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40% of Harvard Students to Return to Campus for Remote Classes

FILE - Students carry boxes to their dorms at Harvard University, after the school asked its students not to return to campus after Spring Break, March 10, 2020, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S.
FILE - Students carry boxes to their dorms at Harvard University, after the school asked its students not to return to campus after Spring Break, March 10, 2020, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S.

Harvard University will allow 40% of its student population back on campus this fall, though all instruction will remain remote, the school announced Monday.

Harvard had previously announced that all classes would be held remotely through the fall semester due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but on Monday announced it would welcome back to campus first-year students and those who most need campus resources to complete their education.

“We also will invite back to campus those students who may not be able to learn successfully in their current home learning environment,” Harvard wrote in its announcement Monday.

The announcement stated that it would pay a room and board credit to those who would not return to campus this fall, but tuition will remain as planned – with a slight increase from the 2019-2020 academic year - for the all-virtual instruction.

A survey of conducted in April said that some 45% of Harvard students would consider taking the fall semester off if classes were to continue entirely remotely, according to the student-run Harvard Crimson.

Colleges and universities are making a broad range of decisions on how to conduct classes in the fall, with some schools such as the University of Georgia system welcoming all students back on campus and others committing to entirely remote classes.

In March, most universities had to make rapid decisions on how to close campuses as the coronavirus outbreak spread, with many schools telling their students to stay home following their spring breaks.

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‘Study away’ programs in the US can provide enrichment opportunities 

FILE - Students walk on the campus of Boston College, April 29, 2024, in Boston.
FILE - Students walk on the campus of Boston College, April 29, 2024, in Boston.

While studying abroad can expose students to new cultures and experiences, researchers are finding that domestic ‘study away’ programs can be helpful as well.

Some students, including those on an international visa, may not be able to study abroad, but they can travel to other locations in the U.S. for enrichment experiences, Ashley Mowreader writes in Inside Higher Ed. (October 2024)

Fewer students disclose race in applications to top colleges 

FILE - An unidentified person walks past Harvard yard at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, December 7, 2023
FILE - An unidentified person walks past Harvard yard at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, December 7, 2023

FAfter the Supreme Court’s decision to end affirmative action in college admissions last year, fewer students are disclosing their race or ethnicity in applications to top colleges.

Writing in USA Today, Zachary Schermele notes that the data is preliminary, but it could signal a change in the way students are approaching college applications. (October 2024)

Overall college enrollment is up, first-year enrollment down 

FILE - A student delivers packages to the dormitory at DePaul University in Chicago, Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024.
FILE - A student delivers packages to the dormitory at DePaul University in Chicago, Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024.

For the second year since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, college enrollment has climbed in the United States.

But the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center noticed a substantial drop in the number of freshmen, which could be troubling for future enrollment, according to a report in Forbes. (October 2024)

South African universities embrace AI, seeing it as equalizing tool

South African universities embrace AI, seeing it as equalizing tool
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The rise of AI tools like ChatGPT has sparked debate in higher education, raising questions about ethics and integrity in teaching, learning and knowledge creation. In South Africa, some academic institutions are taking a proactive approach, integrating AI into their curricula. Experts say this step is not only innovative but also helps level the playing field among students. Zaheer Cassim reports from Johannesburg.

International students may be able to get jobs at school 

FILE - Northeastern University graduate student Shabbir Hussain, of Indore, India, left, views a computer screen at the entrance to the Snell Library on the Northeastern University campus in Boston on May 24, 2016.
FILE - Northeastern University graduate student Shabbir Hussain, of Indore, India, left, views a computer screen at the entrance to the Snell Library on the Northeastern University campus in Boston on May 24, 2016.

International students studying in the United States may be able to work on campus.

Jobs can include working in libraries, labs, food service and dormitories – but students will have to research the rules before applying for jobs, according to U.S. News & World Report. (September 2024)

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