Pandemic aftermath in higher education: Case study on campus closure

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic placed economic strain on numerous institutions, and these financial losses were felt at a particularly significant level in higher education. Many large universities and colleges prepared for anticipated enrollment cliffs by closing smaller, satellite campuses. Such is the situation in the present qualitative investigation, which details the case study of “Ella,” a veteran college professor whose employer decided to close her home campus. The traumas of the pandemic were compounded for Ella by the announcement of an impending campus phase-out and a subsequent transition to a larger, main campus. Through an in-depth interview with Ella, an inside look at the experience of a campus closure is revealed by a major stakeholder, a teaching faculty member. The study revealed Ella's perspectives and several major themes surrounding the phase-out, including, but not limited to, feelings of alienation and isolation, loss of connections and well-established bonds, a lack of synchrony with colleagues' goals and ambitions, organizational culture collision, and a lack of mental health supports for stakeholders. The study presents information that can help guide higher education leaders when making the determination that a campus closure is needed, by providing recommendations for ensuring a mindful implementation of support services. These preventative tools may increase the healthy transition of faculty, staff, and students to a new institution or help them develop effective exit plans that optimize opportunities for future success and resilience while also maintaining mental health and wellbeing. Although such dramatic changes and closure plans may sometimes be inevitable, carrying them out in a mindful, respectful, and considerate manner can best alleviate some of the greatest concerns for stakeholders and the surrounding community.