Classes Underway in Florida, Land of the Free

Many K-12 schools and universities have gone to remote instruction in response to the surge in COVID cases, but Florida remains the land of the free, with no COVID-related mandates. No mask mandates. No vaccine mandates. No mandated business closures or reductions in service. Mandates have been prohibited by the state legislature, at the urging of Governor DeSantis. In Florida, instruction is in-person and mandate-free.

The administration at Florida State University, where I teach, does not appear to have the same laissez-faire attitude as the legislature and the governor. The Spring semester is underway, and students and faculty have received emails from the university president and other administrators saying they expect people to wear masks, get vaccinated, and take other precautions. Numerous signs around campus remind us, “Face Coverings Are Expected.”

The passive voice in the signs makes it unclear who is expecting face coverings, but whoever they are, they must be disappointed. Many people do wear masks, but they are a minority. Most people, around campus and in class, are maskless. I have been teaching my classes without a mask, which seems justified because most of my students are not wearing them.

The widespread disregard of the mask expectation reminds me of the nationwide 55 mph speed limit from 1974 to 1995, which was widely disregarded. The authority of those in charge is eroded when they mandate things that are unpopular and are not followed. It appears that at Florida State University, people are more inclined to follow the governor’s idea that masks are not required rather than the administration’s view that they are expected.

I realize that people and policies vary quite a bit in different places around the nation, so wherever you are, I’m just letting you know how things are where I am. Policies toward the pandemic are controversial, regardless of what they are, and I’m confident that some readers will applaud the Florida “land of the free” policies while others will be appalled by them.

We shall see how this turns out, perhaps a few weeks or a month from now. Will a COVID surge disrupt campus activities, or will the “return to normal” policy succeed? As I noted in the opening paragraph, many places are taking a more cautious approach. A month from now, we will be able to look back and judge which approach did the least harm.

https://blog.independent.org/2022/01/09/classes-underway-in-florida-land-of-the-free/?omhide=true

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Britain's highest paying degrees, according to UK graduate salaries

Business, computing and law courses dominate Britain’s list of top-paying degrees, government data shows.

Students from a select few business and management, computer science and law bachelor’s degrees earn on average more than double the typical UK salary within just five years of graduating, according to Department for Education figures.

The University of Oxford’s course in business and management tops the overall list as the most lucrative in the country, with its small number of elite graduates earning an average of £70,800 after five years of finishing the course.

That compares to median annual earnings of approximately £30,420 for the typical UK full-time employee in 2019, according to ONS figures.

Close behind are Cambridge’s computing and law degrees, which both saw median earnings of £69,400 in the tax year ending in 2019.

Imperial’s computing degree comes in fourth place at £66,100, while law at the London School of Economics comes in fifth, with recent graduates earning £65,600.

However, on average degrees in medicine and dentistry tend to yield the highest salaries after graduation out of any subject group, with median earnings coming in at £49,300, according to the data, which tracks those who finished university in 2013.

Those in the performing and creative arts face the lowest salaries after graduating, with averages of £21,200 and £22,000 - below the UK average.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/0/highest-paid-degree-2021-uk-graduate-salaries-best-jobs-careers/

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International students in Australia allowed to work more hours to help ease COVID worker shortage

Foreign students will be allowed to pick up more hours to help alleviate worker shortages as more people are forced into isolation due to Australia's Omicron COVID-19 outbreak.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the federal government will remove the 40-hour-a-fortnight cap on student visa-holder workers, meaning they will no longer have restrictions on the amount of hours they can work.

Forty-hour work limits on international student visa-holders were lifted for people in the tourism and hospitality industry in May last year.

Mr Morrison encouraged international students to return to Australia, and backpackers are also allowed into the country under working holidays visas, on the condition they are fully vaccinated.

There have been worker shortages in the food distribution and manufacturing industries recently because a large number of workers have had to isolate due to a surge of coronavirus cases.

Australasian Convenience and Petroleum Marketers Association (ACAPMA) CEO Mark McKenzie told the ABC the decision was welcome news for petrol-station owners.

"The extension of visa hours would provide a major relief in a pressure point we currently have in our workforce," Mr McKenzie said.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-01-13/international-students-allowed-to-work-more-hours/100753802

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My other blogs: Main ones below

http://dissectleft.blogspot.com (DISSECTING LEFTISM)

http://antigreen.blogspot.com (GREENIE WATCH)

http://pcwatch.blogspot.com (POLITICAL CORRECTNESS WATCH)

http://australian-politics.blogspot.com/ (AUSTRALIAN POLITICS)

http://snorphty.blogspot.com/ (TONGUE-TIED)

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