How the pandemic could transform higher ed

Normally, this is the weekend college students head home — to do laundry, hug their families and celebrate Thanksgiving — before returning to the dorms for finals.

Not this year. With COVID-19 cases soaring, many colleges and universities are changing their end-of-semester plans and telling students to stay home and prepare for virtual-only learning for the rest of the semester. Or, colleges that are allowing students back require students to test negative for the virus. 

But is that enough? Could more be done to keep COVID-19 at bay in the university setting? And what about the financial implications? Colleges are hurting and laying off faculty and staff.  Will the pandemic forever alter the way colleges operate?

Friday, MPR News host Kerri Miller tackled the pandemic’s legacy on higher education with two experts who are tracking it on campuses across America.

Guests:

• Rebecca Lee Smith, epidemiologist and professor at the University of Illinois-Urbana.

• Chris Marsicano, founding director of the College Crisis Initiative and professor of higher education at Davidson College.

To listen to the full conversation you can use the audio player above.

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