Industry Update Provided by NPC

The New York Times reports on the trade-offs that college-going students and families may be willing to make in an era marked by the coronavirus pandemic. While past cohorts may have focused on a college experience that expands their intellectual horizons and introduces them to friends and mentors that will carry them through life, it appears that those goals may be receding among student priorities—at least when compared to the ultimate goal: a prestigious credential and degree that will boost their résumé.

New survey research from The Chronicle of Higher Education suggests that most prospective students who want to attend a four-year college full time continue to express a preference for a traditional experience—living on campus, interacting with professors, studying and socializing with peers. Large majorities of those surveyed do not view online programs as a viable alternative to their preference for an on-campus experience this fall.

In an op-ed from The Washington Post, a Tufts University professor questions whether it will be feasible for universities to re-open in the fall. He says that even if young people are less likely to suffer severe cases of COVID-19, any dorm—particularly those with common bathrooms and eating spaces—would function like a perfect incubator for it, which means a large fraction of students, even if asymptomatic, would serve as carriers of the virus. Other people who work at universities, from the food service employees to the professors, would also be put at risk.

Insider Higher Ed reports on the impacts of the traditional May 1 college decision day due to changes to The National Association for College Admission Counseling code of ethics made in 2019 as well as the current pandemic. More than 400 colleges have extended the 2020 deadline for admitted students to submit deposits to June 1 or later. According to the article, May 1 "already had been losing its luster" in years prior—a 2019 survey of admissions officers indicated only 37 percent had met their enrollment goals by May 1.

The Bulletin

The April issue (final issue of the academic year) of The Bulletin has been posted in Theta Portal > chapter portal > HQDocs > The Bulletin. The Bulletin is intended for all college and alumnae chapter officers and advisors, and they were notified by email. Workforce members always have access to The Bulletin via Igloo > Files > The Bulletin. The Bulletin is Theta’s main communication source for college chapter officers and advisors and alumnae chapter officers. The Update is Theta’s main communication source for the workforce and should not be shared or forwarded to non-workforce members.

Theta Foundation Scholarship Notifications

Those who submitted applications for 2020 Theta Foundation scholarships will be notified of their award status by the end of the day on Monday, May 11. Award status notifications will be sent to the preferred email addresses on applicants’ Theta membership records. Page 3 of the 2020 Scholarship Application Guide outlines instructions for verifying and/or updating contact information on file with the Fraternity. Please contact Foundation Programs Manager Mary Kate Smith with questions.

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