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Decision-Making Prepandemic: University Curtailment of Academic Operations Closure Processes During the Novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Outbreak

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 October 2023

Samjeris Victor ,
Daniel J. Barnett ,
J. W. Awori Hayanga ,
Paola Pascual-Ferrá  and
Heather K. Hayanga Open the ORCID record for Heather K. Hayanga [Opens in a new window]
Samjeris Victor
Affiliation:
West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV, USA
Daniel J. Barnett
Affiliation:
Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
J. W. Awori Hayanga
Affiliation:
Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
Paola Pascual-Ferrá
Affiliation:
Department of Communication, Loyola University, Baltimore, MD, USA
Heather K. Hayanga*
Affiliation:
Division of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Anesthesiology, Department of Anesthesiology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
*
Corresponding author: Heather K. Hayanga; Email: heather.hayanga@wvumedicine.org.
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Abstract

Objective:

Through in-depth interviews, this study aimed to understand perspectives of key stakeholders regarding the decision to curtail academic operations in the setting of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) outbreak before the declaration of a pandemic on March 11, 2020, and how such processes may be optimized in the future to best protect public health and safety.

Methods:

Virtual interviews with key stakeholders from 4 academic institutions were conducted from September to December 2020 using a standardized interview question template. The interviews lasted approximately 30-45 minutes and each interview was recorded with permission. The interviews were then transcribed and reviewed for qualitative analysis.

Results:

The decision to curtail academic operations involved several common themes, such as discussing how institutions would control the outbreak and the process of transitioning to virtual learning and remote work. Universities were monitoring other universities’ responses as well as evaluating the prevalence of cases nationally and globally. Risks and challenges identified included housing for international students, financial implications, and loss of academic productivity.

Conclusions:

The decision-making process may be optimized in the future by focusing on communication within a smaller committee, prioritizing epidemiology over fiscal implications, and embracing an openness to consider new strategies. Further research regarding this topic should be pursued to best protect public health and safety.

Keywords

COVID-19curtailment of operationsdecision-makingrisk reductionhigher education
Type
Brief Report
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 17 , 2023 , e512
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health

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References

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