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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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Analysts say rate of college closures likely to increase 

FILE - The Manor House at Goddard College in Plainfield, Vt., is seen on Wednesday, April 10, 2024. The college's Board of Trustees announced Tuesday, April 9, that the school is closing at the end of the semester after years of declining enrollment and financial struggles.
FILE - The Manor House at Goddard College in Plainfield, Vt., is seen on Wednesday, April 10, 2024. The college's Board of Trustees announced Tuesday, April 9, that the school is closing at the end of the semester after years of declining enrollment and financial struggles.

If current trends continue, the rate of college closures is expected to increase, according to a new study reported in Forbes.

Closures are more likely to affect private institutions, and while the number of closures might seem small on a national level, it could cause serious problems for the smaller and mid-sized communities where those colleges are located. (December 2024)

Judge upholds racial considerations in US Naval Academy admissions 

FILE - U.S. Naval Academy midshipmen participate in a formal parade on the school's campus in 2010. (U.S. Navy photo)
FILE - U.S. Naval Academy midshipmen participate in a formal parade on the school's campus in 2010. (U.S. Navy photo)

Although the U.S. Supreme Court last year decided that civilian colleges and universities could not consider race or ethnicity in admissions, a judge ruled that the U.S. Naval Academy had established a national security interest in a diverse officer corps.

That means the academy – and other military service academies – can continue to consider race. A similar policy at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point has also been challenged, but that case has not yet gone to trial, according to a report in Navy Times. (December 2024)

Harvard recommends gap year as a strategic move 

FILE - In this July 16, 2019, file photo people walk past an entrance to Widener Library, behind, on the campus of Harvard University, in Cambridge, Mass.
FILE - In this July 16, 2019, file photo people walk past an entrance to Widener Library, behind, on the campus of Harvard University, in Cambridge, Mass.

While some students and parents see the gap year as a waste of time, others see the break in academic studies as valuable for developing maturity, earning money or focusing goals.

MSN.com explains some of the reasons why Harvard – and other prestigious schools in the United States – are recommending that students take a gap year. (December 2024)

Student dilemma: Financial aid applications can expose undocumented parents

FILE - New graduates line up before the start of the Bergen Community College commencement at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J, May 17, 2018.
FILE - New graduates line up before the start of the Bergen Community College commencement at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J, May 17, 2018.

Many students in the U.S. rely on financial aid to attend colleges and universities, but as Julia Barajas reports in LAist.com, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid could cause a dilemma for students with an undocumented parent.

If students fill out the application, they will share their parents’ financial information – and potentially raise questions about their immigration status -- with the federal government. If they don’t fill out the application, they won’t get federal financial aid. (December 2024)

FDA: College students using ‘honey packets’ to enhance sex put themselves at risk 

FILE - Signage is seen outside of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) headquarters in White Oak, Maryland, August 29, 2020.
FILE - Signage is seen outside of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) headquarters in White Oak, Maryland, August 29, 2020.

With TikTok videos promoting “honey packets,” the supplements marketed as sexual enhancements have become popular on college campuses.

But as Charles Trepany reports in USA Today, the Food and Drug Administration has warned that ingredients in the supplements could be potentially dangerous. (November 2024)

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