---
title: Opening up our Campuses. What can we learn from what China's doing?
description: Eventually, our colleges and universities will open back up.  What can we learn from the steps China has taken already?
---

[Mutara Inc](https://blog.mutarainc.com)

# [Opening up our Campuses. What can we learn from what China's doing?](https://blog.mutarainc.com/opening-up-campuses-after-stay-at-home.-what-we-can-learn-from-china)

 Written by [Larry Grey](https://blog.mutarainc.com/author/larry-grey) | Apr 28, 2020 6:49:58 PM

As the discussion about re-opening businesses gets underway, one of the most challenging areas to consider is re-opening our campuses.  How do you balance public health with the realities of campus life?  Where do you start as you develop these plans?

## A Day in the Life:  Going back to Work in China

My wife recently shared [a blog post](https://www.gensler.com/research-insight/blog/a-day-in-the-life-going-back-to-work-in-china) that I believe provides an excellent roadmap for this type of planning.  Her company has a large office in Beijing and the author went into a lot of detail about his daily routine now that he's getting back to work.

As I read [this article](https://www.gensler.com/research-insight/blog/a-day-in-the-life-going-back-to-work-in-china), it was evident to me that the factors that drive his daily life in a large city are very similar to those of students on a college campus:

- People live in multi-occupant buildings
- Public transportation is an important means for getting around
- People spend much of their working day in close quarters in large buildings
- People often need to eat at restaurants or cafeterias

The author highlighted a number of interesting techniques that might need to be applied to college campuses:

- Increased security and checkpoints throughout campus with most entrances closed:  Dorms, Transit stops, Hall entrances, etc.  This includes measuring temperatures, enforcing masks and social distancing, and occupancy restrictions
- Supplies of masks, disinfectant, and gloves widely available.
- Constant disinfecting of buses, restrooms, classrooms -- essentially any public place.
- Reduced occupancy capacity everywhere
- Personal tracking linked to data about the individual (temperature, travel, etc.)
- Ventilation and Air conditioning in all buildings ensuring that air recycling is minimal

Probably my biggest take-away is that the new normal won't be easy until we have a vaccine or reach herd immunity, but with solid planning and execution it will be possible to re-open our campuses.

[View full post](https://blog.mutarainc.com/opening-up-campuses-after-stay-at-home.-what-we-can-learn-from-china)

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