CORONA VIRUS UPENDS HIGHER EDUCATION

CORONA VIRUS UPENDS HIGHER EDUCATION

Introduction

Coronaviruses are a family of pathogens that cause several types of illnesses and diseases, such as common cold or respiratory complications. These viruses emerge from animals. Currently, the globe is faced with a pandemic in the form of coronavirus disease, COVID-19, which is a strain that had never been encountered before by human beings. The virus spreads mainly through coming in contact with infected individuals. As of 14^th March, the international cases were reported to have reached 140, 000 with a mortality rate of about 2-3%. In the U.S., the number of new infections has been rising steadily, and over 1,300 individuals have already tested positive for COVID-19 in the country (Staff, 2020). The public concern has been centered on how best to ensure the virus strain is contained due to the rate of spread of the disease. Institutions of higher learning are at high risk of increased cases because of the significant number of students who use the facilities. It is prudent for universities and colleges to develop appropriate approaches that will ensure they effectively deal with the outbreak of the disease.

Analysis

The Coronavirus is Upending Higher Education that provides crucial insights on the effects of the COVID-19 on institutions of higher learning in the U.S. First; the authors expound on the level of preparedness of universities and colleges in the event the situation blows out of hand (Staff, 2020). Due to the increasing rate of new infections, most campuses have opted to take precautionary measures against the spread. A majority of the institutions have shifted from in-person classes to the online programs. It is appalling to note that more than a hundred facilities have canceled the regular classroom sessions (Staff, 2020). The online teaching helps students to receive instructions from wherever they are. It minimizes the possibility of mass interactions from individuals who may have already been exposed to the virus. Also, online instructions allow students to continue utilizing some of the facilities that may not be readily available at their homes in case the campuses were shut down. The article indicates that some prominent universities and colleges have opted to shut down operations entirely. At a general glance, these steps seem quite necessary. For instance, an entire vacation of the campus premises would ensure there are no new cases reported at the institutions. However, the closure is a far-fetched reactionary move at the moment. It is more prudent to utilize online teaching programs as an alternative. The remote teaching will ensure that learning goes on with minimal interruptions. Fundamentally, the provision of online instructions will help to limit the rapid increase in infections because of the elimination of masses. Therefore, the institutions have to rely on the advice given by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention before making drastic decisions that would cripple the higher education sector.

The authors point out that the learners are eager to ensure that their views on the pandemic are fully considered (Staff, 2020). For instance, the decision by some institutions of higher education to prorate the charges for rooms and boards agitate some learners in Dayton, Ohio. The students took to the streets to demonstrate their displeasure. Furthermore, the students have voiced their concerns on the decision by some institutions to close down operations entirely (Staff, 2020). Some of the leaners are unimpressed at what they perceive as a surrender by the universities and colleges. Unfortunately, the students have to take care of themselves without the support of their schools. On a positive note, the cries of the leaners have not gone unnoticed. The U.S. Department of Education has allowed campuses to establish online programs that would facilitate the continued learning for students who have had to vacate the premises of their schools. This position has been reiterated by the American College Health Association, which has advised the institutions to develop student-health services that will train the leaners at the institutions on how to deal with COVID-19 (Staff, 2020). Also, the Association requires universities and colleges to establish facilities that would allow the campuses to deal with the cases of new infections. Such a move would ensure any new infections are swiftly dealt with without necessarily having to wait for the emergency response teams. However, some medical personnel has warned against the management of the disease from the residence halls because the methods of isolation and quarantine are not particularly useful when they are applied within a large population.

The article indicates that study-abroad programs are the most affected study plans due to the outbreak of coronavirus disease (Staff, 2020). The first cases of human infections of the case were reported in the Chinese city of Wuhan. Consequently, more cases have been reported in all the other continents. For instance, Italy is the most affected country in Europe, with more than 1000 deaths being confirmed as a result of COVID-19. International flights have been termed as the primary agent for the spread of the disease at the global stage. Thus, the main precautionary strategy preferred by countries has been the lockdown and suspension of flights from countries identified as hotspots. The severity of the situation is evidenced through the U.S. government’s decision to ban any form of travel from European destinations (Staff, 2020). In essence, students of higher education can no longer undertake study tours or other related programs in such countries. The students who were already having the exchange programs in Europe have been advised to return to the country. Alternatively, most institutions have opted to ban any form of campus-financed travel within the respective states or in the international arena. The impact of the outbreak on the study-abroad programs has effectively limited the globalization of education.

The authors provide critical information on how COVID-19 has affected the academic conferences in the higher education sector. It is evident that for the first half of the year, all the events that were scheduled to take place have already been suspended or canceled altogether (Staff, 2020). These cancellations have negatively affected the revenue streams of the universities and colleges. Also, individuals who had subscribed to the conferences are left inconvenienced because they use such events to boost their knowledge or skills in a particular field. However, the digital space has proved to be a crucial savior on the efforts to mitigate the effects of the coronavirus disease on higher education. Through the use of videoconferencing tools, campuses have been able to conduct conferences virtually (Staff, 2020). The organizers of major events should consider the utilization of the digital space to ensure the desired objectives are achieved. Surprisingly, some conferences were yet to be canceled or postponed, yet the dates were fast approaching. It is unacceptable that the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education confirmed that its annual meeting would proceed as planned. The organizers of such an event have failed to fully appreciate the dangers posed to the general public through mass gatherings. Hence, the state and the federal governments have to control the nature of public meetings firmly.

According to the article, the college athletics department has been significantly upended by coronavirus disease (Staff, 2020). Almost all sport-related activities have been brought to a standstill due to the spread of COVID-19. The most popular sports in the U.S., including basketball and football, are contact sports. Thus, college athletics are high-risk activities that have the potential of increasing the rate of spread of infections drastically. The National Basketball Association made a bold move of suspending the season while the situation is continuously monitored. The universities and colleges will also have to put a halt on any form of athletics or elated activities within the institutions’ calendar year. As per the authors, such moves will negatively impact the amount of revenue that the institutions of higher learning get from their athletics department. However, the health of the students should remain the top priority of the campuses at all times. The learners can maintain their fitness through co-ordinate individual training regimes, which do not require the athletes to work as units. Such programs will ensure that the athletes remain in top shape, and they can resume sporting activities when the pandemic has been dealt with effectively.

Finally, the article argues that the coronavirus outbreak will likely affect the enrollment of international students in American institutions of higher learning (Staff, 2020). At the moment, it is difficult to tell whether the number of students who wish to attend U.S. universities and colleges will increase or decrease. However, the enrollment of international learners will solely depend on whether the spread of COVID-19 will be adequately contained at the global stage.

Conclusion

The coronavirus disease poses a serious threat to the nature of human interactions. The rate of infection of the virus has had far-reaching ramifications on the higher education sector. In the current state, most school activities have been halted, hence, adversely affecting the quality of education that learners can receive. However, COVID-19 is not a death sentence for universities and colleges. Thus, institutions have to implement the necessary strategies such as online learning programs to ensure minimal disruptions of the learning activities.

Reference

Staff, C. (2020, 3rd March). The Coronavirus Is Upending Higher Ed. Here Are the Latest

Developments. Retrieved 15th March, 2020, from https://www.chronicle.com/article/The-Coronavirus-Is-Upending/248175