Chapter 9: Higher Education in the Aftermath

In the wake of the chaos brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, academic communities worldwide found themselves at the center of an unprecedented challenge. Whether dips in enrollment (Copely & Douthett, 2020; Sutton, 2021), retention of employees (Bichsel et al., 2022), or worsening of the student mental health crisis (Lee et al., 2021), colleges and universities will continue to face a myriad of escalating crises in the years to come. The stories contained within this volume, spanning multiple campus stakeholders, paint a vivid picture of an academic world fraught with unique intersectional challenges. From linguistic racism and visa-related hurdles to gender-based adversities, the challenges were multifaceted. Yet, intertwined with these accounts of struggle, there were powerful stories of resilience. As we reflect on these themes, it becomes clear that the real work lies ahead. Institutions must actively champion a shift from the traditional “business model” mindset, transcending the view of students as mere customers and staff as dispensable cogs in the higher education machine. They must see them as multi-faceted individuals with needs and pressures external to the institution. This pandemic has shown us that a more humanized higher education approach isn’t just preferable—it is imperative. Below, we offer a few key takeaways from this volume, grounded in the themes and recommendations of contributing scholars.