The following interviews took place on Tuesday, May 19, 2020:
As COVID-19 continues to spread and its implications become more pronounced, questions are far more prevalent than answers. While virtual learning knocked on the door, what was seemingly an afterthought or impossible feat in many academic spaces for years quickly became a necessity within American higher education. As institutions, departments, and 23
organizations try to navigate the tidal wave transition to remote learning, there are few scenarios that present desirable options. Information is unclear and incomplete at best. Competing interests on inter/national, state, and local levels create a lack of clear direction from government and regulatory agencies. Yet, the pressure for higher education institutions to take action
mounted as case numbers grew and will persist for years as colleges and universities attempt to navigate the vast ripple effects of the virus. All of this prompts the questions: How does one make decisions when it’s impossible to have all the necessary information for doing so? How do leaders forge a path forward when there are seemingly no good options?
