Coronavirus News Roundup for March 27

TGIF.

The Senate has approved a $2 trillion coronavirus relief package that includes one-time $1,200 checks for many Americans, as well as billions for higher education and interest relief for student loan borrowers. But some advocates say more should be done, like relieving months of federal student loan payments and providing more for minority-serving institutions.

Before we dive into the news, let's look at some palate cleansers.

Please turn your sound on for this.

Got some time this weekend? You could try replicating this experiment and frying 42 eggs.

There's some uplifting news from higher ed, too. A cohort of researchers, including a professor from Metropolitan State University of Denver, are playing around with 3-D printing to find a solution for pressing ventilator shortage. One possible answer? Scuba masks.

All right, let’s get to it.

Unemployment claims are way up. Last week, 3.3 million people filed for unemployment -- which shattered the previous record.

Colleges are feeling the heat, with hiring freezes already in place at many places. Contractors are feeling the brunt of the loss in many places now, as some institutions keep staff on payroll but let go of those on contracts.

However, one institution -- Ohio University -- is pausing its previously planned personnel cuts to reassess due to the public health crisis. A previous assessment found the university needed to cut $26 million from its about $759 million budget over three years.

In another round of bad news, the National Collegiate Athletic Association is lowering its payments to institutions. Division I institutions will receive $375 million less in total than originally budgeted for 2020.

Here’s a quick roundup of our latest stories, in case you’ve fallen a bit behind (we don’t blame you):

Kery Murakami continues to keep you up-to-date on what's happening on the Hill. Here, he talks with advocates about what they're pushing for in the next round of relief.

Ever heard of "Zoombombing"? Well, if you're an educator, you will probably encounter this phenomenon at some point. Elizabeth Redden has the ugly details.

Remember just waiting for Title IX regulations to drop? Simpler times. Now, universities are deciding whether to move forward with Title IX proceedings during a health crisis, Greta Anderson reports.

News From Elsewhere

The Atlantic has a look at four possible timelines for when things will return to "normal."

College students are very stressed and anxious right now, according to a survey the Los Angeles Times reported on.

An upside? It might be easier for high school seniors to get accepted into colleges this year, The Wall Street Journal reports.

Percolating Thoughts

This is a time when everyone has an opinion. As journalists, we try not to have opinions, but we've gathered some interesting ones from others.

A professor and Bloomberg opinion writer says universities shouldn't spend endowment funds on coronavirus relief.

What will happen to sports, ponders one sportswriter in The New York Times.

Liberal arts faculty have been reluctant to embrace online learning, according to a dean and professor at Oxford College of Emory University. How are they faring now?

Have any percolating thoughts or notice any from others? Feel free to send them our way or comment below.

We’ll continue bringing you the news you need in this crazy time. Keep sending us your questions and story ideas. We’ll get through this together.