Colleges reflect on COVID-19 containment strategies
INSIDE HIGHER ED — Sewanee in Tennessee credits its relatively low case numbers to weekly required COVID testing for the approximately 1,600 students on campus combined with a “bubble” approach that largely prohibited students from leaving campus except for essential activities such as medical appointments.
Read More about Colleges reflect on COVID-19 containment strategiesSurvey measures student satisfaction with college classes during the pandemic
INSIDE HIGHER ED — Students who learned entirely online during the fall semester said they received a slightly poorer quality of education than those who had in-person instruction, according to a new poll released Tuesday. Dissatisfaction was highest among students whom the pandemic “forced online.”
Read More about Survey measures student satisfaction with college classes during the pandemicCommunity colleges experienced a sharp decline in fall enrollment
INSIDE HIGHER ED — Community college enrollment saw the sharpest declines, and freshman enrollment is down 13.1 percent. Community college enrollment is down 10.1 percent. Public colleges over all lost 4 percent of their enrollment, a concerning fact given public institutions enroll seven out of 10 students.
Read More about Community colleges experienced a sharp decline in fall enrollmentColleges request federal aid amid pandemic-driven economic declines
INSIDE HIGHER ED — At stake as negotiations in Congress over passing another coronavirus aid package remain stalled is whether more emergency grants are coming to students. Perhaps the most immediate need before Congress, say financial aid administrators, is more money for emergency grants to give out to struggling students.
Read More about Colleges request federal aid amid pandemic-driven economic declinesCongress considers bill to include student loan debt in bankruptcy reform
CBS NEWS — Student loan borrowers crushed by five- and six-figure balances could have their payments forgiven under a bill introduced by federal lawmakers this week that would expand the nation’s bankruptcy laws. If passed, the Consumer Bankruptcy Reform Act of 2020 would create a new Chapter 10 provision in the U.S. bankruptcy code.
Read More about Congress considers bill to include student loan debt in bankruptcy reformProjections of future high school graduates could lead to college enrollment declines
INSIDE HIGHER ED — Higher education will soon face shrinking cohorts of traditional-aged students, whose enrollment has long been key to making budgets balance. The sector may not be able to kick the can down the road and avoid fixing its creaky business model much longer.
Read More about Projections of future high school graduates could lead to college enrollment declinesHigh school graduation rates set to peak in 2025
INSIDE HIGHER ED — High school graduates are on track to peak in number across the country at 3.93 million with the Class of 2025, according to projections released Tuesday by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education. That’s about 4 percent above the 3.77 million high school graduates in the Class of 2019.
Read More about High school graduation rates set to peak in 2025Community colleges expect financial and enrollment declines through 2021
INSIDE HIGHER ED — Community colleges are expected to take financial and enrollment hits through 2021. Moody’s Investors Services announced its 2021 outlook for the sector is negative, as is its outlook for four-year public and private institutions. The poor outlook for community colleges is mostly due to the sharp enrollment declines this fall.
Read More about Community colleges expect financial and enrollment declines through 2021Bond rating agencies forecast financial challenges for US higher education in 2021
INSIDE HIGHER ED — Two bond rating agencies on Tuesday issued pessimistic outlooks for the U.S. higher education sector for 2021 as the coronavirus pandemic continues to strain enrollment and revenue, heighten long-term pressures, and hit certain types of institutions harder than others.
Read More about Bond rating agencies forecast financial challenges for US higher education in 2021Report: College enrollment rate drops for recent high school graduates
INSIDE HIGHER ED — The COVID-19 pandemic doesn’t seem to have affected high school graduation rates. But it appears to have impacted how many of those graduates went straight to college. New data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center show that nearly 22 percent fewer students went to college immediately.
Read More about Report: College enrollment rate drops for recent high school graduates