Coronavirus Affects Higher Education

College of Marin Offers $2,000 to Students Who Re-Enroll - Jul 21

The College of Marin, a community college in Northern California, announced plans to give $2,000 checks to students who dropped out if they re-enroll in the fall.

“The macro reason is the pandemic,” Jonathan Eldridge, assistant superintendent and vice president of student learning and success, told the Marin Independent Journal. “Within that, you have people who lost jobs, or had to change jobs -- and that impacted their ability to take classes.”

Federal judge upholds Indiana University's COVID-19 vaccine requirement - Jul 20

Federal judge finds Indiana was reasonably pursuing legitimate public health aims in first court decision considering the constitutionality of a college’s COVID-19 vaccination requirement.

All eyes on vaccination rates at colleges mandating COVID shots - Jul 16

Colleges that are requiring COVID-19 vaccinations try to get a handle on current vaccination rates in advance of deadlines for students to submit documentation.

Student persistence dropped by 2% from fall 2019 to fall 2020 - Jul 8

The rate at which students stayed enrolled at a postsecondary institution dropped by two percentage points last fall, yet more evidence of the impact of the pandemic and recession.

A community college president visits students across New York City - Jul 7

When Kingsborough Community College president Claudia Schrader couldn’t greet incoming students on campus, she went to visit them at home. She hopes to turn the “welcome wagon” into a Kingsborough tradition.

Arizona public colleges can't require COVID vaccines -- or masks or testing for unvaccinated - Jun 30

Arizona executive order barring public colleges from mandating COVID-19 vaccines, testing and mask wearing is expected to be codified into law.

Stress from coronavirus changed the plans of high school students - Jun 28

Colleges should expect more students to attend college close to home and to look for low-cost options.

British universities plan for post-COVID-19 environment - Jun 25

British universities envision changes in assessment of students, based on experiences under COVID-19.

Some two-year colleges report summer enrollment up - Jun 24

Some two-year colleges are reporting that summer enrollment is up at their institutions.

For regional public colleges, admission season isn't over - Jun 21

For regional public colleges and universities, challenges of the year are outlasting the pandemic.

Santa Fe Community College cuts five programs - Jun 17

Santa Fe Community College cut academic programs and faculty after steep enrollment drops and revenue losses during the pandemic.

Faculty want money for new hires. Budget officers aren't sure - Jun 14

The California Community College System could get a $170 million boost in state funding to hire full-time faculty members. The system's budget officers aren't thrilled about it.

College Board analyzes who went to college last year and who didn't - Jun 7

College Board analysis is latest to find that community colleges suffered more than four-year colleges, but report also suggests that four-year colleges saw a loss of students with higher grades. And some states saw gains in enrollment at four-year colleges.

Education Department Releases COVID-19 Handbook for Higher Ed - Jun 7

The Department of Education has released a COVID-19 resource guide to provide information for higher education institutions about how to safely reopen for in-person instruction.

White House Kicks Off College Vaccine Challenge - Jun 4

The Biden administration has launched an initiative called the COVID-19 College Challenge for colleges and universities to encourage their students, faculty and staff to get vaccinated against the coronavirus.

Community colleges launch new plans for campus housing - Jun 4

Community college leaders and lawmakers are reinvigorating their efforts to provide housing for students after the pandemic shined a spotlight on housing insecurity.

Chairs say faculty influence declined during COVID-19 - Jun 3

New survey finds 24 percent of faculty senate chairs say faculty influence declined during COVID-19. Fifteen percent of chairs say it increased. Survey also delves into faculty say in budget decisions, voided handbooks, contracts and more.

AAUP finds major erosion of shared governance during COVID-19 - May 26

AAUP investigation finds eight institutions flouted academic governance norms during COVID-19, as did other institutions that were not subject to the inquiry. The group warns that institutions will continue to challenge these norms even as the pandemic ends.

New initiative to re-enroll thousands of HBCU students - May 25

A new initiative aims to bring back 4,000 students who stopped out of private historically Black colleges and universities and guide them to graduation with one-on-one coaching. Public HBCUs are doing similar outreach to students, especially those who left during the pandemic.

Quincy College Graduates Each Receive $1,000 Gift - May 25

Quincy College students received two envelopes at their commencement ceremony Friday. One envelope read “gift” and contained $500 for each student; the other envelope read “give” and held $500 for each student to gift to others.