IHE: Fall hybrids shaping up as disaster

[polly_mer]

I seldom agree with this author, but this article resonates with me: https://insidehighered.com/blogs/just-visiting/lurching-toward-fall-disaster-horizon

Super Dinky's entire annual budget was $12M and some of these institutions are planning to spend more than that for the fall just to have some semblance of in-person courses.

[the_geneticist]

I seldom agree with this author, but this article resonates with me: https://insidehighered.com/blogs/just-visiting/lurching-toward-fall-disaster-horizon

Super Dinky's entire annual budget was $12M and some of these institutions are planning to spend more than that for the fall just to have some semblance of in-person courses.

It resonated with me too.  Especially the part about how all the money for hand sanitizer, plexiglass, etc. could be spent ensuring students have the support they need for online learning (internet, housing, etc.).  We have plenty of students that would be OK with living on campus and taking online classes.  Why? Because it would eliminate a LOT of the extra pressures of living at home (helping homeschool siblings, sharing one computer, unreliable internet, etc.).  More universities should be honest that Fall will be online and pledge to support (i.e. have $$$) the online experience.

[kaysixteen]

what the geneticist said, all the moreso if those schools want to have online ed but continue to charge full tuition rates.

[Hegemony]

The majority of parents won't send their kids to campus if all classes are online. This is a big topic in circles where I lurk. So if colleges want students to occupy their dorms (and not incidentally contribute the revenue that dorm accommodation provides), they will need to offer some in-person classes. Basically there are no actual good answers to this whole situation.

[bio-nonymous]

It seems to me that another large problem might be that some international students on visas are not allowed to remain in the states on a 100% on-line curriculum. As I understand it, they need to have some percentage of face-to-face instruction. I am not sure how this is being handled or if there are temporary fixes being put in place, so someone please correct me if I am wrong! But since many universities have a large percentage of foreign students, often paying full-freight out of state tuition, this could be another reason why the push is for hybrid classes--as it is where I am.

[polly_mer]

The desire to have hybrid is understood.  That desire is not the same as hybrids going well logistically, technically, or with negligible levels of infection on campus.