UC-Berkeley students, classes reinstated
The University of California-Berkeley, facing intense criticism that it overreacted to the potential health risks of SARS, announced over the weekend that it will allow about 80 students from China, Hong Kong and Taiwan to attend summer classes.
Nearly 30 students, most of whom attend the Chinese University of Hong Kong, are scheduled to arrive by May 27, when the first summer session begins. University officials in Hong Kong will monitor the health of the students before they leave Asia. After arriving in Berkeley, the students will be in close contact with campus health officials.
Last week, UC-Berkeley became the first university in the country to cancel summer programs for students from the countries hardest hit by SARS. Nearly 600 Asian students had enrolled in either summer courses or English language classes through UC-Berkeley Extension.
Campus officials worried that they could not safely meet the health needs of the students if there were a SARS outbreak, but Asian American advocacy groups cried foul, and San Francisco’s Asian Law Caucus called the policy racial profiling.
The changes were made because the university created special housing for any student who may be infected with SARS. And by limiting the number of students enrolled – with the idea that 80 is far more manageable than 600 – the university feels it can manage potential risks.
The 80 students who are enrolled in summer courses may attend classes as planned, but at least 500 students who wanted to take English language classes must wait and hope that UC-Berkeley makes further revisions to its policy.
Chancellor Robert Berdahl stressed that the university was not reversing its decision but modifying it, and said the policy has been in constant flux because new information about SARS surfaces daily. But he acknowledged that the original policy created the impression that UC-Berkeley was “banning” students.
“We are very concerned that our decision to limit enrollment in our summer programs has created the impression here and abroad that UC-Berkeley was actually banning students from here, or was not welcoming Asian students at all,” said Berdahl at a Saturday morning news conference. “Nothing could be further from the truth.”
Berdahl said that he has been in close contact with Dr. Julie Gerberding, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other public health and education officials. The university has now set aside rooms at the Clark Kerr campus that could serve as isolation rooms or quarantine facilities if a student shows signs of SARS after arriving at Berkeley.
Berdahl said the university is now e-mailing the 80 students to let them know that they can come to the campus as planned.
“We’re contacting each student directly now,” said Berdahl. “This thing is changing almost daily. We pushed very hard to get isolation facilities ready. I hope this is not interpreted as a reversal. It is a modification of the policy.”
Peter Dietrich, director of the University Health Services, said that finding and creating a set of isolation rooms took time. Each room has to have its own bathroom and adequate ventilation, which meant that many regular dorm rooms would not qualify.
“We know who is coming, and we want to make sure that they know what the signs and symptoms of SARS are,” said Dietrich. “But it’s not like they have to go through an exam upon arrival. We want to make sure that we can accommodate students if any symptoms develop.”
Bay Area organizations that have been critical of the policy are just learning about the modification and want more details. Although the move is seen as a step in the right direction, some believe the campus could be doing more.
“I’m glad that they have shown a willingness to shift from their original position, but it’s still dissatisfying,” said Diane Chin, executive director of Chinese for Affirmative Action, a prominent civil rights group. “To carve out 80 students from the wholesale ban doesn’t address what we feel is an individual issue. I’m not clear on why they can’t make an alternate plan for the other students.”
On Saturday, the campus was relatively empty and the few students there were studying for final exams. The UC system recently canceled its study-abroad program in Beijing, and when students talk about SARS they are most interested in when that decision will be lifted.
“The average Berkeley student is more focused on whether we can study abroad in Asia then whether they can come here,” said senior Chris Petersen, 21, who wondered how a student who was quarantined because of SARS symptoms would go to class. “We don’t know enough about SARS to know how contagious it is. Now if someone coughs, people say, `Oh, it’s SARS.'”
