Colleges and universities across the United States are taking
action to protect staff, students and faculty from COVID-19 and
prevent further community spread of the illness. Notably, in an
effort to reduce population density and increase social distancing,
many higher education institutions have made the difficult decision
to transition to online learning, cancel in-person classes,
restrict study abroad trips and/or require students to vacate
campus housing. Not only do these actions present unique logistical
and technical challenges, they also have the potential for
deleterious social, academic and economic consequences.
Remote Learning
With respect to remote learning, many higher education
establishments are well-situated to shift classes from an in-person
setting to an online instructional environment. Indeed, some of the
technical groundwork already exists for any digital transition
because many colleges and universities currently offer online
classes or
