By Kennedi Combs
Broadcast version by Mary Schuermann reporting for the Kent State-Ohio News Connection Collaboration.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- As the Delta variant sweeps across the state, Ohio's public universities are taking a range of protective measures for the upcoming fall semester, from requiring students to report their vaccination status to implementing incentive programs to motivate students to get vaccinated.

All 14 state universities are requiring masks indoors for the fall semester, according to an examination of COVID prevention procedures as explained on schools' websites.

Universities - including Kent State University, Bowling Green State University, Miami University, and The Ohio State University - have implemented incentive programs for all students who are vaccinated and report their vaccination to their university. Vaccinated students are entered into raffles for the chance to win prizes on a weekly basis.

Some including Shawnee State University, University of Cincinnati, Wright State University, Miami University, and Youngstown State University - are offering all three vaccines for students, staff, and faculty on their campus.

Kent State University is requiring face masks to be worn regardless of vaccination status during all indoor activities. Along with this rule, KSU has also put an incentives program into effect for vaccinated students. All Kent State students who are vaccinated and register their vaccination on the University Health Services website are eligible to win prizes in twice-weekly drawings. The drawings take place through Oct. 12; prizes include free tuition for a semester, free room and board for a semester, a kayaking trip, Homecoming concert tickets, Beats headphones, and Apple Watches.

However, sophomore journalism major Jayla Forest thinks vaccinations aren't enough. "There are people who are vaccinated who are still contracting COVID," said Forest, who received the Moderna vaccine last May. "And honestly, even though they have rules and restrictions, not everyone is going to follow those rules and restrictions. So, I don't really know if being vaccinated is enough to go back on campus and become normal again."

Cleveland State University also requires students, faculty and staff to wear face coverings for the upcoming semester, and encourages students to get vaccinated. On its website, the school expresses a commitment to following CDC guidelines. It also lists exceptions and accommodations to the mask mandate for certain situations, such as when eating in the dining hall, when a student is alone in their residence hall room with a roommate, or when a person has been granted a university-approved medical or religious accommodation to not wear a mask.

"On a scale of one to 10, I feel like a 'six'as far as how safe I am on campus," said Jordan Hill, a sophomore engineering major at CSU."When they open up campus completely, I would give it within a month before there's a spike in cases, and we all have to go remote again."

Unlike all the other public universities in Ohio that just encourage students to register their vaccination status, the University of Akron is requiring students to report it.

"In order for the University to make informed decisions about COVID-19 and to further facilitate contact tracing, we are requiring all members of the campus community (faculty, contract professionals, staff and students) to report their vaccination status by August 20," said spokesperson Cristine Boyd in an email. "All members of the campus community who are unvaccinated or do not confirm their vaccination status will be subject to up-to-weekly testing, beginning the week of August 16 (employees) and August 30 (students)."

Boyd added the university will provide remote classes to accommodate students. "We currently have a variety of options available for classes, including in-person, hybrid and fully online as we try to meet the needs of all students," she wrote. "Not all courses are guaranteed to be available online."

Incoming University of Akron freshman Romeo Pitts-Medley appreciates the university's commitment to keeping students safe. "I think it's a really good idea that they are keeping track of who is unvaccinated and making them get tested," he said. "It's the only way to keep everyone as safe as possible with the delta variant on the loose."

Ohio has seen 1,180,986 total coronavirus cases since the beginning of the pandemic. With 64,215 hospitalizations and 20,689 deaths, more and more Ohioans are making the decision to get vaccinated. Half the state's population, 51.22%, has received a vaccination. Of Ohioans ages 12-18, 59.87 % are vaccinated, while the vaccination rate is 62.15% for adults 18 and older.

This collaboration is produced in association with Media in the Public Interest and funded in part by the George Gund Foundation.


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This fall, additional free classes will be offered in Minnesota for people thinking about a career as a certified nursing assistant. It follows an initial wave earlier this year to help address health-care worker shortages around the state.

The Next Generation Nursing Assistant initiative will start classes in September and October at Minnesota State University, Mankato. Keith Hovis, director of communications for the Office of Higher Education, said it isn't statewide like the program kickoff in January, but it's still important to help more people get their foot in the door.

"Over the course of the pandemic, there have been thousands and thousands of vacancies that haven't been able to be filled," he said. "So, this initiative, it's intended to help start filling those vacancies and make sure that we are supporting health of Minnesotans all around the state."

The program uses American Rescue Plan funding to cover the cost of tuition, books, uniforms and certification exam fees. The first group of participants exceeded the state's goal of 1,000. Hovis said if the Legislature agrees to renewed funding, they could resume the no-cost courses at locations statewide.

Earlier this week, thousands of Minnesota nurses voted to authorize a strike if contract talks don't improve. Hovis said while the program might not touch on some of the broader issues facing those workers, it's important to step up at a time when solutions are needed.

"We see this initiative as a way to really get people into the health-care career in a way that won't cost them anything - it's completely free," he said, "and hopefully they start a career that will flourish and continue within the health-care field."

Earlier this year, the state issued a survey that offered a glimpse into industry shortages. Vacancy rates climbed for several professions, including licensed practical nurses. That rate climbed from 12% in 2019 to 17% in 2021.

Madera Community College outside Fresno is making big plans after being named winner of the Million Dollar Community College Challenge Wednesday.

Lumina Foundation sponsored the challenge for the first time this spring, to help colleges reach more potential adult students.

Angel Reyna, president of Madera Community College, said the funds will help the school attract more adult students who need to boost their skills and their job prospects.

"We will use the funds to redesign our website, to have activities on our campus to engage adult learners," Reyna outlined. "We're also looking at murals on our campus to create that sense of belonging."

Madera Community College serves about 8,000 students a year, and is still growing, despite the pandemic.

Mary Laphen Pope, strategy officer for participation at the Lumina Foundation, said the funds will help shape people's perceptions about community college and help the schools create a more student-centered experience.

"Now more than ever, community colleges need a new way to connect with the millions of Americans who need a short-term degree or credential," Laphen Pope emphasized. "We challenged colleges to tell us how they would transform their brand building and their marketing efforts to be more inclusive of today's students."

Nine other colleges nationwide were named as finalists, including Long Beach City College. They will receive a $100,000 grant, plus technical assistance to make the most of the opportunity.

Universities across the country lost enrollment to COVID-19. As students return, Texas A&M is making sure adequate mental-health services are in place to help them navigate the "new normal."

Mary Ann Covey, director of the student counseling center at Texas A&M University, said students quit or did not enroll because of illness and the ever-changing safety measures required at higher-ed institutions some found disruptive or even intolerable. Covey recounted as the pandemic raged on, some students created their own ways to cope while others felt lost.

"You know, 'Do I fit in, do I belong, what does that look like? Can I handle the coursework?' There's a real sense of self-doubt because they've been online," Covey pointed out.

When classes start next week, Texas A&M will recommend students wear masks when indoors, and offer both free vaccines and testing sites.

Rebecca Fischer, epidemiologist and assistant professor at Texas A&M, has reminded students monkeypox is not highly transmissible through casual contact, noting the risk of infection remains low, and classroom spread is not expected.

For two years, COVID hampered many traditional communication channels, according to Covey, which caused students to avoid interactions, resulting in developmental delays.

"You saw (high school) seniors didn't get to be a senior, juniors really didn't get to be a junior or a senior, and so starting college was incredibly overwhelming," Covey observed.

Covey added more students began seeking mental-health services and appointments there as early as 2018.

Texas A&M has since launched a mobile app called "My Student Support Program" or "My SSP," which allows students to access short-term virtual counseling.