Weekly Briefing: What will international students do?

International students are caught between policy and the pandemic. And colleges may miss them, big time. [Weekly Briefing] International students are caught between policy and the pandemic. And colleges may miss them, big time. [Image] Alex Milan Tracy, Sipa USA via AP On Monday, the Trump administration [announced it would return to a policy]( that will block international students from coming to or remaining in the U.S. if their courses are online because of the coronavirus pandemic. The change came out the same day that Harvard University announced it would hold all of its undergraduate classes online this fall. Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology the Trump administration]( on Tuesday to stop the policy from taking effect. Critics said the policy was the Trump administration's attempt to use the pandemic to enforce its agenda, forcing colleges to reopen for classroom instruction in the fall. The lawsuit isn't shy about that notion, stating, "The effect — and perhaps even the goal — is to create as much chaos for universities and international students as possible." Meanwhile, other colleges scrambled to arrange in-person courses for international students so they can meet the policy's requirements. For example, administrators at Michigan State University, which will adopt a hybrid online/in-person model, are [trying to find face-to-face courses]( to accommodate international students. Many colleges rely heavily on international students' tuition. Over a million attended U.S. universities in the past academic year, according to the Institute of International Education's ["Open Doors" report](. At some colleges, [these students make up 70 percent of the total student body](. And if international enrollment drops, such colleges could see a big hit to their bottom lines. [Read more in our Karin Fischer's story](. Lagniappe. [Image] Cliph, Creative Commons - ✏️ Learn. The artist [who was known for his productivity]( Andy Warhol, has some tips for surviving isolation and boredom. - 📚 Read. This summer I've become addicted to Natalia Ginzburg's novels. She is heralded as one of Italy's great writers, and new translations of her novels [are giving her a renaissance](. I can't praise her work enough. Every book is worth reading. - 🎧 Listen. Last week, This American Life [re]( an episode from 2013]( for the holiday weekend. It's about one of the most American of things: buying and selling cars. - 📺 Watch. Is it OK to go to a picnic? Can we take public transportation yet? What about the beach? [This video]( rates the coronavirus risks associated with summer activities. I’ll be back next week. Cheers, —Fernanda Subscribe Today Our mission, at a time of crisis and uncertainty, is to make sure you have the information you need to respond effectively, and make the best decisions for your institution and your students. Please consider subscribing today to sustain our continuing coverage. [Subscribe Today]( This Week's Top Reads Data [Over 450 Colleges Are in Coronavirus Hot Spots]( Many counties where community spread of Covid-19 has run rampant are home to flagships, community colleges, and religious institutions, among others. (PREMIUM) Paid for and Created by Mercy College [Expanding Online Healthcare Education Programs]( Mercy College is reshaping what a comprehensive online health sciences education looks like. Students can complete 100 percent of their coursework online through advanced learning platforms, including simulations, in an accelerated format to help meet the needs of healthcare industry today. Students [One University Asked Students for Social-Distancing Ideas. Here’s What They Proposed.]( Student buy-in is crucial for social-distancing policies to work, experts say. So the University of Michigan opened the floor for a campuswide innovation challenge. (PREMIUM) Finance [Next Candidate for the Fall Chopping Block? Student Housing Refunds]( Some colleges are amending contracts so they won’t have to reimburse fees if Covid-19 returns with a vengeance. Paid for and Created by University of Birmingham [The value of irrational beliefs]( Interested in the role irrational beliefs play in our mental economy, Lisa Bortolotti, professor of philosophy at the University of Birmingham, argues that certain false beliefs can provide valuable services without harming others, resulting in useful epistemic outcomes. Latest Jobs Visit [ChronicleVitae.com]( to view the latest jobs in higher education. --------------------------------------------------------------- [Sign up]( for other newsletters, [stop receiving]( this email, or [view]( our privacy policy. © 2020 [The Chronicle of Higher Education]( 1255 23rd Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20037 [The Chronicle of Higher Education](