In the American series "Suits", which revolves around a group of lawyers in one of the largest law firms in the country, and working for it is the dream of every law student; One of her entry requirements, which cannot be waived, is that she be a Harvard graduate.
However, after universities have become online, including the ancient Harvard University, are these universities still worth the effort and money? Are you still of the same value?
Poor educational quality
To limit the spread of the Corona virus, and maintain the safety of students and professors, a large number of universities around the world announced that the study in the fall semester of 2020 will be online, which caused the discontent of parents and students, so that the question about the effectiveness of distance education begins? Is it worth all this money without attending universities?
After escalating coronavirus cases in Southern California forced Chapman University this month to abruptly abandon its plans to reopen its campus and switch to distance education. The university promised that students would continue to have "Strong Chapman Experience".
But looking at the tuition fees for Chapman University, we find that the average is $ 65,000 per year, which is not a small amount, especially when it is in exchange for an online service, which prompted parents to object that their children will not receive educational quality for that cost.
However, many universities that were scheduled to open their doors to students are still continuing to reverse their decision and announce distance study, including the universities of Maryland, Pennsylvania, Southern California, Virginia and others, thus making less than a quarter of American universities out of more than 5,000 universities committed to providing Education within the university.
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While we can't wait to celebrate #ChapmanU Commencement with all of you in person, we couldn't let May 22nd come and go without President Struppa delivering a toast to all of your hard work! Tap the link in our bio to join our Facebook Event for updates!
A post shared by Chapman University (@chapmanu) on May 8, 2020 at 10:25 am PDT
He refused and protested
Students at more than 26 American universities have filed lawsuits against their universities, claiming that they do not receive the level of education they were promised, and they demanded a refund of part of the tuition and campus fees, and the campaign targeted prestigious universities, including the universities of Brown, Colombia and Cornell.
Students from Rutgers University in the US also posted a petition on Change.org, which collected more than 31,000 signatures demanding that fees for activities be reduced, such as entertainment services, student events, concerts, library maintenance, etc.
"We need a clear distribution of fees to understand where our money is going if tangible resources are not available," the students wrote.
Another petition from University of North Carolina students collected more than 40,000 signatures demanding the return of student housing fees, and at Ithaca College - which has a student population of 5,500 students - more than 2,000 applications have been submitted to the university for financial aid.
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Mather House tutors studied outside in the courtyard on a warm March day. ⠀ ⠀ Photo: Kris Snibbe / Harvard Staff Photographer
A post shared by Harvard University (@harvard) on Mar 4, 2020 at 9:22 am PST
Unsatisfactory responses
The universities' response to students' and parents' pressures varied, with some offering discounts, but still unsatisfactory, as it is only estimated at 10%, including the Catholic University of Washington, Johns Hopkins University and Georgetown, and others.
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🗄️ We want to preserve your experiences during the coronavirus pandemic as part of our University Archives. In addition to archiving photos, email announcements, and web content, @jhulibraries is collecting stories from students, faculty, and staff about the shift to learning and working remotely, working at off-campus jobs, the impact of closing residence halls and other campus services, the ways you've stayed in touch with family and friends, and more. To share your story (including anonymously, if you prefer), head to the link @jhulibraries' bio.
A post shared by Johns Hopkins University (@johnshopkinsu) on Jun 22, 2020 at 12:39 pm PDT
In a unique case, the Franciscan University in Ohio - which has about 3,000 students - announced that it would cover 100% of the tuition costs for international students, and the University of Southern California offered $ 4,000 per semester in a so-called "Living Home Grant."
As for most universities that have not responded to the claim that students learn from the professors themselves who teach on campus, the development of distance education and measures to prevent the virus have costs that added to the basic fees and did not diminish them.
Dominic Baker, assistant professor of education policy at Southern Methodist University, told the New York Times, "Starting an online education program is very expensive, you have to hire experienced people and get licenses for different programs, and then if you want the best quality you have to have smaller classes."
Chapman University President Daniel Strouba announced that the university has spent $ 20 million on technology and modernization adjustments for public health. It is estimated that switching to online education during the fall semester will cost the university $ 110 million in revenue, forcing him to stop much of his expenses, and waive 20 % Of his base salary.
On the other hand, a survey conducted by the American Council of Education estimated that the reopening of universities this fall will increase more than 10% to the normal operating expenses of the college, and for the presence of more than 5 thousand universities, the total amount is estimated at 70 billion dollars.
Margaret Rosa, director of the Indionomics Laboratory at Georgetown University, asks about the future of higher education, saying, "This is a moment that basically forces students and parents to say, 'What's the value? If I can't set foot on campus, is this the value? ''