Illustration: Elenabs, Getty Images

Come fall, will college students be bustling through campus hallways, taking their seats in classrooms large and small? Or will those halls remain quiet as students continue to log on and join class from their dorms, apartments, or homes? Or both?

Faculty members across the country are receiving different answers to those questions as administrators mull a “return to normal.” But many faculty and staff members are not sure what “normal” even means anymore. And is returning to normal even desirable, given the inequities and accessibility challenges that existed in higher education long before the pandemic struck?

As a philanthropist, MacKenzie Scott is making history with her multimillion-dollar donations to institutions that serve students of color and those from low-income backgrounds.  

Some of the institutions that received the no-strings attached funds are already putting them to good use. That includes helping their students financially, doubling their institutional endowments, and investing in faculty development.