I must say I am glad I am retired given the present situation in higher education. There seems a perfect storm of factors converging to make the future for the kind of institution I worked at quite bleak. I see this as unfortunate for the role of higher education in society and particularly the value of higher education for less affluent families. I am concerned that higher education has always been an easy target for local politicians due to the lack of understanding of the general public as to how universities work and assumptions that the short-term thinking that might work in businesses would work at state institutions of higher as well.
Higher education in North Dakota was struggling before the pandemic. Budgets had been slashed for several years because of poor economic conditions in the state. Higher education has little to do with fracking or crop commodity prices, but the contributions from the state budget are an easy target. Understand that state government can influence both the contributions from taxpayers and also influence the tuition charged to students. People were encouraged to retire early, more individuals were hired into nontenure track positions which is not the best way to attract the highest quality candidates, supported graduate student positions were cut again with consequences for the quality of candidates and reducing the opportunities to obtain grants and produce research, and administrative positions were increased in number (this seems a trend with no logical explanation). The increase in administrative positions is puzzling. Perhaps it relates to the need for more planning or more controls and oversight. Now the pandemic.
Some things most citizens wouldn’t consider.
Certain research fields are based on access to human subjects. Some might survive by trying to do “online” forms of research and questionnaires, but this limits the type of research that can be accomplished. This creates some internal challenges when evaluating faculty members and program contributions.
Graduate students trying to finish thesis and dissertations often have not been able to complete their projects. Committees might be forgiving, but if quality research is not completed publications are unlikely and job opportunities in a constricting market become even more unapproachable.
Faculty members are in the same situations in some programs. There are implications for tenure and promotion and again even if local committees are understanding publication are necessary for successful grant applications and a productive research program is necessary to attract graduate students.
The competitive gap between well endowed programs and state supported institutions with declining support will widen. Funding agencies want to be able to trust that the resources they provide will be used productively. This is not charity. Money and successes attract money and successes and students.
Don’t be put off by the mention of multiple research issues. Research is a component of what academics do and students at all levels are involved in this research. This is the way students develop skills. Think of the connection between research and teaching as one of apprenticeship.
The uncertainty of the type of instruction institutions will be able to provide creates a dilemma for potential students. Do they wait a year to see if campus-based programs will return? What kind of revenue will be possible through online instruction? Many students at present want their money back? I see online instruction if done well as being more labor intensive. This means that the revenue generated declines relative to the resources invested. Will institutions begin to compete on price creating a downward spiral in tuition income? With common course agreements within statements guaranteeing that credits earned at any institution will transfer to any other institution, how will a survival mentality at smaller institutions affect the budgets at universities who must offset the high cost of graduate and upperclass specialized courses with revenues from entry level courses?