Dr. Christopher Roellke, President, Stetson University, Professor of American Studies and Education
As the global COVID 19 pandemic penetrated the United States in early 2020, colleges and universities found themselves scrambling to address this ongoing public health crisis. In the Spring 2020 semester, emergency task forces were established, campuses were shut down, faculty moved their instruction to virtual formats, and the entire higher education industry braced itself for the financial fallout. In addition to having to invest additional resources in classroom technology, ventilation, and personal protective equipment, colleges and universities continue to respond to revenue shortfalls, including reductions in both tuition and room and board revenue.
In some cases, investments in technology, internet access, and innovations in teaching and learning have led to new ways of delivering high-quality instruction to students in hybrid and virtual learning environments. In other cases, students and families have turned to litigation to demand tuition refunds, arguing that colleges and universities have engaged in “breach of contract” by not providing a fully in-person instructional environment and have failed to provide the quality of education promised.
Unemployment and underemployment and the “great resignation” have made it exceptionally difficult, particularly for lower income families and students, to sustain their investments in post-secondary education. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) has provided trillions in economic stimulus support, including billions in aid for K-12 education and for higher education. Nonetheless, enrollment uncertainty, coupled with a lingering pandemic, presents ongoing and complex challenges for higher education. In many ways, higher education is at a crossroads. Some institutions are hanging on to long-standing traditions and curricular pathways, while others have emphasized advances in remote learning, hybrid pathways for degree completion, and a broader set of innovative practices. In this keynote address, President Roellke will address these challenges and will outline emerging strategic priorities for Stetson University as our institution charts a course for its future.
Christopher F. Roellke, PhD, is the 10th president of Stetson University, accepting the university’s leadership on July 1, 2020. Dr. Roellke joined Stetson from Vassar College, where he was Dean of the College and Professor of Education. As Dean of the College, he was on the President’s Senior Leadership Team and oversaw most aspects of Vassar’s day-to-day life. Upon his departure, he was named Dean of the College Emeritus. Dr. Roellke did his undergraduate work at Wesleyan University in Connecticut and his graduate studies and PhD at Cornell University. A Fulbright Scholar, Dr. Roellke also served as a visiting scholar at Yale University Law School. Dr. Roellke’s wife, Kim, is a veterinarian and they have three daughters, Emma, Julia and Olivia. Emma is currently a medical school student at the New York University Long Island School of Medicine. Julia is a science educator and sustainability coordinator at the Dwight School in New York City. Liv is a senior at Poughkeepsie Day School and is an avid equestrian who competes in the jumper division in regional and national horse shows.