Some TCU, SMU Students Question Accuracy Of Positive COVID-19 Cases At Schools
FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) - Both Texas Christian University (TCU) and Southern Methodist University (SMU) have adjusted their fall 2020 academic calendar, suspending Labor Day weekend.
A spokesperson from TCU says it was to make up for lost time with a shorter semester, while SMU tells CBS 11 News they are hoping it will help contain the virus.
Benton McDonald, a senior at TCU, says he thinks the spread of COVID-19 is a concern, no matter what weekend it is.
"I mean I think there is a concern every weekend, but I think if anything the concern would be next weekend because we have a football game on Friday night. We will see after this weekend, I guess," he said.
TCU and SMU both have reported case spikes in recent weeks, but some students say they're wondering about their accuracy.
"I know that probably not all cases are being accounted for," McDonald said.
Connor Pittman, an SMU senior, agreed, saying it's often students living off campus who aren't reporting positive COVID-19 tests to their universities.
"Personally I doubt that the counts they are giving us are wholly accurate, because it is so dependent on student reporting," Pittman said.
Pittman says each morning SMU students are emailed a daily symptom checker, but they don't have to participate.
"College students and following COVID guidelines… don't always go hand in hand," he said.
Both students say they attribute case spikes at their respective universities in recent weeks to large gatherings off campus, despite their schools asking students to mindful about social distancing.
"I think in some ways that conflicts with what the college experience overall means to most people," Pittman said.