A source of entertainment for many readers over the decades is Mad magazine. With its covers graced by the image of Alfred E. Neuman, a gap-toothed lad with a moronic grin plastered on his face whose motto that signified an intellectual absence of any curiosity was “Quid Me Anxius Sum?” (What, me worry?), his visage calls to mind a fairly common reaction to a series of decisions this month by govern- ment jurisdictions around the U.S. that led to reducing lock-down restrictions sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic. May 16, 2020 marked the official opening of beaches on the Outer Banks, NC. A cursory inspection by your TRENDS newsletter’s occasionally intrepid editor of the passing pageant in the town of Kill Devil Hills failed to reveal a single individual wearing a mask or practicing social distancing. Instead, young (including toddlers) and old alike gleefully cavorted in sand and surf, apparently blissfully unaware of the purported dangers posed by the presence of the invisible coronavirus.
A photo taken on May 7, 2020 revealed a tightly packed group of students celebrating graduation outside a home in Boulder, CO sans masks and social distancing. It is likely that similar festivities have taken place around the nation. Refusal to abide by public health recommendations aimed at preventing the spread of infectious disease provides a hint of what might transpire on college and university campuses if a decision is made to reopen them for the fall semester. Refusing to allow students to return in the name of sound health policy implementation could have consequences that will be nothing short of catastrophic for some institutions that are teetering financially. Meanwhile, a paramount concern that cannot be defined with any exactitude is the probability that the coronavirus will return even more forcefully this autumn than what characterized its highly robust appearance earlier this year.
Distribution Of Coronavirus Stimulus Funding To Colleges And Universities
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act establishes and funds the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF). Institutions of higher education are directed to use no less than 50% of funds received under Sections 18004(a)(1) and 18004(c) of the law to provide emergency financial aid grants to students for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus, such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and childcare. This economic rescue package enables $6 billion to be provided to colleges and universities, but subsequent guidance from officials at the U.S. Department of Education indicates that money can go only to students who qualify for federal financial aid, i.e., U.S. citizens and some legal permanent residents. Although the law has no explicit restrictions on which students could receive the emergency grants, individuals who are protected under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program will be excluded.
The Department of Education on May 21, 2020 produced an updated statement on its guidance portal, indicating that “guidance documents lack the force and effect of law.”
More May 2020 TRENDS Articles
RESEARCH AND EDUCATION AFTER THE PANDEMIC
Indicates the importance of recognizing how “confounding” as a source of bias threatens the process of causal inference in research practice. Read More
PRESIDENT’S CORNER
ASAHP President Phyllis King presents information about the Association’s five strategic objective areas and associated success measures. Read More
HEROES ACT PASSED IN HOUSE
Contains details about a proposed piece of legislation to furnish additional financial assistance to deal with economic consequences resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Read More
HEALTH REFORM DEVELOPMENTS
Points out how the federal-state Medicaid program is being augmented to provide insurance coverage and paid sick leave benefits for individuals negatively affected by job loss. Read More
DEVELOPMENTS IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Describes how Mad magazine’s Alfred E. Neuman’s motto of Quid Me Anxious Sum serves as a motivational factor for enjoying life once governmental lock-down provisions are relaxed and also how coronavirus stimulus funding is being distributed to colleges and universities. Read More
QUICK STAT (SHORT, TIMELY, AND TOPICAL)
Births: Provisional Data for 2019
Effects Of The COVID-19 Pandemic On Routine Pediatric Vaccine Ordering And Administration
Non-Invasive And Reversible Modulation Of Neuronal Activity To Diagnose And Treat Brain Disorders
Cracking Nature’s Most Common Chemical Bond To Improve Drug Effectiveness Read More
AVAILABLE RESOURCES ACCESSIBLE ELECTRONICALLY
What COVID-19 Epidemiologic Models Can And Cannot Tell Us
Supporting Student Health And Mental Well-Being
Caregiving In The United States 2020 Read More
RETHINKING THE “BENCH” AND “BEDSIDE” DICHOTOMY
Mentions how research activities might be understood better in the context of “discovery-invention” cycles rather than a basic/applied dichotomy that translates loosely to notions of bench and bedside research. Read More
ADDRESSING THE 60-30-10 CHALLENGE
Refers to a study that discusses how 60% of health care adheres to guidelines; 30% is represented by care that is waste, duplication, or low value; and 10% accounts for iatrogenic harm or adverse events. Read More