WEATHERING
A CRISIS
A
s COVID-19 forced big changes on campus, it quickly became clear that the expense would be significant. It also became clear that the Haverford community would pull together to help. In mid-March, Haverford, like so many institutions, faced new and growing challenges arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. Early on, the College established guiding principles to succeed in its educational mission while also continuing to live its values as a community. (Along with providing an excellent liberal arts education, those guiding principles include safeguarding the health and well-being of Haverford students, faculty, and staff, and contributing to the greater good.) “We responded quickly to do all the right things for all the right reasons to ensure the well-being of the College community and the greater public safety,” said Charley Beever ’74, chair of the Board of Managers. In an email to alumni and parents, he outlined some of the immediate steps taken: “We enhanced the technologies needed to deliver our exceptional academic program online. We are sheltering and caring for students who are unable to return home. And we have not hesitated to do everything possible to strengthen and nurture the community that is—and will always be—Haverford.” Haverford also committed early on to continuing to pay all regular employees and student workers through the end of the semester, including those who could not do their work remotely. When rebates for student room and board fees were
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Haverford organized, several families inquired continued to house about how to donate their refunds and provide meals for back to the College to help other famstudents who were ilies facing urgent financial difficulties. unable to return home during the pandemic. Unlike many peer institutions, Theodore Bien ‘22 (above) was one Haverford chose not to create an of them. emergency fund to meet the unprecedented demands of the pandemic. The College was already acting to keep students safe and on their educational paths, and programs to assist the most vulnerable members of the community were in place. LIFTFAR (Low-Income and First-in-Their-Family Assistance and Resources), a program established in 2016 to help students deal with unexpected and emergency expenses, became an increasingly important mechanism. Last year, LIFTFAR fulfilled 167 requests for financial assistance, meeting basic needs for medical, travel, and educational expenses. Students have used LIFTFAR awards to repair eyeglasses, have their wisdom teeth removed, purchase winter coats and boots, and travel home to family funerals. Most of the awards were under $200. This year, LIFTFAR awards skyrocketed to 460. “We expanded eligibility and sent $1,000 or more directly to 298 qualified students to use in whatever way was most helpful,” said Emily Johnson, a member of the dean’s staff who coordinates the program. “We decided to remove the burden of
PHOTO: PATRICK MONTERO
The disruptions wrought by COVID-19 brought unbudgeted expenses in the millions. Alumni, parents, and friends are helping to ensure the College can keep delivering on its mission and values. BY PAT LAWS
