March 18, 2020: Interim Guidance for Administrators of US Institutions of Higher Education: Plan, Prepare, and Respond to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). “This interim guidance is intended for administrators of public and private institutions of higher education (IHE). IHE include a diverse set of American colleges and universities: 2- or 4-year; public, private non-profit, or private for-profit; and comprehensive, research-focused, or special mission. IHE administrators (e.g., presidents, deans, provosts) are individuals who make policies and procedures, set educational aims and standards, and direct programming of institutions of higher education…. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will update this guidance as needed and as additional information becomes available. Please check the following CDC website periodically for updated interim guidance: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.”
April 30, 2020: Gaidi Faraj, Dean of African Leadership University: “COVID-19 has forced all of us to reimagine how we deliver an engaging and holistic learning experience for students. While it presents its challenges, it is also a massive opportunity to break out of old habits and create new, impactful, relevant modes of learning that take advantage of technology and this moment. An unintended consequence of this pandemic is that higher education will become significantly more accessible as universities think about how to move all of their programming online, including counseling, student life, career development, etc.” -Andrew DePietro, Forbes.
April 14, 2020: Rebecca A. Glazier, associate professor of political science at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. “A study she co-authored about transfer students who took all their classes online reached troubling conclusions: The students’ retention rate was lower than for those who took all in-person classes. And for the most academically unprepared students, those with low GPAs, the difference was dismaying: Retention was about 28 percent lower than for students in face-to-face classes…. There’s some reason for hope. Glazier’s other research explores how to improve online-course retention rates, even with just a few tweaks. Professors need to humanize themselves. Post videos of themselves. Maybe put their cat in the videos. Talk about travel plans, or a book they just read. The goal is to be approachable so that students, especially those who feel lost, become connected and comfortable reaching out if they have a problem.” -Vimal Patel, Chronicle.
April 30, 2020: “Stacy L. Peazant, academic and research administrator at the University of Florida[:] ‘Even if international students are able to participate in fall classes remotely, there will be technological access issues as well as freedom of speech and thought concerns for those citizens of more austere governments. Additionally, due to varying time zone differences, many international students may not be able to participate in remotely offered classes in real time.’” -Andrew DePietro, Forbes.
May 1, 2020: “Senator Patty Murray, the ranking Democrat on the Senate education committee, and Representative Rosa DeLauro, the Democratic chairwoman of the House’s education appropriations committee…. criticized the [U.S. Department of Education]’s decision to exclude students enrolled exclusively in online courses before March from being able to get emergency aid. Congress intended to leave that decision up to institutions. ‘The extreme eligibility restrictions, which were added by the Department without any directive from Congress and without any statutory basis, represent an unconscionable response to the virus that does not discriminate against which students are impacted by it.'” -Kery Murakami, Inside Higher Ed.
April 30, 2020: John Pryor, founder of Pryor Education Insights: “Students might enroll in online programs such as Western Governors University or Southern New Hampshire — schools with good track records online, as opposed to residential colleges without as much experience with this method. This could also happen with returning students who do not return this year. Some students and families understandably balk at paying high-touch residential college tuition for a low-touch experience.” -Andrew DePietro, Forbes.
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