By the time students began arriving on campuses this month, tuition bills and housing contracts were paid. As they moved into dorms, they bought meal plans, books, school supplies, and swag at the campus bookstore. 

Some of those plans have now been dashed, as outbreaks of the coronavirus led to the canceling of in-person courses at several institutions. But as students cancel their plans to study on campus, nearly all of the money they spent for tuition will stay with the university. 

As the fall term begins, professors describe their experiences in the in-person (and virtual) classroom. Their verdict? Better than feared. 

Faculty members say the time they spent preparing to teach in whatever ways they are this fall—be it in person, hybrid, or online—have them feeling more comfortable than they did in the spring's sudden shift to remote learning, which they believe is resulting (so far) in a smoother, better academic experience for their students.