Apr 27, 2020,11:46pm EDT Harvard: We’ll Open This Fall, But It May Be Online Zack FriedmanContributor Bestselling Author, The Lemonade Life. I write and speak about leadership and greatness. Harvard University (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty[+] GETTY IMAGES Good news: Harvard University will be open this fall – but it may be online. Here’s what you need to know. Harvard Opens This Fall Harvard will reopen this fall, after pausing classes this spring as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. While Harvard Provost Alan Garber plans to bring students to campus as soon as possible, Garber recognizes that COVID-19 may bring a “scenario in which much or all learning will be conducted remotely.” “If our community has not developed sufficient levels of immunity through recovery from the disease or vaccination, and if safe and effective antiviral therapy is not available, we will likely need adequate supplies of personal protective equipment, reliable and convenient viral testing, robust contact tracing procedures, and facilities for quarantine and isolation,” Garber wrote in an open letter. “We must do our part to assure the health and safety of everyone within and beyond the Harvard community, particularly those at elevated risk.” Like many colleges and universities, Harvard has shifted to online learning for the spring semester. While some viewed the move as temporary, there may be several implications and considerations if remote learning becomes the norm for part or all of the upcoming academic semester (or beyond). Certainly, Harvard is not alone in this important decision to bring students to campus or employ remote learning. Many colleges and universities are grappling with this exact dilemma. Stanford says it will decide in May whether to open this fall, or possibly in the winter. Brown hasn’t formally decided, but prefers in-person classes. Yale says it will decide by July. Should campuses be reopened? When will classes begin? How will classes begin? As higher education leaders debate these topics, here are several questions they must answer. 1. Will tuition stay the same? If students are taking classes remotely, will students still pay the same tuition? The circumstances may warrant a remote learning environment. However, an online learning experience – even with the best professor – is not the same as being “in the room.” Students may be less willing to pay the full tuition price if they feel they aren’t receiving the full experience. 2. What about student loans? Given the exorbitant cost of higher education, how comfortable will students be assuming student loan debt to take online courses? Tuition is one consideration. Borrowing money, plus interest, is another. 3. How will colleges and universities recreate the in-person education experience? The content may be the same, but nothing quite matches an in-person educational experience. There is intimate classroom discussion, a back-and-forth engagement between professor and student, and – in special courses – an unspoken energy in the room. Can this still be captured in an online learning environment? 4. How will colleges and universities recreate the college experience outside the classroom? Much of college takes place outside the classroom. The friends you make. The activities you lead. The professors you meet. The personal and professional growth. While these experiences can happen online, the magnitude changes when the social interaction becomes remote. The colleges and universities that can develop alternative, creative ways to provide these experience will win trust from students. 5. What will happen to enrollment if coursework remains partially or entirely online? Will current students remain enrolled? Will incoming freshmen opt for a gap year? Will the entering MBA student defer until next year? If students perceive that their academic or personal experience will be anything less than the “traditional” experience, it’s possible they don’t show up this fall. This has implication for a school’s revenue, among other implications. As colleges and universities decide their next steps, they should consider not only the safety and health of their students and faculty, but also the holistic experience and value for their students. Colleges and universities didn’t create this problem. However, they can create a response that avoids another one. Disclosure: Zack Friedman is a graduate of Harvard. Get the best of Forbes to your inbox with the latest insights from experts across the globe. https://www.forbes.com/sites/zackfriedman/2020/04/27/harvard-colleges-covid-... On Apr 28, 2020, at 2:49 PM, Barbara Goodchild <bjgoodchild@yahoo.com> wrote:  Thank you for sending this, but the Journal is one of the few papers (along with the Globe) that won't let you read even one article without a subscription. I did mange to read the article on Apple News. On Tuesday, April 28, 2020, 02:44:18 PM EDT, tara greco <taragreco@hotmail.com> wrote: Harvard University says it’s not ruling out a fall semester with no students on campus. The Ivy League school is the first to come out and warn that due to the current pandemic, there is a possibility that students may not physically return to its grounds before the end of the year. Harvard did not say whether tuition fees would be adjusted for online learning. How will this impact the Cambridge community? Will MIT and Lesley follow suit? https://www.wsj.com/articles/harvard-to-have-a-fall-semester-but-details-unc... Tara R. Greco _._,_._,_