Daily Lumina News 061020

From the moment colleges began closing their campuses in mid-March, there has been a great deal of speculation about how and when they will reopen. The dilemma has consumed higher education, prompting bold plans and confident declarations, as well as vociferous pushback.
In this interview, three college leaders discuss the cultural shift underway at their institutions, the new and expensive reality of operating amid a pandemic, and the best advice they've received.

Students at colleges across the United States have been actively watching and critiquing the words spoken and steps taken by administrators at their institutions to address the death of George Floyd and the larger issues of societal violence and racial injustice.
Some student groups are monitoring the social media posts of their peers for offensive language; others are leveraging the wealth and connections of their universities to institute change.

Though all colleges and universities have been hurt by coronavirus closures and face uncertainties in the fall, the impact is particularly acute for historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs).
The same history of oppression and institutional racism that ignited protests against police violence across the country has left many HBCUs underfunded, often operating on shoestring budgets, and unprepared to absorb sudden shock.

Many students—including low-income students, older students, Black and Hispanic students, and students from rural areas—often face particular barriers to access and success even when on campus. A lack of reliable internet access only exacerbates their challenges.
Ted Mitchell of the American Council on Education and Jamienne Studley of the WASC Senior College and University Commission outline several steps that policymakers can take to shrink the digital divide for today's students.