Unfortunately, universities in the United States have unique problems. In much of the world, higher education is a largely government-supported thing. However,

Unfortunately, universities in the United States have unique problems. In much of the world, higher education is a largely government-supported thing. However, in the US, over the past fifty years or so, even nominally government-run institutions have become increasingly dependent on student fees (primarily tuition, but also lodging fees) to meet their expenses. If students stay away, or even stay remote, the schools may lose so much cash that they're no longer financially viable. (This in an environment where a number of smaller schools were already on the edge -- in Massachusetts, two reasonably reputable private universities, Wheelock and Mount Ida, were recently forced into mergers, and a third, Hampshire College, is on the ropes.) Here's an overview from a few months ago -- but with recent elevated COVID rates in heavily populated states (Florida, Texas, California) calling the wisdom of reopening in doubt, the worst-case scenarios described here are looking a lot more likely then they were in it was written: https://www.brookings.edu/blog/brown-center-chalkboard/2020/04/21/coronavirus-poses-serious-financial-risks-to-us-universities/ https://www.brookings.edu/blog/brown-center-chalkboard/2020/...