8 Steps to Prepare for a Pandemic That’s Becoming Endemic

For almost two years, colleges and universities have struggled to cope with COVID-19. Now, at the end of the fall term, the terrain is once again shifting.

On Dec. 10, following a substantial spike in coronavirus cases, Middlebury College shifted to remote instruction and sent students home early. The following week, after over 900 students tested positive, many with the Omicron variant, Cornell University moved finals online and canceled all in-person gatherings. In the face of rising cases, New York University also canceled all “non-essential” gatherings, Princeton University moved its final exams online and DePaul University and Southern New Hampshire University both announced they would temporarily shift to remote instruction in January.

It’s time for colleges and universities to rethink their plans for the spring semester. What they do might well be a model for other institutions, organizations and businesses.