Daily Lumina News 041020

As the coronavirus pandemic spread, campus presidents came to grips with a reality that had once been unthinkable. Their choices, collectively, helped pave the way for the rest of the country to follow suit, shuttering everything from sports leagues to coffee shops.
The other consequences of higher education's big decision—on scholars, colleges, and the country—will not soon be fully known. This is the story of how that decision came to be.

In the midst of the coronavirus disruption at colleges and universities—with hastily prepared classes delivered remotely, and without professors’ office hours, libraries or advisors—students were demanding the option to pass or fail their courses this semester, instead of getting letter grades. Many universities and colleges agreed.
Some experts, however, say this could ultimately hurt students’ chances of transferring credits or being accepted to graduate or professional schools.

Luz Chavez, a junior at Trinity Washington University, became her family’s only source of income after her mother lost her service job last month because of the coronavirus. A triple major in education, sociology and political science, Chavez works as a youth leader at an organization that advocates for immigrant rights. She’s also a part of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.
DACA students like Chavez have been in limbo for months, as the U.S. Supreme Court continues to deliberate on whether to uphold the Trump administration’s 2017 decision to end the DACA program. Now, as the coronavirus crisis takes hold, both DACA and undocumented students face even more questions about their future.

Life as they know it has changed dramatically for college students across the country. From campus closures to online classes, the threat of coronavirus is creating an entirely different college experience.
In this podcast, Jon Marcus of The Hechinger Report reflects on what he's hearing from teachers and students as they adapt to distance learning, what to look out for in the lead up to the new school year this fall, and whether or not colleges that were already struggling financially will survive.