Professors are still struggling to adapt to the new realities of teaching during a pandemic. And even experts who focus on improving instruction are having to get creative to find approaches that work.

Bonni Stachowiak, dean of teaching and learning at Vanguard University, weighs in on the challenges of teaching amid COVID-19, grading policies, and unique ways to engage students during today's new normal. 

In the middle of the country’s current economic and health crisis, there’s a disturbing trend in higher education: Fewer high school seniors are filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which is typically the first step in receiving federal and state grants, federal loans, and institutional aid for college.

There are several reasons for the drop. This includes housing and food insecurity and lack of access to technological infrastructure that would help students get into the classroom. 

Joe Biden’s apparent election as president could pave the way for a dramatic shift in higher education policies, possibly making tuition free for many seeking a college education and wiping away the debt of millions of people paying back student loans.

Biden’s victory also is significant in its symbolism for higher education. Kamala Harris will be the nation’s first African American and Asian American vice president and, as a Howard University alumna, the first graduate of a historically Black university in the White House. And the next first lady, Jill Biden, is a community college instructor.