Policies, politics and pandemics: course delivery method for US higher educational institutions amid COVID-19

Abstract

Purpose This paper aims to consider decisions by administrators about how to open US campuses for the 2020–2021 academic year during the COVID-19 pandemic. Proposed course delivery method is considered in relation to the political environment of the respective university/college’s state. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected on 451 public institutions. H1 and H3 were tested using multinomial logistic regressions. H2 and H4 were tested using moderated binary logistic regressions with Hayes’s PROCESS model. Findings Results suggest that states with liberal governments were more likely to promote online openings for fall 2020, with the strength of the voting electorate moderating the relationship. Further, state appropriations moderated the relationship between the political party in control of the state legislature and method of opening. Research limitations/implications This paper advances work on the relationship between politics and administration by considering political pressures exerted on decision makers. Practical implications Results suggest that political forces may influence university administrators’ decisions for how higher education institutions may open for the fall 2020 semester. Originality/value This paper addresses one of the numerous social changes caused by COVID-19. It considers the short-term practical implications as well as the long-term theoretical ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic on decision-making in higher education.