The term “melt,” which describes students who commit to a college but don’t show up for classes, isn’t new. But the coronavirus could turn this season’s melt into a flood. 

Some colleges and access groups are trying to keep students on track through scholarships, free summer courses, and virtual hand-holding. And they’re reminding low-income and first-generation students that in an economic downturn, a college degree matters more than ever.

Next month, hundreds of thousands of college students will return to campus, often in places where coronavirus outbreaks are actively raging, or could soon spark.

Universities must keep the pandemic at bay, all while trying to maintain for students some of the benefits of being physically on campus: to socialize, to work in labs, to participate in events and activities. All the things that classes via Zoom don’t permit.