School Closings

[xxxxxxx]

Delaware announced virtual classes only as the first pretty large school to do so, it will be interesting to see who else follows. I also wonder how schools that bring students back will respond when the inevitable outbreak occurs. Will they have to political strength to push on or just send everyone home? I think their top priority is to get their fall tuition dollars and the the next priority is the health of the students. We shall soon see. I am concerned that if pro sports can't contain the virus in secure bubble environments so how can a college expect to keep it off campus. Lots of questions.

[Wheels]

I've heard from a couple of different people that Penn St has told incoming freshman that they will have some type of in-person experience but that they can't make the same statement about sophomores-seniors. With 20-ish satellite campuses all over the state, it's unclear if PSU can open some but go remote on the others. The other state U's (West Chester, East Stroudsburg, etc) have all flipped remote for the fall. Gotta think PSU will flip remote, and Temple will follow. Pitt...not so sure, as the western part of the state hasn't seen the same levels of infections because it's less densely populated.

Wouldn't be surprised if football was the big thing keeping PSU open right now.

[10stone5]

With PA schools, a lot of what follows will come from what the Guv’s plans are, how much leeway you get vis the Guv’s directives.
My old school was waiting for just that, so they could put the burden on the state and the Guv.
What I’m really most interested in is how much schools reimburse for the lower presumed quality of virtual classes, I don’t see how schools get around having to provide some type of discount, reimbursement, credit, as compensation for non live classes.

[wgdsr]

With PA schools, a lot of what follows will come from what the Guv’s plans are, how much leeway you get vis the Guv’s directives.
My old school was waiting for just that, so they could put the burden on the state and the Guv.
What I’m really most interested in is how much schools reimburse for the lower presumed quality of virtual classes, I don’t see how schools get around having to provide some type of discount, reimbursement, credit, as compensation for non live classes.

they'll get reimbursement for on campus housing and board if that's even offered.

housing, schools i've seen have setups like < 2 weeks- 60-70%, 2-6 weeks- 40%, > 6 weeks- tough break. i've seen some schools offering no increases this year vs last year. whoopee.

they are still betting on the supply and demand curve working in their favor and any outrage will be overcome by that for their oh so valuable sheepskin.

you'd think any school that'd be willing to garner v good press by taking some short term hits to the budget (if they have that capability) could leverage that. given very few seem to be going down that road.

[Farfromgeneva]

There's also the likely scenario where the winners will be stronger from the shakeout of schools that fail, particularly in the NE, and may be what some are betting on. Not sure if that's the case or smart, but when I think about Hobart and their low $200MM type endowment I hope that if they can survive around the St John Fisher, Elmira College, Hartwick, Utica types who are at a little more risk and pick off their top decile/quartile students that it could put HWS in a stronger position going forward. Or Hamilton and some NESCAC schools will benefit from Hobart. But major universities have no issues like this to consider.

[xxxxxxx]

With PA schools, a lot of what follows will come from what the Guv’s plans are, how much leeway you get vis the Guv’s directives.
My old school was waiting for just that, so they could put the burden on the state and the Guv.
What I’m really most interested in is how much schools reimburse for the lower presumed quality of virtual classes, I don’t see how schools get around having to provide some type of discount, reimbursement, credit, as compensation for non live classes.

Don't hold your breath for any tuition discounts. The MLL Had to cancel games, now 14 players on the Marlins tested positive so they are cancelling games. These schools are going to have outbreaks, the questions are how big, and how are they going to handle them? Will they just send everybody home?

I also have a friend who works with Universities all over the country and his Industry expects another 1,000 schools to announce on line only in the next few weeks.

Pray for a vaccine, it's the only thing that will get us back, and without one I am now seriously concerned they will cancel Winter and Spring sports.

[FMUBart]

CDC says it's important--for many reason--that schools open and children are the least affected by the virus and aren't thought to be spreaders. I understand if you're older or have pre-existing, but for over 85%(maybe even more) of people contracting the virus isn't at all life threatening. Quarantining healthy people is a first! Social distance and wear a mask...

[MDlaxfan76]

CDC says it's important--for many reason--that schools open and children are the least affected by the virus and aren't thought to be spreaders. I understand if you're older or have pre-existing, but for over 85%(maybe even more) of people contracting the virus isn't at all life threatening. Quarantining healthy people is a first! Social distance and wear a mask...

Mixing apples and oranges with elementary school and college "schools".

With the young ones, the issue is less the kids than those who they will infect as the virus spreads otherwise asymptomatically among them. Teachers, staff, parents, grandparents.

But it really does matter to learning to be in-person, so these are the tradeoffs...

HS and college kids have an increasing risk, but still quite low (relatively) but similar risk of spread to teachers, staff, etc and eventually to family.

But way less critical to learning to be in-person.

