Here's a thread of recent college announcements they are staying online this fall. Whitman posted a statement late Friday afternoon, but it just made it across my desk now. I'll keep updating this until closures get too frequent to count. https://www.whitman.edu/fall-2020/updates/july-24-2020-fall-2020
Millersville University in Pennsylvania is going from a majority of online classes to "primarily" online. https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/millersville-university-pivots-primarily-online-amid-rise-in-covid-19-cases/article_f82c7f28-d03a-11ea-8032-cf49fee58138.html
And it seems like 10% tuition reductions are becoming more common, as GW announced. Pay attention to whether colleges claw back some grant aid to help reduce their losses.
Winthrop is going online for the first two weeks of the fall, following Clemson's lead. https://www.winthrop.edu/president/faculty-and-staff-july-27-2020.aspx
Why do most of these announcements happen late in the day? (h/t @dougwebberecon) https://twitter.com/humphreys_brad/status/1287837342036832256
Miami (OH) is starting the first four weeks of the semester online, as well. Remember when colleges wanted to start fall early to beat the virus's return? https://www.miamistudent.net/article/2020/07/classes-move-online-for-first-four-weeks-of-the-semester
It's a smart political move for colleges in the toughest spot about going online (red-state public universities and small private colleges) to announce an online start and a pivot to in-person soon after.
It likely keeps students/families and legislators happier, and colleges can simply extend this online portion for the entire semester in bits and pieces. Now that several colleges have announced this way, is it the new expected announcement?
Add Northern Arizona to the list of colleges starting online and then hoping to go in person. https://twitter.com/AZRegents/status/1287847219048009728
Coastal Carolina University is also starting online a few weeks before hoping to return in person after Labor Day. Oh, and they also got a $95 million gift. https://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/sports/college/sun-belt/coastal-carolina-university/article244526232.html
Meanwhile, Western New England University is taking a page out of other colleges' late May playbooks by announcing that in-person instruction will end before Thanksgiving. https://www.wwlp.com/news/health/coronavirus-local-impact/western-new-england-university-classes-will-move-online-after-thanksgiving-break/
Agnes Scott College, whose president was recently hospitalized with the coronavirus, will be online in the fall. https://www.ajc.com/education/agnes-scott-college-to-go-online-for-fall-semester/7M43XCYNIBA23OMCXDLRX5QHYQ/?outputType=amp
Dean College in Massachusetts is pivoting online for fall. https://www.wbjournal.com/article/dean-college-in-reversal-will-hold-fall-semester-online
The University of Utah is planning a two-week online segment in the middle of the semester as a "circuit breaker" to reduce the spread of the virus. https://www.deseret.com/utah/2020/7/28/21345190/university-of-utah-coronavirus-covid-19-infections-online-break-from-in-person-classes
Syracuse joins Liberty as the only two colleges that I have seen set clear thresholds for going online in the fall. https://twitter.com/sarahalessan/status/1288198438564265987
A whole bunch of community colleges in Republican-controlled states have announced online fall semesters recently, something that public universities in those states haven't done. Here's an example from Oklahoma City. https://www.news9.com/story/5f20caf4f88a910bcb37af7d/occc-will-go-onlineonly-for-the-fall-semester
Morris College, a small HBCU in South Carolina, notes that the finances of keeping students safe were prohibitive in their announcement to stay online. https://www.theitem.com/stories/morris-college-to-hold-its-fall-semester-online,349091
Add Middlebury to the list of colleges with thresholds for when the coronavirus on campus and in the community becomes a concern. https://twitter.com/bhrenton/status/1288327678400040963
Strategic Education's latest corporate filing says that Strayer University will be fully online for the fall. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/strategic-education-inc-reports-second-103000119.html
70% of classes at the University of Minnesota's Twin Cities campus (where faculty chose course modalities) will be fully online. https://www.startribune.com/majority-of-university-of-minnesota-classes-will-be-taught-online-this-fall/571942592/
Catawba College has a really interesting model in which they give first-year students the chance to be fully online in fall for a large tuition discount--and a merit scholarship in the future. How does this affect their budget model? https://catawba.edu/news-events/news/college-news/catawba-college-offers-first-year-day-students-online-option/
I wonder if recommended/required quarantines will cause more colleges to go fully online. https://twitter.com/bhrenton/status/1288526114395246595
Southern Miss is going fully online for the first three weeks, but is still welcoming students back to campus as planned. https://www.usm.edu/news/2020/release/charting-course-fall-2020.php
Add Mars Hill University to the list of colleges starting online for the first few weeks. It's the new sensation sweeping the nation! https://mountainx.com/blogwire/mars-hill-university-will-begin-fall-semester-online/
Clarion University joins a number of PASSHE universities that have already gone primarily online for fall. https://www.clarion.edu/fall2020.html
The PASSHE shuffle continues, with Lock Haven University going mostly online. (It was announced Monday, but I missed it until today.) https://www.centredaily.com/news/rebuild/article244575582.html
Colgate is requiring that all students quarantine for 14 days after arriving to campus. https://thecolgatemaroonnews.com/23900/news/colgate-announces-all-students-will-quarantine-upon-arrival-other-move-in-and-semester-logistics/
Colleges trying to bring students back are having to get really creative. https://twitter.com/ErinAHennessy/status/1288577811490512896
