In this week’s roundup:
Colleges and universities continue to grapple with masking policies, the job market receives a new cohort of fresh grads and the Biden administration is taking a look at student loans.
May 20 – 26
- To mask or not to mask? For colleges and universities trying to incorporate new CDC guidance, that is the question.
- More than 400 colleges and universities are requiring students to be vaccinated for COVID-19. Almost all are in states where a majority voted for President Biden.
- Meanwhile, international students are worried about getting back to the U.S. for the 2021-2022 academic year, and colleges are also concerned.
- As the Class of 2021 enters the job market, a recent survey says nearly half of the Class of 2020 is still looking for work.
- Preliminary data from the National Association of College and University Business Officers suggests tuition discounts at private nonprofit colleges hit record highs in 2020-21.
- Investigative journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones’ tenure decision at the University of North Carolina was halted because of her lack of “traditional academic-type background,” prompting outrage from students and faculty in support of the Pulitzer Prize winner and MacArthur Fellow.
- The pandemic might accelerate the trend of older people returning to education. On that same note, William & Mary had a 75-year-old graduate this year, following a 54-year gap.
- In the year after the murder of George Floyd, more colleges are requiring students to take courses on race, ethnicity or anti-racism.
- West Texas A&M University President Walter Wendler recorded 3,000 personalized videos encouraging admitted students to attend the regional public university.
- Yet another aspect of emerging from the pandemic: colleges and universities are (mostly) reinstating retirement benefits, opportunities for pay raises, etc.
- The Biden administration has turned its attention to student loans and is looking to make some changes to income-based repayment and forgiveness programs.
- With birth rates continuing to decline, the pandemic may not be the only culprit for enrollment numbers doing the same.
- The four public universities in Washington state have decided to move to test-optional permanently.