[FMUBart]

Again, especially if you're at risk, take precautions(distance/mask). Otherwise, don't quarantine healthy people, this is not a deadly virus for 90%+ of people and the therapeutics have shown the ability to shorten one's illness.

[bauer4429]

I heard one D1 college will not be reimbursing for room and board after a date of September 7th if the college opts to go full remote during the semester. So if they pull the plug on September 8th or after, students living on campus will be left holding the bag for room and board they won’t receive.

[HooDat]

I heard one D1 college will not be reimbursing for room and board after a date of September 7th if the college opts to go full remote during the semester. So if they pull the plug on September 8th or after, students living on campus will be left holding the bag for room and board they won’t receive.

That will certainly have a lasting impact on their current financial model - how many donations do you think those alumni will make to their "beloved" alma mater?

In that context the universities holding those fees see this is a money grab and screw the current students.....

[TNLAX]

I heard one D1 college will not be reimbursing for room and board after a date of September 7th if the college opts to go full remote during the semester. So if they pull the plug on September 8th or after, students living on campus will be left holding the bag for room and board they won’t receive.

That will certainly have a lasting impact on their current financial model - how many donations do you think those alumni will make to their "beloved" alma mater?

In that context the universities holding those fees see this is a money grab and screw the current students.....

Do you know the name of this D1 school? If so please share. Would love to know if this is factual or just a rumor. Thanks

[bauer4429]

Merrimack College, it’s not a rumor it’s a fact right on their tuition information page. To make matters worse, it looks like the NEC has pushed off fall sport starts till Sept 10th. We do not have an athlete here, but do have a student. Glad our son’s college lacrosse days are behind us given this crisis.

I am sure other colleges are planning to do this as well.

[10stone5]

With PA schools, a lot of what follows will come from what the Guv’s plans are, how much leeway you get vis the Guv’s directives.
My old school was waiting for just that, so they could put the burden on the state and the Guv.
What I’m really most interested in is how much schools reimburse for the lower presumed quality of virtual classes, I don’t see how schools get around having to provide some type of discount, reimbursement, credit, as compensation for non live classes.

they are still betting on the supply and demand curve working in their favor and any outrage will be overcome by that for their oh so valuable sheepskin.

Yes

[TNLAX]

Merrimack College, it’s not a rumor it’s a fact right on their tuition information page. To make matters worse, it looks like the NEC has pushed off fall sport starts till Sept 10th. We do not have an athlete here, but do have a student. Glad our son’s college lacrosse days are behind us given this crisis.

I am sure other colleges are planning to do this as well.

Thanks

[HooDat]

With PA schools, a lot of what follows will come from what the Guv’s plans are, how much leeway you get vis the Guv’s directives.
My old school was waiting for just that, so they could put the burden on the state and the Guv.
What I’m really most interested in is how much schools reimburse for the lower presumed quality of virtual classes, I don’t see how schools get around having to provide some type of discount, reimbursement, credit, as compensation for non live classes.

they are still betting on the supply and demand curve working in their favor and any outrage will be overcome by that for their oh so valuable sheepskin.

Yes

problem is the demand curve is pulling back. The millenials are through college now; GenZ is small (like GenX).

But the Ivies and other historically selective colleges will do fine...

[Farfromgeneva]

Just look at the list of D3 football participating schools, north of 300, clustered in the NE and Midwest to see how oversupplied higher ed is. I still think anyone under $100mm endowment is at risk and if you’re under $300-$350mm there’s still enough risk it should be addressed now.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of ... l_programs

[Young Warrior]

Just look at the list of D3 football participating schools, north of 300, clustered in the NE and Midwest to see how oversupplied higher ed is. I still think anyone under $100mm endowment is at risk and if you’re under $300-$350mm there’s still enough risk it should be addressed now.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of ... l_programs

Except most endowment dollars are earmarked for specific things by donors (the medical school, research, etc) and cant just be taken for the general finances of the University.

[Farfromgeneva]

Somewhat true, if you look at that list though many of those institutions don’t have programs and infrastructure to earmark as your examples. Also, what happens when the earmarked target of endowed money goes away? Purdue just shut down it’s MBA program permanently as did U of Missouri. There’s often a backup but not always. My father in law endowed a women’s BB scholarship at Ga Tech, if BB dropped or they ever had D1 hockey it goes there, then it goes into general fund. Any earmarked money for athletics programs at Stanford that were cut is going to different places now.

The earmarks lose a lot of stroke as well once the donor passes if an institution wants to use strong arm tactics. More overall flexibility w respect to earmarks than you might think or they lead you to believe. Especially when there’s an existential threat to the institution which is what I’m talking about with a lot of these schools.

[pcowlax]

Yes, much money is indeed earmarked but yes, if it comes to the school facing closure or the cutting of other academic programs much of that is fungible. Geneva, if GT drops women’s BB I understand how the money endowed for BB would roll to a general fund. But what’s up with the D1 hockey provision?