Marshall listens to the herd of other universities taking similar actions and moves most classes for sophomores, juniors, and seniors online. https://www.marshall.edu/coronavirus/2020/07/29/message-from-president-gilbert-additional-fall-courses-being-transitioned-to-virtual-live-remote-delivery/
It's before 5 on the West Coast, so the announcements keep coming. https://twitter.com/bhrenton/status/1288602230678061057?s=19
Here's the first announcement I have seen that mentions an online start to fall, but no clear goal for pivoting back in person. https://twitter.com/adamdferguson/status/1288590086356049920?s=19
Institutional isomorphism is real. https://twitter.com/ErinAHennessy/status/1288856966140440576
Muhlenberg College is going mostly online. https://www.muhlenberg.edu/offices/healthcenter/coronavirus/communications/communityupdatejuly302020.html
The University of Memphis (a red-state public university) will begin the fall mainly online and re-evaluate every 30 days. https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/news/education/2020/07/30/university-of-memphis-to-begin-virtual-and-remote-this-fall/5548675002/
And Johnson C. Smith University will be fully online for the fall semester. http://www.thecharlottepost.com/news/2020/07/30/local-state/johnson-c.-smith-university-goes-virtual-for-fall-semester/
Western Washington University is moving even more classes online. https://westerntoday.wwu.edu/news/fall-2020-update-from-the-president
Today's first announcement: Washington University in St. Louis is doubling down on having most students on campus and promises to get virus tests back quickly (without providing any details). https://www.studlife.com/news/2020/07/31/breaking-wu-to-offer-hybrid-instruction-for-fall-2020-semester/
California University of Pennsylvania is going fully online for fall. https://www.caltimes.org/6957/news/cal-u-moves-to-remote-learning-for-fall/
Lehigh University is limiting on-campus housing to first-year students and those who need to return to succeed. Fully online students get a 10% reduction in listed tuition. https://www2.lehigh.edu/news/73120-lehigh-update-on-fall-semester
Happy Friday afternoon! Goucher College is going fully online. https://www.goucher.edu/return-to-campus/
Ohio University is moving most courses online through late September. https://www.wtap.com/2020/07/31/ohio-university-announces-updated-plans-for-fall-semester/
George Washington University is cutting seven varsity sports to cut costs. https://www.washingtonian.com/2020/07/31/george-washington-university-cuts-7-athletic-programs-citing-pandemic/
Students at Miami (OH) aren't happy about the administration waiting until this late to tell them that the first month will be online. This will be happening around the country as colleges have to make their decisions soon. https://www.miamistudent.net/article/2020/07/miami-community-reacts-to-first-month-of-classes-moving-online
Queens University in North Carolina is going fully online. Their announcement letter is particularly thoughtful. https://www.queens.edu/news/2020/health-advisory.html
College football isn't going to happen, but big-time conferences are trying to make conference-only schedules work. https://www.si.com/college/2020/07/31/pac-12-football-schedule-2020-games
It's 5:00 somewhere! https://twitter.com/ErinAHennessy/status/1289313352745799680
William and Mary is pushing back the start of in-person classes until after Labor Day. Expect more colleges to kick the can down the road in this manner, as about a dozen or so have already done it. http://flathatnews.com/2020/07/31/college-alters-fall-2020-schedule-postpones-in-person-classes/
Here's another short delay from a college that hopes things change quickly. https://twitter.com/ErinAHennessy/status/1289542563616129024
These short delays in in-person classes are likely far more common than we are picking up at this point. https://twitter.com/arthomason/status/1289563163021602818?s=19
California Lutheran U will start the fall online. And like some other California private colleges, they are placing the blame squarely on the state. (Some other states, like NJ, also haven't gotten to phase 3.) https://www.callutheran.edu/know/updates/index.html?id=14018
Following California U of Pennsylvania's announcement, Indiana U of Pennsylvania is asking only first-year and selected other students to return to campus in the fall. https://www.wccsradio.com/2020/08/03/iup-announces-student-rebalancing-plan-to-reduce-student-population-on-campus/
The University of Illinois is requiring everyone on campus to be tested twice a week for the coronavirus. https://news.illinois.edu/view/6367/1156975278
Fairleigh Dickinson University is starting online for the first month. Since New Jersey still hasn't authorized most in-person classes, expect more colleges to follow. https://www.fdu.edu/coronavirus-update/
Following the governor's announcement further restricting indoor activities, another New Jersey university announces an online fall. https://twitter.com/CarlySitrin/status/1290344405887590400
Only 8% of UCLA courses will be offered with an in-person component. https://newsroom.ucla.edu/stories/update-to-plans-for-the-fall-quarter-covid-19
Michigan State is telling its students to stay home if at all possible. https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2020/08/03/michigan-state-tells-students-stay-home-fall-if-you-can/5577122002/
Alcorn State University hops on the online first, then (hopefully) in-person in September train. https://www.wjtv.com/health/coronavirus/alcorn-state-university-announces-phased-return-to-campus/
This is a big one: Unity College in Maine is permanently changing its delivery model to a hybrid form and is considering selling off its physical campus. https://unity.edu/path-forward/
Unity is also laying off or furloughing nearly one-third of their employees. https://bangordailynews.com/2020/08/03/news/midcoast/unity-college-abruptly-lays-off-staff-ahead-of-plan-to-retool-academic-offerings/
It's interesting to see the split developing in Pennsylvania, with regional public universities going mainly online (another one: https://www.mytwintiers.com/news-cat/top-stories/m-u-increasing-online-courses-reducing-on-campus-dorm-capacity/) and Penn State, Pitt, and Temple trying to be as in-person as possible.
