THIS FALL.
>> COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES ARE
PREPARING FOR THE START OF
ANOTHER SCHOOL YEAR AMIDST
COVID-19 AND WHILE VACATION
RATES ARE ON THE RISE WHAT WILL
THE SEMESTER LOOK LIKE ON
CAMPUSES?
JOINING US TO DISCUSS THAT AND
MORE ARE AARTI DHUPELIA
VICE-PRESIDENT OF UNDERGRADUATE
EDUCATION AND DEAN OF
UNDERGRADUATE.
>> AND TIMOTHY KILLEEN AND
ZALDWAYNAKA "Z" SCOTT WELCOME
BACK TO "CHICAGO TONIGHT."
AARTI DHUPELIA HOW HAS NATIONAL
LEWIS UNIVERSITY PREPARING TO
REOPEN THIS UP COMING SCHOOL
YEAR.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.
WE HAVE BEEN PUTTING ALL THE
SAFETY PROTOCOLS IN PLACE THAT
YOU NEED FOR THE FALL IN TERMS
OF MASKING, GUIDELINES, CLEANING
PROTOCOLS, SELF SCREENING
PROTOCOLS FOR STUDENTS WHEN THEY
COME TO CAMPUS AND LOOKING AT
OUR VACCINATION PROTOCOLS AND WE
ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGING BUT NOT
REQUIRING VACCINATION AMONG
STUDENTS AND EMPLOYEES.
BUT WHEN WE SURVEYED STUDENTS
AND EMPLOYEES APPROXIMATELY 75%
OF STUDENTS AND 90% OF EMPLOYEES
SAID THEY WERE OR PLAN TO GET
VACCINATED AND WE ARE OPTIMISTIC
THE NUMBER WILL CONTINUE TO
RISE.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO
SEEING THAT NUMBER CONTINUE TO
RISE.
>> TIMOTHY KILLEEN, THE
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS SYSTEM
ANNOUNCED YOU ARE REQUIRING
STAFF AND STUDENTS TO BE
VACCINATED AT THE START OF THE
FALL SEMESTER.
HOW DID YOU ARRIVE AT THAT
DECISION?
>> WE HAVE BEEN PREPARING FOR
THIS BACK TO THE BEGINNING WITH
OUR EPIDEMIOLOGISTS AND MEDICAL
EXPERTS WE'VE BEEN DOING THE
VACCINE CLINICAL TRIALS AND
DEVELOPED A SET OF PLANS FOR THE
SALIVA TESTING.
SUCCESSFUL YEAR WE HAVE HAD WITH
NO U-TURNS AND NO SEVERE
ILLNESSES.
BUT WE FEEL NOW THAT VACCINATION
IS THE KEY TO GETTING OUT OF THE
PANDEMIC AS A WHOLE COMMUNITY
AND TO MAKE OUR CAMPUSES AS SAFE
AS POSSIBLE WE'RE GOING BEYOND
ENCOURAGING WE ARE REQUIRING
VACCINATION SO WE CAN GET BEYOND
THE NUMBERS.
OUR SURVEYS SHOW THE MAJORITY OF
OUR FACULTY, STAFF AND STUDENTS
ARE VACCINATED.
BUT JUST GETTING THE EXTRA
PERCENT WILL BE VERY IMPORTANT
PARTICULARLY WITH THE VARIANTS
EMERGING.
EVERYTHING IS BACKED WITH THE
PROTOCOLS THAT WERE SUCCESSFUL
LAST YEAR.
WE'RE EXCITED ON ENROLLMENT IS
ROBUST IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE
ANOTHER BANNER YEAR OF GROWTH.
AND THESE YOUNG PEOPLE NEED AND
WANT TO SOCIALIZE AND BE AT
SETTINGS WHERE THEY CAN GET
ACCESS TO WORLD CLASS
EDUCATIONAL SETTINGS.
THAT IS OUR FOCUS ALWAYS ALWAYS.
AS ALWAYS.
>> THE ILLINOIS BOARD OF HIGHER
EDUCATION SAID BEFORE THE
PANDEMIC HIT THAT ENROLLMENT FOR
BLACK STUDENTS IN THE STATE'S
COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES HAD
BEEN DROPPING FROM 2013-2018.
PRESIDENT SCOTT WHAT DIVIDES DO
YOU BELIEVE EXISTED THAT WERE
MADE WORSE BY THE PANDEMIC?
>> FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR
THAT QUESTION.
AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME
HERE.
SINCE YOU FIRST HEARD THAT 29%
DROP IT'S GOTTEN WORSE.
IT'S GROWN ANOTHER 5%.
2013-2019, THERE WAS A 34% DROP
IN BLACK STUDENT ENROLLMENT IN
ILLINOIS COLLEGES.
WE VIEW IS A CRISIS.
