COVID-19

Coronavirus Hits Campus

March 4, 2020

Coronavirus. COVID-19. 3D Render — iStock

The biggest issue that college and university officials face in 2020 may be one that few of them ever thought about before. The advent of the novel coronavirus, which causes a disease known as Covid-19, has affected a host of campus issues, including foreign study and travel by students and faculty members, international-student enrollments, campus health, and whether to hold mass events such as conferences, sporting events, and commencements.

As bad news about the virus, its spread, and its death toll continued to arrive from overseas and from state and federal health agencies, campuses have struggled to devise policies to respond to the quickly evolving situation. Here are links to The Chronicle’s key coverage of how this worldwide crisis affected college campuses.

J287RB An arch on the Purdue University campus, a gift from the class of 1958, in West Lafayette, Indiana.

Health and Safety

‘Way Too Fast’: As Purdue Pushed to Reopen, Parents and Alumni Urged Caution

By Lindsay Ellis

As it publicized its ambitious plans, the administration was receiving skeptical feedback from parents and alumni. Here are three takeaways from their comments.

Data

Here’s Our List of Colleges’ Reopening Models

By Chronicle Staff

The Chronicle is teaming up with Davidson College’s College Crisis Initiative, which has collected reopening models for nearly 3,000 institutions, to present a fuller view of the fall.

Jim Page, head of the Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama, said if the University of Alabama’s Bryant-Denny Stadium (pictured) sits empty on Saturdays this fall, it would be “devastating to our local economy.”

News

Loss of Sports Spells Trouble Far Beyond Athletics Departments

By Emma Dill

Some small institutions rely on athletics to raise enrollment, and college towns could be severely hurt if game-day crowds disappeared.

Academic Worries

‘I Don’t Trust My University.’ Readers Share Their Fears of Returning to Campus in the Fall.

By Fernanda Zamudio-Suarez

Many colleges plan to resume in-person instruction in August or September. Some faculty and staff members aren’t so sure.

Ai Bui, an architecture student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology: “Thankfully, and apparently, I seem to be pretty indestructible.”

News

Covid-19 Has Worsened the Student Mental-Health Crisis. Can Resilience Training Fix It?

By Sarah Brown, Alexander C. Kafka

Some colleges are teaching students how to manage stress and anxiety during the pandemic. But given the scale of disruption and loss, promoting resilience might not strike the right tone.