The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) virtually gathered over 1,500 university leaders for the first day of its 133rd annual meeting on Monday.
The theme of the three-day convening is “Equity & Resilience,” as university leaders reflect on a summer of racial justice organizing and the ongoing impact of the coronavirus on campuses, particularly for underrepresented students.
“We are expecting to see some of the gaps widened, or at least exposed,” said Joan Gabel, president of the University of Minnesota, in the opening plenary. “Our anecdotal data right now makes us think that when we do our next census, we’re going to be a little bit alarmed by what the pandemic has done for certain groups. And I don’t think anyone is surprised by that … The aftereffects will be with us arguably for a generation if we’re not conscientious and careful.”
She emphasized a need for renewed focus on financial aid – including emergency aid for students most hard hit by the pandemic – as well as mental health resources.
George Mason University President Dr. Gregory Washington, who also spoke in the opening plenary, highlighted inequitable broadband access as an obstacle in the shift to online education. He suggested that public universities prioritize turning spaces like libraries and parking lots into free Wi-Fi zones for students.
Speakers also noted the financial strains on public universities caused by the pandemic. Washington advocated for a focus on retraining programs amid the economic downturn and “creative partnerships” with industry, non-government organizations and other universities, especially partnerships between four-year institutions and community colleges.
“Rich community college partnerships are going to be helpful not just for students who are graduating but for individuals who are being displaced,” he said. “As you talk about how we can impact minority, low-income and first-generation [students], for many of our institutions, those students struggle to get in. Those partnerships with community colleges actually provide a great pathway for those students to enter our institutions.”
