The Role of State Government During Times of Crisis

COVID-19 is threatening the financial health and well-being of our nation’s students and putting the future of the colleges and universities they attend in peril. For many institutions of higher ed—especially public schools—CARES Act emergency relief funding just scratched the surface of what they need to survive. States already stretched thin by the pandemic are still struggling to close that gap.

So, how are state leaders responding to increased financial need from public university systems? What guidance are they providing to colleges around their fall reopening plans to keep students and faculty safe? And what’s missing from the federal response?

To dig into these questions and more, Third Way’s Senior Education Communications Manager, Nicole Siegel, hosted a conversation with Dr. Zakiya Smith Ellis, Chief Policy Advisor to Governor Phil Murphy (and former New Jersey Secretary of Higher Education) for an on-the-record conversation about the role of state government in response to coronavirus.