Some push for college classes online; others warn of cash hit

Revenue loss of $479M possible for University System of Georgia.

The University System of Georgia estimates its schools could lose at least $479.3 million in mandatory student fees, housing and dining revenue if it goes all-online this fall, according to a spreadsheet obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution through the Georgia Open Records Act.

The data comes as some students and faculty pressure administrators to conduct all classes online, or offer that option, to prevent the spread of COVID19, as cases have increased in Georgia.

Savannah State University’s Faculty Senate wrote a letter to the

system asking for online learning this semester, according to published reports this week. Georgia Tech’s student government association started a Change.org petition this week urging the system to offer online options.

Most of the Atlanta region’s largest public school systems have announced plans in recent days to begin the semester with online learning. On Monday, Georgia’s three largest, private, historically Black schools — Clark Atlanta University, and Morehouse and Spelman colleges — announced all classes this upcoming semester will be online, citing the recent surge of confirmed cases in this area and in other parts of the country.

“Because of the pandemic’s escalation in Georgia and nearby states, it seems a near certainty that we will be unable to complete the semester on campus. If faculty and students can plan for a remote semester, together we can make it work with high-quality student engagement through remote lectures, activities, and projects,” said Julia Kubanek, a Georgia Tech biological sciences professor. “In fact, we’re already planning for this eventuality. I’d prefer to not pretend otherwise.”

About one-half of the nation’s colleges are planning for in-person instruction this fall, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education. One-third are planning a hybrid model of in-person and online instruction. Georgia Tech is planning hybrid learning for about two-thirds of its courses. Clayton State University is planning hybrid learning for one-quarter of its classes, while one-half of its classes will be online.

“Had students and faculty been given early and clear plans for what seems inevitable now — a primarily online fall term — we all would have been able to service the students and the citizens of Georgia better. Instead, that time has been spent wading through massive confusion and conflict,” said Ian Bogost, an interactive computing professor at Georgia Tech.

While most students have been off University System campuses since March, a few remain or live nearby. Some have been diagnosed with COVID-19. For example, 15 Georgia Tech students were diagnosed with the disease in a recent two-week stretch.

The University System, which had more than 330,000 students last year, has said it is following state and federal health guidelines — with input from the governor’s office — to plan for the fall semester.

The fall plans have consistently included students returning to campus. The system announced Thursday it is sending more than 835,000 face masks and nearly 1,200 cases of disinfecting wipes to its schools for the fall semester.

Online instruction received mixed reviews during the spring semester. The biggest complaint from students was internet connection problems where they lived.

Twenty-five University System presidents wrote a letter dated July 8 to the system’s chancellor, Steve Wrigley, that said in part: “(r)esuming in-person classes this fall will be a difficult but important task, and it is one we are committed to achieving, as it serves the best interests of our students and the State of Georgia.”

Wrigley’s budget team came up with the cost estimate of going to online learning a week later. The system, which will receive about $2 billion in state funds this fiscal year, saw a more than $300 million loss of revenue during the spring and summer semesters due to the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown.

An additional $479 million revenue decline for the fall semester could be staggering for a college system that also took a 10% funding cut from the General Assembly as part of statewide spending reductions for fiscal 2021 because of the COVID-19 recession.

In an email obtained by the AJC, Wrigley said that the $479 million figure is likely conservative, given that it’s unclear how many students will choose to attend the fall semester. He also says it could have a “significant impact on employment.”

System officials said the campus experience is important in response to questions about its approach to fall learning plans.

“We continue to evaluate options that support quality instruction and prioritize the health and safety of our faculty, staff and students,” said Aaron Diamant, the system’s spokesman. “While we successfully made the transition to onlineonly instruction last spring, we believe in the value and importance to students of the campus experience.”