Designated Survivor – COVID-19
Jocelyn M. Widmer, Thomas B. Cavanagh · 2025
This chapter recounts the institutional vulnerabilities, decisions points, and intended/unintended consequences of those decision points that COLOs were tasked with which ultimately led to transformations to U.S. higher education as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Included in this chapter is a discussion on how the role of the COLO has evolved as a result of COVID-19, and why the unique professional experiences acquired by COLOs given the responsibilities they shouldered during the COVID-19 pandemic uniquely position them as leaders within the academic C-suite.