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Trump transition team ethics pledge appears to exclude president-elect; AZ grandmother, a climate activist for decades, isn't slowing down; Georgia Match program hailed as college enrollment rises; and PA environmental, free speech advocates worry over 'anti-terror' law.

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Higher-Ed Faculty Call for Funding to Safely Reopen MT Schools

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Wednesday, July 22, 2020   

HELENA, Mont. -- Higher-education institutions will need major investments to safely reopen this fall, according to Montana faculty. Nationwide, the American Federation of Teachers is calling for $50 billion for public colleges and universities to reopen.

Megan Stark is president of the University Faculty Association at the University of Montana. She said students are going to need support in many areas if they come back to campus this fall.

"It's not true that we only have an obligation to meet our students' academic needs," Stark said. "We have a community need to serve as well."

AFT estimates that without federal investments, 400,000 higher-education jobs will be lost across the country. The HEROES Act, passed by the House and currently in the Senate, would provide $26 billion for higher education.

Colleges and universities have a list of needs, including safety precautions such as masks and the ability to do deep cleaning in classrooms and practice social distancing on campuses.

With online learning playing a crucial role in education, Stark said funding also is needed to address the digital divide between students who have access to computers and the internet and those who don't.

"It is a very real barrier that students experience," she said, "and the inequity that it creates is tremendous."

Although this fall may not be like other years, Stark said students are eager to see each other and be back in the classroom. She said some have even found new inspirations in their academic lives.

"I've heard from students whose passions around their education purpose have been really reignited by some of the issues that have emerged out of the pandemic," she said.

Congress is negotiating the next round of coronavirus stimulus before members go home for the August recess.


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