AND THE CRISIS IS NOW ON TOP OF
A PANDEMIC WHICH CREATED ANOTHER
SIGNIFICANT CRISIS IN THE BLACK
COMMUNITY AS WE CONTINUE TO SEE
THAT THE PANDEMIC HAS WREAKED
HAVOC ON OUR BLACK AND BROWN
COMMUNITIES.
I WILL TELL YOU WHAT WE'RE DOING
IN TERMS OF UNLIKE THE SURVEYS
THAT WERE CONDUCTED BY MY PEERS
OUR SURVEY OF OUR STUDENTS
SHOWED THAT 20% OF OUR STUDENTS
EXPECTED TO BE VACCINATED AND
10% WERE THINKING ABOUT IT.
JUST LIKE WHAT WE'RE SEEING
NATIONALLY THERE IS A
SIGNIFICANT HESITANCY IN OUR
BLACK COMMUNITIES THAT WE ARE
WORKING TO MANAGE AND HELP OUR
COMMUNITIES MANAGE.
CHICAGO STATE WITH THE MASS
VACCINATION SITE FOR THE CITY OF
CHICAGO WAS ONE OF OUR
STRATEGIES FOR ENCOURAGING
VACCINATION AND WE CONTINUE TO
EMPLOY OTHER STRATEGIES
INCLUDING REQUIRING THAT OUR
STUDENTS WHO ARE IN OUR
DORMITORY, ON OUR CAMPUS AND OUR
STUDENT ATHLETES ARE REQUIRED TO
GET VACCINATED.
WE'RE CONTINUING TO LOOK AT THE
ISSUES ON MANDATORY VACATIONS
PARTICULARLY WHEN IT'S
POPULATIONS OF IN OUR COMMUNITY
WHO ARE CONCERNED ABOUT VARIOUS
ASPECTS OF THE VACCINATIONS AND
ARE CONTINUING TO SHOW A GREAT
DEAL OF HESITANCY.
>> AND PRESIDENT SCOTT YOU
MENTIONED IT WAS ALREADY A
CRISIS BEFORE THE PANDEMIC HIT
THAT ENROLLMENT DECLINE.
WHAT IS BEING DONE?
>> WE ARE WORKING DILIGENTLY.
WE HAVE STARTED WITH FIRST OF
ALL BY HAVING A PRECOLLEGE
PROGRAM FOR OUR INCOMING
FRESHMEN THAT IS FREE.
IT INCLUDES A SIGNIFICANT
SUPPORTS FOR OUR STUDENTS CALLED
OUR RISE ACADEMY FOR RISE
SCHOLARS.
IT IS A FIVE-WEEK PROGRAM THAT
STRIVES TO GET STUDENTS ENGAGED
IN COLLEGE WITHOUT THE PRESSURE
OF WORRYING ABOUT FINANCES AND
MONEY.
BECAUSE AS OUR COMMUNITIES HAVE
GONE THROUGH SIGNIFICANT
HARDSHIPS FROM THE PANDEMIC
INCLUDING JOB LOSS, OUR STUDENTS
HAVE TOLD US THE MOST
SIGNIFICANT THING THEY ARE
WORRIED ABOUT IS MONEY.
HOW WILL I PAY FOR THAT.
AND WITH OUR FRESHMEN PROGRAM WE
HAVE TAKEN THAT OFF THE TABLE.
AND WE'VE LOOKED TO GIVING MORE
FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO THE
STUDENTS THROUGH GRANTS BECAUSE
OF THE CARES ACT FUNDING.
WE'VE OFFERED OUR STUDENTS
LAPTOPS, INTERNET ACCESS, MENTAL
HEALTH COUNSELING, FREE
TUTORING.
>> OBVIOUSLY A LOT TO SORT OF
REDUCE THE BARRIERS THAT ARE
KEEPING THEM FROM ATTENDING
SCHOOL
>> YES.
>> AARTI DHUPELIA HAVE YOU SEEN
THE PANDEMIC DISPROPORTIONATELY
IMPACT THE STUDENTS AT YOUR
UNIVERSITY.
>> I WILL SAY THAT OUR
ENROLLMENT HELD STEADY OVER THE
PAST YEAR AND WE THINK IT'S
BECAUSE OF THE AFFORDABILITY
THAT WE OFFER.
BECAUSE ALL THE WRAP AROUND
SUPPORTS THAT PRESIDENT SCOTT
SPOKE TO WE OFFER AND THE CAREER
PREPARATION BECAUSE WE KNOW
STUDENTS ARE LOOKING TO GO TO
COLLEGE FOR THE JOBS AND SEEING
THAT OPPORTUNITY AT THE END OF
THE COLLEGE EXPERIENCE.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME WE HAVE
BEEN ABLE TO SUSTAIN ENROLLMENT.
70% OF OUR STUDENTS ARE LOW
INCOME AND 70% ARE BLACK AND
LATINX OUR STUDENTS ARE COMING
FROM THE COMMUNITIES IMPACTED BY
THE VIRUS.
WE HAVE SEEN THAT IMPACT
FIRSTHAND.
