Articles by Stanley Litow

For the class of high school graduates who got their diploma this past June, dramatically fewer registered and are attending college. One of the main reasons—economic pressure.

America’s tradition of philanthropy is needed more than ever. Giving must increase, especially given stock-market gains, and generosity must be coupled with effectiveness to balance emergency short-term assistance.

Plans for reopening should have been a high priority for all political leaders, but attention shifted from education to the rising Covid-19 case and death tolls, massive business closures, and rising unemployment.

The August employment report, released a week ago, showed modest gains, but the total included close to a quarter of a million temporary census workers whose jobs will soon disappear.

Covid-19 is a pandemic with no precedent. Finding the right new leadership for SUNY required prompt and effective action. Breaking with tradition will prove to be the right decision.

It is critically important that the interruption of educational progress for so many students is reversed. Failure to do so will make any economic recovery from the pandemic illusive.

The ability of nonprofits to serve their communities is severely threatened by funding shortfalls, right when demand for their services has been increasing. They are vitally important, not just based on who they serve, but based on their critical economic value.

While the economic crisis has put the livelihood of millions of Americans at risk and the murder of George Floyd forced millions of all races into the streets to advance racial justice, it has resulted in many questioning the nation’s values and ethics.

Bipartisan legislation in both the Senate and the House ought to bring together the support of all Americans and result in higher funding levels and more scientific breakthroughs.

To effectively respond to this economic crisis, the focus must not only be on immediate needs but on longer-term strategies that build a stronger economy. The most immediate priority is to help the millions of unemployed adults who won’t be able to return to their former jobs.

There will be close to 4 million graduates of higher education institutions this year entering a job market in free fall. With over 36 million Americans joining the unemployment rolls just in the last two months, job opportunities are shriveling and salaries are plummeting.

School and college closures could jeopardize the entire U.S. education industry, putting young people at serious risk for years to come. Without quick action, the long-term economic consequences could be catastrophic.

Universities have been and will be vital to defeating the Covid-19 pandemic. And yet, they could also be a major, long-term victim.

Some of the decisions political leaders are being forced to make, like closing schools and shutting down retailers, are in the interest of public safety but could nonetheless tie together the outbreak and the skills crisis, maximizing its long-term effects.

The impact of coronavirus on education is and will be significant. One of the biggest factors will be the decision to close schools or keep them open.

More Americans need the education and skills for the 21st-century economy., and creative solutions from businesses are not just necessary but essential. There will never be a better time to act.