Graduate schools flipped in-person courses to a remote model when the nation entered quarantine mode in March 2020. In recent months, many institutions have transitioned to in-person or hybrid course models, but the challenges posed by COVID-19 continue.
Students are struggling financially. Many have found their research stymied. Faculty face challenges of being home with their own children, trying to teach, providing their students with support and re-envisioning their own research. Students of color have been especially hard hit by the pandemic.
“Black students, in particular, are under immense amounts of stress,” says Dr. Joy Williamson-Lott, dean of the Graduate School at the University of Washington. “Not only are they negatively impacted by the pandemic — isolated, underemployed and fearful for their health and safety — they are negatively impacted by structural racism, institutional racism and interpersonal racism.
“This group, especially, needs support during these times,” she adds. “Luckily, the Graduate School already has a unit focused on serving BIPOC graduate students, and that unit stepped up its programming to meet the expanded need.”
Initial COVID-19 impact
All instruction at the University of Arkansas went remote in March 2020. Students submitting theses and dissertations could use electronic signatures and submissions. An entirely virtual process was created to clear students for graduation.
“We modified the grading policy to allow, at college/department discretion, P for passing grades and NC for failing grades; neither of these had an impact on the GPA,” says Dr. Patricia R. Koski, dean, University of Arkansas Graduate School and International Education.
