Generation Lab
Jul 15, 20202 min
The state of play: Colleges are locked in a multi-front clash with the Trump administration, financial insolvency and a pandemic. The fates of cash-starved colleges nationwide will depend on nailing the balance between swiftness and safety.
Our results: Our latest research finds a student body eager to return, and willing to forego the classic thrills and frills of college.
• Students overwhelmingly plan to return to campus and take in-person classes if given the option.
• The vast majority say they will avoid both sports games and parties.
The latest:
• President Trump has ordered universities to re-open, and authorized deportation of international students whose courses were entirely online, before repealing the measure on Tuesday.
• Colleges have unveiled a slate of re-open plans that run from entirely online coursework to bringing back all students for in-person coursework.
• Colleges are in a nimble crouch to swiftly adjust, depending on how COVID spreads – or doesn’t spread – when students finally flood campuses.
The question mark: The student stamp. It’s still unclear how much students will stick to campus policies on social distancing, mask-wearing and whether students will come back at all.
Key findings:
Axios/College Reaction COVID-19 Poll | July 13-14 | Key findings:
• 76% of students plan to return to campus this fall if they have the option
• 66% said they'll attend in-person classes if they have the option.
• 67% say they would leave campus if there's a major coronavirus outbreak
• 71% of students wouldn't attend sports games if they happen
• 79% of students wouldn't attend parties (like those pre-COVID) if they happen.
• 54% of students would voluntarily download an app to conduct contact tracing
• 95% of students currently wear masks when they can't socially distance.