Washington College in Maryland is flipping to be fully online for fall. https://www.washcoll.edu/coronavirus/
St. Norbert College ( https://fox11online.com/news/local/st-norbert-college-offering-ninth-semester-free-for-eligible-students) and Pacific Lutheran University ( https://www.plu.edu/news/archive/2020/08/03/plus-year-announcement/) are giving free future courses to students who enroll full-time this academic year. This shows that getting through this year's budget crunch is key.
The Columbus College of Art and Design is going online for fall. https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2020/08/03/ccad-reverses-course-on-in-person-semester-due-to.html
Franklin & Marshall is telling sophomores they can't come back to campus in an effort to reduce density. And, judging by the student newspaper, students aren't happy with the college's communication. http://www.the-college-reporter.com/2020/08/03/for-students-important-fall-term-update/
Virginia State University is moving the first four weeks of the fall online and requiring coronavirus testing for everyone on campus. https://richmond.com/news/virginia/virginia-state-delays-in-person-learning-will-require-covid-19-tests-for-students-and-staff/article_1ea094de-ee6a-5e6c-9145-57b1fcf2ffda.html
West Virginia Wesleyan College is starting online and hoping to bring students back to campus in early September. (What a stunning file photo, by the way!) https://www.mybuckhannon.com/w-va-wesleyan-college-delays-campus-reopening-will-start-the-fall-semester-online-only/
The University of Providence (MT) is moving online for fall. 60% of their students are athletes, which may cause some issues since sports are postponed. https://www.uprovidence.edu/coronavirus/#1596469229047-4de76778-c04a
Illinois State University is moving most classes online because the feds took away the testing supplies they ordered. https://news.illinoisstate.edu/2020/08/fall-campus-update-from-president-dietz-8-4-2020/
Salem College in NC is going fully online for fall. https://www.salem.edu/readystrong
Portland State University will be mostly online. https://psuvanguard.com/fall-classes-at-psu-will-be-mostly-remote/
Chapman University is starting the fall online. https://cusafelyback.chapman.edu/chapman-to-begin-fall-semester-with-remote-instruction-continuing-robust-chapman-experience/
Add the College of Idaho to the list of colleges starting fall classes online, with no clear target date for returning to in-person classes. https://www.collegeofidaho.edu/news/college-announces-phased-re-opening-plan
Colleges are going to be flipping to online fall semesters like crazy today. https://twitter.com/ryancraigap/status/1291008607929024512
This is awkward...the local health department recommends that UNC-Chapel Hill start the fall semester online. https://chapelboro.com/news/coronavirus-covid-19/orange-county-recommends-unc-begin-fall-semester-virtually-restrict-on-campus-housing
The pivots continue. https://twitter.com/arthomason/status/1291047071785586691?s=19
Rowan will be fully online to start the fall as New Jersey stays in phase 2 of reopening. https://today.rowan.edu/news/2020/08/starting-the-semester-strong-in-spite-of-some-limits.html
Marquette moves toward having fewer students on campus in the fall. https://today.marquette.edu/2020/08/covid-19-update-marquette-to-reopen-for-in-person-instruction-this-fall-with-hybrid-and-online-classes-where-reasonably-possible-and-reduced-number-of-students-living-residentially/
Santa Clara University, which doesn't start fall classes until late September, is taking the fall quarter online. https://www.scu.edu/kob/updated-decisions-fall2020/
Add Regis College to the list of colleges going mainly online. Their president is a registered nurse. https://www.regiscollege.edu/about-regis/news/important-update-return-regis-plan
Capital University in Ohio is starting online and hoping to come back to campus in late September. https://abc6onyourside.com/news/local/capital-university-delays-campus-reopening-starting-semester-remotely