Hundreds of college leaders announced early this summer of their intention to reopen campuses for in-person instruction in the fall. That's quickly changing.

Many colleges have now reversed or altered their reopening plans in the past several weeks after taking stock of COVID-19 testing availability, student and faculty safety concerns, state regulations, and the worsening public health crisis.

The pandemic cost colleges billions to shift to remote education in the spring, and together they’ll spend (or lose) billions more this fall as that shift continues. The adverse impact on students, especially those who are low-income and the first in their families to attend college, is incalculable.

Still, one thing has become obvious: As colleges begin adapting to this new paradigm, some of their changes may clearly be for the better.