Worcester Business Journal

12 Worcester Business Journal | June 21, 2021 | wbjournal.com A s Worcester universities wrap up this school year and prepare for the next, administrations are exam- ining how the coronavirus has changed higher education and are shiing resources to support students. Aer a 2020-2021 school year split be- tween remote and hybrid learning, Cen- tral Massachusetts colleges and univer- sities are returning to in-person learning for the fall semester, citing falling case numbers and rising vaccination rates. "e vaccination rate in the com- monwealth is certainly encouraging and motivating us to bring back as many in e challenges of the new college experience person activities both in and outside of the classroom," said Barry Maloney, president of Worcester State University. "We're requiring students to get vaccinat- ed and a significant portion of our em- ployees indicated interest in vaccination when surveyed, which gives me hope that we'll exceed the 80% vaccination rate benchmark that we set for ourselves as a good standard to keep our campus safe." Ultimately, a year of pandemic learn- ing has emphasized key issues that exist- ed before the pandemic – mental health, learning flexibility, and transitioning from high school to higher education – and induced efforts to provide resources to these key areas. "One lesson learned is the impor- tance of in-person learning – of faculty and students being together," said Jack Foley, vice president of government and community affairs at Clark University in Worcester. "From a mental health point of view, we've really seen that." e resumption of a normal fall semester comes as colleges and uni- versities are finding ways to once again provide a typical college experience for their students, following a year in which enrollments dropped up to 15% in Cen- tral Massachusetts, including more than 25% for first-year students at places like Mount Wachusett Community College in Gardner, according to the Massachu- setts Board of Higher Education. Enrollment statistics reflected the change in learning models and the economic uncertainty felt by students. Nationally, higher education saw un- dergraduate enrollment down 4% in the 2020 semester compared to the previous 2019 one, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. Enrollment for first-year students spe- cifically dropped 16.1%. e resumption of typical on-campus activities and reopening of the state may prompt lower enrollment statistics to be a one-year dip rather than a catalyst of a longer trend. "Some campuses are up in terms of enrollment" for the upcoming semester, said Jeanine Belcastro Went, executive director of the Higher Education Con- sortium of Central Massachusetts in an email. "ere are many college-bound high school seniors who are eager to experience campus life and be in-person, especially aer a senior year that was likely mostly online, and absent a lot of typical senior rights of passage." Helping freshmen transition to college While universities prepare for a mostly normal school year, the pandemic's effect on high school students who are entering postsecondary studies remains unclear. "We have to pay closer attention to student needs and make sure students are transitioning from high school to college in a way that is seamless and consistent," said Maloney. "We're going to spend a lot of time advising students and tracking progress." Many school districts, Worcester included, were primarily online then transitioned to a hybrid format as the previous school year progressed. For Worcester universities, the local educa- tion system pipeline provides an oppor- tunity to assess trends and challenges for the entering freshman class. "We've been talking a lot with school districts about where things currently PHOTO/EDD COTE As universities return to in-person learning for the fall, they are preparing for students to need extra help with academics and mental health BY DEVAN GREEVY Worcester Business Journal Editorial Intern Worcester State University President Barry Maloney discusses student life with student orientation leaders during a meeting in June.

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