A major challenge for universities today is surmounting the academic, physical and social problems triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic, which will reap short-term effects that are likely to pass, such as physical distancing and outdoor learning to those that may trigger lasting changes.

The most important and lasting challenge is recognizing the profound and overlooked social equity issues in remote learning environments, more digital learning/IT, and access to education for those most affected by the global pandemic in ways both economic as well as health related. Many institutions of higher education are now seeking ways to engage students to ensure fairness, access, transparency and responsiveness.

The EQUITY MATTERS Leadership Summit, moderated in part by the senior editor Sarah Brown of The Chronicle of Higher Education, will tackle these significant challenges. The convener and event host, Studio Ma, invites higher education leaders for a discussion of social equity, equal access, and the widening gap in influence and voice between different student segments. The summit discussion will propose and develop solution goals for social equity on campus, student engagement for assessing need, and strategies and tools to improve equity and voice.