COVID-19 and Higher Ed: Weekly Update
 March 30-April 3, 2020
The latest developments regarding the impact of COVID-19 on New England's colleges and universities, students, and families.
Updates from New England Institutions
Check out NEBHE's COVID-19 dashboard for complete data
  • 207 HEI's have transitioned to distance learning (4 more than last week)

  • 94 HEI's have announced pro-rata room/board refunds, credits for future semesters, or a hybrid of the two (21 more than last week)

  • 74 HEI's have delayed commencement (25 more than last week)

  • 12 HEI's have cancelled their commencement entirely (4 more than last week)

Resource Spotlight
NEBHE Analysis: Projected Impact of the CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund on New England HEIs:
Learning to Teach Online: Resources for Faculty Migrating Traditional Courses to Online Mid-Semester

Perhaps the biggest challenge to moving courses online is getting people online. It will take practice and time to recalibrate teaching at a distance. Keep in mind that sophisticated learning management systems or online platforms aren't always necessary. Here is a roundup of some of the most helpful resources and tools to support faculty quickly pivot to online course delivery.

  • Recommended strategies, student considerations and why they work

  • Weblink: Teaching in the context of COVID-19, Jacqueline Wernimont (Dartmouth, USA), Cathy N. Davidson (CUNY USA)
  • Topics include non-proprietary tools, questions to support student transition, how to record narration for PowerPoint, etc.
Promising Practices
Repurposing Existing Resources to Provide Assistance
  • Montgomery Community College (MCC) in Maryland has reallocated $150,000 from the Montgomery College Foundation donor fund and $400,000 from the cancellation of college-sponsored events, including commencement, to an emergency student assistance fund. To date, 800 online applications have been submitted, and 350 awards have been granted, totaling more than $162,000. Funds provide computers, emergency assistance, and food vouchers.
  • FAQs for students (addresses how award decisions are being made)
  • FAQs for advocates
  • A note about the framework and process of the initiative from David Sears, Sr. VP of Advancement and Community Engagement at MCC

Special thanks to David Sears, Tracee Matthias, Marcus Rosano, and the rest of the MCC team for responding to NEBHE's questions and sharing information about the emergency student fund.


  • To help relieve unprecedented stress currently placed on the health care system, Tufts University and Middlebury College are offering their empty dorms as pop-up hospitals to house COVID-19 patients and as temporary shelter for health-care workers who are treating COVID-19 patients and don’t want to expose their family members to the virus at home.

  • Non-dorm collegiate spaces are also finding ways to serve a new purpose during the pandemic. The McCormack-Nagelsen Tennis Center at the College of William & Mary in Virginia, and Liacouras Center at Temple University in Philadelphia, are two prominent examples of non-dorm on-campus alternative medical facilities.

  • The Rhode Island School of Design is providing support to students with financial need to lessen the burden of COVID-19. Funds can be used to cover travel and course materials and/or to extend pay for all student campus jobs through May, even if students are unable to complete the work. This support ($1.5+ million to date) is funded in part by RISD’s existing Student Emergency Fund.


Is your institution repurposing existing space or funds to help meet the needs of your community? Let us know by emailing  policy@nebhe.org .
Distance Learning, Compliance, and New England SARA
Higher education institutions are rapidly deploying online course delivery at an unprecedented scale to continue student learning despite campus closures. The U.S. Department of Education has offered some temporary flexibility to institutions and accreditors under its Title IV programs to limit interruptions and hardship to students. 

As campuses close during the COVID-19 outbreak and students return home—often to other states—institutions may need to seek approval from education agencies in other states to continue serving students via distance education. 

What is State Authorization?
States maintain their authority to regulate educational activities within their borders and they may choose to regulate out-of-state institutions that conduct activities in their state. This process, often referred to as “State Authorization”, ensures that postsecondary institutions possess the necessary capacity and operate in the best interests of their students.

Out-of-state educational activities, sometimes referred to as “physical presence triggers”, may require an institution to comply with state laws and regulations where that activity occurs. "Triggers" may include online learning, marketing, experiential learning, faculty teaching from another state, etc. These triggers are at the discretion of each state and will vary greatly.
Compliance Consideration of the Week:
Seeking State Authorization for out-of-state Distance Learning

  • The State Authorization Guide, housed by NC-SARA, is a helpful tool to monitor the myriad of state by state approvals. Filter Authorization for Distance Education, exemptions, physical presence triggers, etc.


  • Reframing your compliance strategy? 13 questions for your consideration
Overview: SARA Introduction and Institutional Application
Questions? rstachowiak@nebhe.org
617-533-9503
For more, visit NEBHE's COVID-19 Resource Page
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Additional questions on what you see here?  Send an email to  policy@nebhe.org  and we will get back to you ASAP.