40% OF OUR STUDENTS ARE
ESSENTIAL WORKERS.
40% THEY SAID THEY HAD A FAMILY
MEMBER DIAGNOSED WITH COVID AND
30% SAID THE NEGATIVE IMPACT
BECAUSE OF JOB LOSS OR REDUCED
HOURS THAT MEANT WE HAD TO WRAP
AROUND THE STUDENTS TO KEEP THEM
THRIVING NOT ONLY IN COLLEGE BUT
LIFE WITH OVER$3 MILLION IN
EMERGENCY FUNDS FOR LIVING
EXPENSES AND SCHOLARSHIPS TO
HELP OUR STUDENTS.
>> AND THE PANDEMIC MEANT A LOT
OF TRAUMA AND ANXIETY FOR
EVERYONE STUDENTS ESPECIALLY AND
WE HEAR FROM STUDENT ON WHAT
MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS STUDENTS
NEED.
>> STUDENTS NEED TO FEEL LIKE
THEY ARE SUPPORTED BY THE
UNIVERSITY AND FEEL LIKE THERE
ARE CULTURAL APPROPRIATE
COUNSELORS CABLE AND THERE IS
APPOINTMENTS FOR THEM.
THEY NEED TO FEEL AS THOUGH THAT
THEY ARE NOT JUST ACADEMICALLY
AND FINANCIALLY SUPPORTED BY THE
UNIVERSITY, BUT ALSO MENTALLY
AND EMOTIONALLY THEY FEEL THEIR
CONCERNS ARE BEING HEARD.
>> TIMOTHY KILLEEN WHAT IS THE U
OF I SYSTEM DOING TO ADDRESS
THOSE MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS?
>> SHE IS RIGHT.
AND I WAS WITH HERE TODAY.
THE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE IS
SIGNIFICANT AND SERIOUS.
>> IT'S BEEN A GRUELING YEAR FOR
ALL AND THE YOUNG PEOPLE AS
WELL.
AND WE HAVE HELD A HIGH LEVEL
SUMMIT ON MENTAL HEALTH FOR
STUDENTS AND WE'RE PUTTING IN
PLACE NEW TRAINING MODULES.
WE HAVE NEW WEBSITES THAT WE'RE
BUILDING UP AND WE'VE GOT AN
ADVISORY STRUCTURE AND TASK
FORCE THAT IS FOCUSING ON THIS
ISSUE OF LOOKING AFTER THE
MENTAL HEALTH OF THE STUDENTS.
AND JUST ONE SENTENCE, I THINK
WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE GOING
FROM A SYSTEM OF REFERRING
INDIVIDUALS FOR PROFESSIONAL
HELP TO ONE THAT WRAP AROUNDS
THE COMMUNITY COMING TOGETHER.
SO THAT WE'RE ALL LOOKING AFTER
ONE ANOTHER LIKE A BIGGER
VILLAGE WAY.
AND THAT IS RESONATED WITH OUR
STUDENT BODY INCLUDING MARY WHO
IS ON TARGET THIS IS A CHALLENGE
FOR US.
AND I WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATE
MY COLLEAGUES ON WHAT THEY ARE
DOING TO WORK HARD ON THE ISSUE
OF MAKING SURE THAT ALL OF OUR
YOUNG PEOPLE CAN AFFORD ACCESS
TO COLLEGE AND IF WE DON'T LEAVE
PEOPLE BEHIND.
AND WE ARE THERE, TOO WITH ALL
OF THAT.
WE'RE FORTUNATE OUR ENROLLMENTS
ARE GROWN AND EVEN FOR THE
MINORITY COMMUNITY WE ARE
ONE-THIRD NOW OF OUR
UNDERGRADUATE BODY.
BUT MENTAL HEALTH IS A HIGH
PRIORITY FOR US THIS YEAR.
>> AND BEFORE I LET YOU GO, WE
HAVE 30 SECONDS LEFT, WHAT
CHALLENGES ARE YOU EXPECTING AT
THE START OF THE YEAR AND DO YOU
SEE THE DELTA VARIANT BEING AN
ISSUE?
>> I THINK IT'S TOO EARLY TO
COMMENT ON THE DELTA VARIANT WE
CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THE GUIDANCE
AND CONTINUE TO EVOLVE AS WE
LEARN MORE I'M CONFIDENT WE CAN
CONTINUE TO EVOLVE OUR SAFETY
PROTOCOLS AND OFFER SAFE AND
HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION MY
GREATEST CONCERN IS THAT
STUDENTS FROM THE HIGH SCHOOL
CLASS OF 2020 AND 2021 DON'T
BECOME A LOST GENERATION IN OUR
ECONOMY BECAUSE THEY NEVER GOT
THE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
THAT THEY DESERVE.
WE ARE WORKING HARD TO CONTINUE
TO RECRUIT THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER
AND OFFER THE SUPPORTS STUDENTS
NEED.
>> THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.