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ERIC Number: ED610725
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2021-Jan-27
Pages: 32
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
The COVID-19 Pandemic and Institutions of Higher Education: Contemporary Issues. CRS Report R46666, Version 2
Collins, Benjamin; Fountain, Joselynn H.; Dortch, Cassandria
Congressional Research Service
There have been numerous reports of institutions of higher education (IHEs) experiencing financial hardships as a result of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This report discusses and contextualizes issues related to IHEs' stability and fiscal health during the pandemic. To provide background on the types of issues IHEs are facing, this report begins with a discussion of IHE revenues and expenditures. While institutions' revenue sources vary in general, there are some reasonably clear patterns of variation across institutional sectors. Enrollment is a key factor in IHEs' revenue, and changes to enrollment in light of the COVID-19 pandemic might have a major impact on the financial stability of some IHEs. This report discusses how the pandemic may affect enrollment, with a focus on the uncertainty and dynamic nature of the situation. Implications of expanded remote learning are discussed throughout this report. The section of the report dealing with institutional finances, for instance, discusses how expanded remote learning could affect various forms of revenue and institutions' spending strategies. The enrollment section discusses how expanded remote learning may affect students' enrollment decisions. The report also discusses administrative and regulatory issues that have emerged related to federal student aid availability at IHEs that expand remote learning in light of the pandemic. The report concludes with a discussion of congressional options for responding to the circumstances faced by IHEs in light of the pandemic. The options considered are largely based on legislation enacted in response to the current situation and prior disasters.
Congressional Research Service. Web site: https://crsreports.congress.gov/
Publication Type: Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: Policymakers
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: Library of Congress, Congressional Research Service (CRS)
Identifiers - Laws, Policies, & Programs: Higher Education Act Title IV
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A