AAUP Joins Plea to Congress for COVID-19 Relief

The AAUP joined nearly one hundred other higher education associations in signing on to a letter sent yesterday by American Council on Education president Ted Mitchell to US congressional leaders, providing detailed data about the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on colleges, universities, and students. It documents enrollment declines, particularly at community colleges and among Black and Latino males and international students; dramatic increases in students' need for financial aid; the widespread loss of institutional auxiliary revenues such as room and board and income from events, parking, and bookstores; and the many billions of dollars colleges and universities have spent on COVID-19 testing and other expenses directly related to the pandemic. Noting that severe budget cuts in numerous states have resulted and will result in substantial reductions in funding for public higher education—with devastating consequences for many institutions—the letter urges Congress to act quickly to finalize negotiations for supplemental expenditures of at least $120 billion to support colleges, universities, and students.

Read the letter.