 agents, we construct a mobility network and run extensive data-driven simulations to evaluate the efficacy of four different testing strategies. Our results demonstrate that our group testing method is more effective than three other baseline strategies for reducing disease spread with fewer tests.

What Happened to Your College Town: The Changing Relationship of Higher Education and College Towns, 1940–2000

This essay examines the history of what is commonly called the town-gown relationship in American college towns in the six decades after the Second World War. A time of considerable expansion of higher education enrollment and function, the period also marks an increasing detachment of higher education institutions from their local communities. Once closely tied by university offices that advised the bulk of their students in off-campus housing, those bonds between town and gown began to come apart in the 1970s, due primarily to legal and economic factors that restricted higher education institutions’ outreach. Given the importance of off-campus life to college students, over half of whom have historically lived off campus, the essay argues for increased research on college towns in the history of higher education.

Jamaican Universities Aiding the Design of an Urban Public Space

Many governments are actively seeking solutions to address the economic crises bedeviling their countries. University/college towns have proven to be successful models of opportunities for attracting investments for economic development while at the same time promoting optimal health outcomes. Harvard, MIT and Newcastle universities provide examples of successful models of universities aiding in spatial design and planning of towns or neighborhoods where they are located to yield sustainable development. The Government of Jamaica has supported the proposal from the University of Technology, Jamaica, (UTech, Jamaica Ja.) to redesign the Papine area in St. Andrew into a university town, given its proximity to the two largest universities in Jamaica, UTech, Ja. and the University of the West Indies (UWI). Both institutions collaborated by using cutting-edge scholarly research and design approaches to propose workable solutions that can promote economic development and healthy lifestyle in an area designated as a university town. The research found that SOPARC was a feasible and reliable instrument for assessing park user variables and associated contextual variables. However, for the proposed design to be executed and maintained, the study recommends establishing a body such as a University District/Town Council with oversight responsibility for planning and land use management of the area.

Higher Education Centers and College Towns: A Typology of the US Metropolitan Geography of Higher Education

Colleges and universities are vital institutions at the heart of many US cities. Yet existing research offers only partial insights into the US metropolitan geography of HEIs. We use institutional and metro-level data to offer a novel perspective on the geography of single- and multi-HEI metropolitan compositions. Using Latent Profile Analysis, we develop a typology of Higher Education Metros (HEMs), identifying two main classes: Higher Education Centers and College Towns, with finer delineations based on the type and intensity of HEIs. We then assess macro- and micro-level patterns in the HEM types across US metro areas, and examine meso-level representative cases. Our study provides a framework for understanding the metropolitan geography of HEI configurations, serving as a complement to emergent literature examining the relational geography of HEIs. It enables a wider, systematic perspective that generates new insights about the spatial nature of higher education in the US.

Passive, open access data measures movement and predicts COVID-19 cases

Background. In the months following the global spread of SARS-CoV-2, the lack of effective pharmaceutical interventions led to widespread implementation of behavioral interventions aimed at reducing contacts and transmission. In the US, state and local governments introduced and enforced the bulk of interventions, including university closures. As universities closed, student departures decreased the total population size of college towns while state-level interventions decreased contacts among remaining residents. Though the pandemic continues without pharmaceutical interventions, businesses have begun to reopen, and many universities have resumed operations. These actions have increased contacts and population sizes in college towns. Monitoring movement to implement adaptive policies will be critical for outbreak management. Methods. We use publicly available remotely-sensed nighttime lights and traffic cameras to measure the impact of restriction policies on movement and activities in the university town of State College, and the surrounding areas of Centre County, Pennsylvania, USA. Results. At the county level, nighttime radiance did not differ significantly across restriction phases and largely reflected seasonal fluctuations seen in previous years. Throughout the county, traffic volumes were lowest during the most severe period of restrictions ('Red phase' in Pennsylvania). As restrictions eased, traffic volumes grew, indicating increased movement within and between population centers. We show that real-time, publicly available traffic data captured behavioral responses and compliance to different restrictions phases. We also demonstrate that these increases in activity levels precede increases in reported COVID-19 cases. Conclusion. Passively collected data can measure population-level movement in response to restrictions and changes in these measured movements are reflected in observed SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Measuring these changes in movements and contacts in near real time can inform local adaptive interventions to curtail outbreaks.

Markedly heterogeneous COVID-19 testing plans among US colleges and universities

As the COVID-19 pandemic worsens in the United States, colleges that have invited students back for the fall are finalizing mitigation plans to lessen the spread of SARS-CoV-2. Even though students have largely been away from campuses over the summer, several outbreaks associated with colleges have already occurred, foreshadowing the scale of infection that could result from hundreds of thousands of students returning to college towns and cities. While many institutions have released return-to-campus plans designed to reduce viral spread and to rapidly identify outbreaks should they occur, in many cases communications by college administrators have been opaque. To contribute to an evaluation of university preparedness for the COVID-19 pandemic, we assessed a crucial element: COVID-19 on-campus testing. We examined testing plans at more than 500 colleges and universities throughout the US, and collated statistics, as well as narratives from publicly facing websites. We discovered a highly variable and muddled state of COVID-19 testing plans among US institutions of higher education that has been shaped by discrepancies between scientific studies and federal guidelines. We highlight cases of divergence between university testing plans and public health best practices, as well as potential bioethical issues.

Getting Acquainted with the University and the City, 1960s–Early 1970s

Chapter 2 details the arrival of South Asian students and immigrants in Houston during the 1960s. Along with college towns and major cities across the United States, Houston was an ideal host city for would-be immigrants. South Asians constructed ethnic, national, class, and racial identities through the university and the city. The University of Houston became the cultural hub and a key site for identity formation.

US COVID-19 census delays will mean party battles

Significance The US census is conducted every ten years. The survey contributes to public allocation of resources and determines how many US House of Representatives seats each state has. Although online, telephone and mail-in responses are ongoing, the census still requires face-to-face interviews and events. Impacts The 2020 census will still be susceptible to systemic factors that produce undercounting, impairing public policy effectiveness. Areas with minorities, poverty, poor internet access and college towns are at greater risk of undercounting. Republican presidential candidates could benefit from likely 2020-21 seat reapportionments from 2024.

A Cost-Effect Analysis:

College towns are known for their large student populations, strong human capital, and collaborative economic activity. Ideally, they are arenas to expand research and development, given the presence of vibrant academic institutions. One of the themes of this expansion is sustainability—-an urban growth objective that emphasizes ecological awareness and strategies to mitigate the effects of climate change. This does not necessarily denote environmental protection alone; it can include a number of goals, including social diversity. The literature shows that sustainability is a complex objective in an urban setting. Consequently, we focus on economic activity aimed at improving soft and hard infrastructure that is strategically aimed at smart growth. To that end, this paper evaluates the economic cost and effect of sustainability strategies in Denton and Austin, Texas. In particular, we look at walkability and public transportation strategies and how they have been instituted in these two college towns. Methodologically, we look at urban transportation design differences between these two cities. Using route maps and user data, we show why Denton’s sustainability strategies are widely considered more successful than Austin’s, despite the size differential in Austin’s favor. These results can help governments, urban planners, and economists develop strategies to deal with the challenges of urban growth.