Abrupt college closures stemming from the coronavirus crisis have been jarring for all students, but they can be particularly distressing for the most disadvantaged. Those students may lack the funds to get home, or not have a home to go to. They may not have reliable internet connections with which to continue classes online. Their work-study job pays all the bills.

Advocates for such students worry that their needs have not been front and center as colleges made their coronavirus-contingency plans.

The common narrative surrounding independent colleges and universities is that they are either elite ivy institutions or small colleges on the brink of closure. Barbara Mistick, president of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, dispels that black and white view on this episode of dotEDU. 

Mistick also talks about how private schools are increasingly concerned with access and affordability, and how her years as president of Wilson College informs her work as head of a national organization serving a diverse range of institutions.