The headlines in state newspapers around the country tell the story of the impact COVID-19 is having on higher education campuses. Within the last two months, institutions including the University of West Virginia, the University of Missouri, Kings College, Michigan State, University of Chicago, Princeton University, Williams College, Spelman College, and American University have either gone fully online or have moved a large percentage of students to online studies and discounted tuitions to help them weather the financial impact of the pandemic.
The question of whether opening college campuses this fall was the safe and prudent move has also taken on some polarizing aspects reflective of the divisive political state of the nation. According to a recently released Pew Research Center survey related to reopening the nation’s colleges and universities, it was found that Republicans and Democrats differ in their views about the severity of the public health crisis, restrictions on businesses and other public activities, and mask wearing. In the current poll, 74% of Republicans say schools that are currently providing in-person instruction made the right decision in bringing students back to campus this fall; only 29% of Democrats say the same.