Weekly Briefing: More colleges say no to a fall return.

Several prominent institutions said goodbye to their plans for an upcoming in-person semester. ADVERTISEMENT [logo] We’ve made some changes and improvements to [chronicle.com]( such as ending the distinction between free and premium articles. Now free registration is all that’s required to read any Chronicle article. [Read about these and other changes](. Was this newsletter forwarded to you? [Please sign up to receive your own copy.]( You’ll support our journalism and ensure that you continue to receive our emails. [Read this newsletter on the web](. Reopening plans are crumbling. [image] Chronicle photo by Julia Schmalz Remember late April — about six weeks into the nationwide quarantine — when colleges started [making bullish statements]( about returning to campus in the fall semester? It seemed like everyone, [with a few notable exceptions]( was confident about the fall return. Today, many of those plans have fallen like ice-cream scoops dropped from the cone onto a hot sidewalk. For weeks now, colleges have slowly announced a reversal in their reopening plans as Covid-19 cases continue to spike across most of the country. This week, several prominent institutions said goodbye to their plans for an in-person fall semester. On Monday, Carol T. Christ, chancellor of the University of California at Berkeley, announced at a Chronicle virtual [event]( that Berkeley would begin it fall semester online. The university had planned to have some in-person classes but scrapped the plan. Miami Dade College, one of the largest in the country, said it would start the fall semester online and hopes to start classes in person by September 28. Three HBCUs, Morehouse and Spelman Colleges and Clark Atlanta University, said their fall semester would be online. Last week, Occidental College, Emory University, and Dickinson College were some of the colleges that announced a virtual fall semester. [More announcements trickle in]( just about every day. Why? Case numbers keep rising, and more colleges say they can't safety have students and faculty members come back. Not to say "I told you so," but in May, Robert Kelchen called it. He [wrote for]( Chronicle]( that despite optimistic statements, colleges wouldn't return for the fall semester. About 51 percent of the 1,250 [colleges tracked by]( Chronicle]( still plan for an in-person return. Those numbers are changing every day. [Our Lindsay Ellis reports on colleges' crumbling fall plan](. Paid for and Created by Utrecht University [Innovate your education? Change the culture!]( Seeking to create a culture of adaption and education innovation, Utrecht University is facilitating its students and faculty with up-to-date resources along with demand-driven services, fostering a willingness to sustainably innovate as the norm. ADVERTISEMENT Subscribe to the Chronicle Our mission, at a time of crisis and uncertainty, is to ensure you have the information you need to make the best decisions for your institution, your career, and your students. Please consider subscribing today to sustain our continuing coverage. [Subscribe Today]( Lagniappe. - Learn. Here are [tips for staying optimistic]( when the world seems like a disaster movie. - Read. Coronavirus-related budget cuts prompted the "bear whisperer" of Mammoth Lake, Calif., to quit his job.[What does the community do during bear season]( - Listen. In 2018, The New York Times published the story "The Man Who Cracked the Lottery." You can listen to that story via the Times's podcast [The Daily](. - Watch. The TikTok account for NPR's Planet Money is as weird as it is informative. [Give the quick videos a try](. I'll be back next week. Take care. Cheers, —Fernanda This Week‘s Top Reads NEWS [Black Students Have Less Access to Selective Public Colleges Now Than 20 Years Ago, Report Finds]( By Vimal Patel [image] Many counties where community spread of Covid-19 has run rampant are home to flagships, community colleges, and religious institutions, among others. ADVERTISEMENT THE CHRONICLE REVIEW [Plexiglass Won’t Save Us]( By Jeffrey J. Selingo [image] It’s a mistake to prioritize opening up in the fall over improving online education. TEACHING [What Does It Mean to Support Vulnerable Students During the Pandemic?]( Professors design courses with a particular student experience in mind — and it matters which students they’re thinking of, writes Beckie Supiano. job announcement Administrative Assistant position available at Carroll University. [Visit jobs.chronicle.com]( for more details. 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