At a rural school like Alderson Broaddus, the negative impact can be even more pronounced, said Mr. Koricich, who focuses his research on rural-serving institutions.
A shutdown would also disproportionately harm a county community that relies on its only university, Mr. Koricich said. Alderson Broaddus is one of the top employers in Barbour County, and many local businesses likely depend on Alderson Broaddus students, faculty and staff.
“Rural students and communities are no less deserving of physical college campuses just because the return on investment isn’t the same,” Mr. Koricich said. “They deserve to have reasonable access to institutions.”
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