Effects of School Plans: Part 2 (Universities)

While the same debate concerning elementary, middle, and high schools returning to campuses is also being played out at the university level, the two offer markedly different schooling circumstances and flexibility. Although many private elementary, middle, and high school institutions are expensive to attend, few compare to the cost of attending a university. This makes the financial cost in relation to the service provided to students an even more serious issue when making decisions about in-person instruction. Additionally, universities are tasked with accrediting professionals, vouching for their proficiency in a certain field. Having a high standard of education and ensuring academic excellence and integrity is paramount. Finally, there are extraneous factors for university students that do not typically apply to younger students such as lease, jobs, travel, and access to research materials. 

Schools in different states across the country announced they would be accepting students back on campus in the fall but as of the last several days and weeks more and more universities have been forced to roll back their decision. This decision has left students disappointed and upset for myriad reasons. In what may seem like déjà vu, this sudden change in plans left students with signed leases for apartments in places they no longer have to be to attend classes and paying expensive tuition for online courses and no campus resources. Other students are disappointed because they feel that university administrators made decisions that do not reflect student input. In other cases, students felt that the administration asked for input too little and too late. Furthermore, universities using hybrid schedules, with students allowed to choose in-person or online courses, leave some students feeling at a disadvantage choosing to remain home while most students will be in the classroom. 

As some students are already aware of an inevitable online semester, some are opting to pay less for a similar experience, knowing they will be at home regardless of what they choose. Students who are able to transfer credit hours are choosing local, less expensive schools where they can log hours to transfer toward their main degree after online school is no longer required. For many students as well as parents who pay their child’s education costs, this is not all that difficult of a decision. Many state schools readily accept credit hours from other, local (and less expensive) in state universities or community colleges. 

Regardless of the schooling format, the college experience is on hold. Universities face the struggle of delivering accreditation worthy education through a virtual classroom. Students face a new learning platform that for many will be a struggle, and both parties face financial struggles between paying for an education and universities not having enough money to fund everything. Last spring, 1,102 colleges, and universities closed their doors affecting some 14 million students. Many have reevaluated their educational and life goals. Institutions have also reevaluated their goals and practices; some permanent changes may be coming to universities and other education institutions alike. These changes will be examined in next week’s blogs concerning elementary, middle, and high schools as well as higher education. 

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