Monday, November 9th
Promising Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Announced
Defense Secretary Mike Esper Fired by the Trump Administration
DOJ’s Top Election Crimes Official Quits After Election Fraud Claims Continue
Tuesday, November 10th
The Supreme Court Hears an Affordable Care Act Case- What The Arguments Tell Us
Top Republicans Continue to Deny Biden’s Win
Vatican Report Reveals U.S. Cardinal Sex Abuse Cover-Up: Pope Francis Reacts
Wednesday, November 11th
Texas Hits One Million COVID-19 Cases, a New U.S. State Record
https://apnews.com/article/texas-1-million-covid-cases-first-state-097550b8324b0f54f06bf4d2a1fa4fbd
New York Enforces New Restrictions After Rapid COVID-19 Spike
President Trump and President-Elect Biden Recognize Veteran’s Day
Thursday, November 12th
Department of Homeland Security Finds “No Evidence” of Election Fraud
Republican Senators Push Towards a Transition: Biden Should Be Involved in Critical Intelligence Briefings
https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/11/politics/james-lankford-biden-intelligence-briefings/index.html
Landmark Harvard Applications Case Heard: Harvard “Does Not Discriminate” Against Asian-American Applicants
Friday, November 13th
Record-Breaking: Most COVID-19 Hospitalizations in One Day
https://www.vox.com/2020/11/12/21560902/covid-19-risk-hospitalizations-chart-texas-illinois
China Belatedly Wishes Biden-Harris Ticket Congratulations
“I Guess Time Will Tell”: Trump Continues to Deny Biden Win
Saturday, November 14th
Governors Announce New Restrictions as COVID-19 Cases Soar
Trump Breaks from Fox News
https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/trump-separates-fox-news-what-s-next-both-n1245549
The Macy’s Day Thanksgiving Parade Survives 2020: How Things Will be Different
Sunday, November 15th
Could State Legislatures Pick Electors to Vote for Trump? Not Likely
There Is No One Way to Win the Latino Vote
https://www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a/there-is-no-one-way-to-win-the-latino-vote
LOOKING AHEAD:
COVID-19 On Campus
Breaking Records
Following reports of extremely successful trials of the Pfizer vaccine, which would be the first RNA vaccine widely accepted for humans, new hope has spread throughout both the United States and the world to combat COVID-19 (BBC). Despite this good news, the U.S. has reached a new total record of 10 million coronavirus cases. According to CNN, “43 states reported at least 10% more new COVID-19 cases compared to last week, according to Johns Hopkins.” The nation, once hopeful that the pandemic would be over in weeks, now faces a death toll of 245,000 (CNN). It is unclear how soon a vaccine may be approved and how quickly it can be distributed to prevent even more deaths from damaging countless families across the world.
A Campus Spike
On Thursday, Nov. 12, Franklin and Marshall’s PORT service moved the alert level to “High” following a series of positive tests which brought the total active cases to 26, the highest we have seen all semester. On Friday, Nov. 3, the F&M COVID-19 Dashboard indicated that the number of active cases had risen to 30. As the country continues to witness an exponential rise in cases and hospitalizations, Franklin and Marshall follows in the footsteps of many state legislators by closing non-essential facilities and cautioning students to abide by social-distancing and mask regulations. Thanksgiving Break is fast approaching, and with the threat of community spread higher than ever before, it is difficult to over-emphasize the responsibility our students have to follow CDC and school guidelines in order to do their part to stop this concerning trend.
Moving Out
Move Out officially begins this Thursday, Nov. 19, and a sign-up link for dates and times can be found in your email. Before leaving, students must make sure that their rooms appear the same as when they first arrived in August, ensuring that all items are packed and no trash is left behind. There is and will be a Zoom link distributed with which students can show their HAs their clean and orderly dorms prior to Move Out. On your way out, remember to drop your room key in one of the key drop boxes, and complete the Check Out survey to notify the school that you have left campus.
Though Move Out has yet to officially begin, students have already started to exit, likely sparked by a recent spike in COVID-19 cases both on campus and around the country. If you choose to leave early, make sure to contact your HA and House Dean for further direction.
Students will be permitted one person to help them move their personal belongings out of their dorms, and elevators will be made available to those who require it.
The Election is Over… So Why Isn’t It?
Over a week has passed since Joe Biden was declared the President-Elect, yet no sign of concession can be seen from the Trump administration, which continues to push the narrative of electoral fraud with no concrete evidence to support their claims. Baseless lawsuits continue to multiply as the promise of a peaceful transition of power wanes, creating a real threat to the very legitimacy of the electoral system. International leaders have called to congratulate the newest President-Elect, but any sign of acknowledgment from the White House remains to be seen.
Campus Events
11/16: Voluntary Exit Testing for Groups A & B & Withdraw With Record Deadline for Module 2
11/17: Voluntary Exit Testing for Groups A & B
11/18: Voluntary Exit Testing for Groups A & B
11/19: Start of Official Move Out
11/20: Continued Move Out
11/21: Continued Move Out
11/22: Final Day of Move Out