Browsing by Subject "financial hardships"

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The Experiences of Undergraduate Students with Physical, Learning, Neurodevelopmental, and Cognitive Disabilities During the Pandemic
(SERU Consortium, University of California - Berkeley and University of Minnesota., 2020-10) Soria, Krista M.; Horgos, Bonnie; Chirikov, Igor; Jones-White, Daniel
The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted students with physical, learning, neurodevelopmental, and cognitive disabilities who are enrolled at large public research universities, according to the Student Experience in the Research University (SERU) Consortium survey administered from May to July 2020 of 30,099 undergraduate students at nine universities. Approximately 6% of respondents (n = 1,788) reported having at least one disability (physical, learning, neurodevelopmental, or cognitive). Students with physical, learning, neurodevelopmental, and cognitive disabilities were more likely than students without disabilities to experience financial hardships during the pandemic, including unexpected increases in spending for technology, unexpected increases in living expenses, and loss or reduction in income (from family members or personal wages from off-campus employment). Furthermore, students with disabilities were also more likely to experience food and housing insecurity compared to students without disabilities. Students with physical, learning, neurodevelopmental, and cognitive disabilities were less likely to believe that they feel like they belong on campus and less likely to agree that the campus supported them during the pandemic. Students with those disabilities also experienced higher rates of major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder than students without disabilities. Students with disabilities were also less likely to live in safe environments compared to students without disabilities. As institutional leaders continue to adapt to higher education during the COVID-19 pandemic, we encourage them to consider the impact different instructional modalities may have in perpetuating disparities for students with disabilities.
The Experiences of Undergraduate Students with Physical, Learning, Neurodevelopmental, and Cognitive Disabilities During the Pandemic
(SERU Consortium, University of California - Berkeley and University of Minnesota., 2020) Soria, Krista M.; Horgos, Bonnie; Chirikov, Igor; Jones-White, Daniel
The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted students with physical, learning, neurodevelopmental, and cognitive disabilities who are enrolled at large public research universities, according to the Student Experience in the Research University (SERU) Consortium survey administered from May to July 2020 of 30,099 undergraduate students at nine universities. Approximately 6% of respondents (n = 1,788) reported having at least one disability (physical, learning, neurodevelopmental, or cognitive). Students with physical, learning, neurodevelopmental, and cognitive disabilities were more likely than students without disabilities to experience financial hardships during the pandemic, including unexpected increases in spending for technology, unexpected increases in living expenses, and loss or reduction in income (from family members or personal wages from off-campus employment). Furthermore, students with disabilities were also more likely to experience food and housing insecurity compared to students without disabilities. Students with physical, learning, neurodevelopmental, and cognitive disabilities were less likely to believe that they feel like they belong on campus and less likely to agree that the campus supported them during the pandemic. Students with those disabilities also experienced higher rates of major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder than students without disabilities. Students with disabilities were also less likely to live in safe environments compared to students without disabilities. As institutional leaders continue to adapt to higher education during the COVID-19 pandemic, we encourage them to consider the impact different instructional modalities may have in perpetuating disparities for students with disabilities.
First-Generation Students’ Experiences During the COVID-19 Pandemic
(Student Experience in the Research University (SERU) Consortium, 2020-08) Soria, Krista M.; Horgos, Bonnie; Chirikov, Igor; Jones-White, Daniel
The COVID-19 pandemic has negative impacts on first-generation students enrolled at large public research universities, according to the Student Experience in the Research University (SERU) Consortium survey of 28,198 undergraduate students conducted May through July 2020 at nine universities. In the survey, 26% of respondents (n = 7,233) identified as first-generation students (those whose parents have not earned a bachelor’s degree). First-generation students were more likely than continuing-generation students to experience financial hardships during the pandemic, including lost wages from family members, lost wages from on- or off-campus employment, and increased living and technology expenses. Compared to continuing-generation students, first-generation students are nearly twice as likely to be concerned about paying for their education in fall 2020. Furthermore, first-generation students were also less likely to live in safe environments free from abuse (physical, emotional, drug, or alcohol) and more likely to experience food and housing insecurity. First-generation students also experienced higher rates of mental health disorders compared to their peers. The results of our study suggest that first-generation students experienced more challenges adapting to online instruction compared to continuing-generation students, including encountering obstacles related to lack of adequate study spaces and lack of technology necessary to complete online learning. Compared to continuing-generation students, first-generation students were also less likely to be able to meet during scheduled virtual class times. As institutional leaders look forward to the fall 2020 semester, we encourage them to consider the impact different instructional modalities may have in perpetuating existing disparities for first-generation students.
Graduate and Professional Students’ Fall 2020 Re-Enrollment Plans: Evidence from the gradSERU COVID-19 Survey
(2020-06) Soria, Krista M.
Approximately 95% of graduate and professional students plan to re-enroll for the fall 2020 semester, according to a recent survey of over 7,500 graduate and professional students enrolled at five large, public research universities. According to the Graduate Student Experience in the Research University (gradSERU) COVID-19 survey, less than 1% of graduate and professional students do not plan to re-enroll while 4% are still undecided about re-enrolling for the fall 2020 semester. Among the graduate and professional students who are not planning to re-enroll, 51% indicated that financial constraints are their primary reason for not re-enrolling, while 29% are concerned that all of their classes would continue to be held online and 24% were not re-enrolling because they needed to work to support their families or themselves.
Graduate and Professional Students’ Financial Hardships During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Evidence from the gradSERU COVID-19 Survey
(SERU Consortium, University of California - Berkeley and University of Minnesota., 2020) Soria, Krista M.
While approximately one-third of graduate and professional students did not experience financial hardships during the COVID-19 pandemic, 27% experienced unexpected increases in their living expenses, 24% experienced unexpected increases in spending for technology, and 24% experienced a loss or reduction in income from other family members (Figure 1). According to the Graduate Student Experience in the Research University (gradSERU) COVID-19 survey of 7,690 graduate and professional students enrolled at five large, public research universities, an additional 19% experienced the loss or cancellation of an expected job or internship offer and 16% experienced loss of wages from off-campus employment (Figure 1). Furthermore, the gradSERU COVID-19 survey data suggest that fewer graduate and professional students experienced additional hardships, including loss of wages from on-campus employment (8%), loss or reduction of a scholarship (3%), loss or reduction of insurance coverage (2%), loss or reduction of grant aid (2%), and loss or reduction of student loan aid (1%) (Figure 2). There are also disparities in the financial hardships encountered by students based upon students’ parental education levels, caretaking responsibilities for adults or children, and social class background, as reported below.
Social Class Differences in Students’ Experiences during the COVID-19 Pandemic
(SERU Consortium, University of California - Berkeley and University of Minnesota., 2020) Soria, Krista M.; Horgos, Bonnie
The COVID-19 pandemic has created significant hardships for students from low-income, poor, and working-class backgrounds enrolled at large, public research universities, according to the Student Experience in the Research University (SERU) Consortium survey of 30,697 undergraduate students conducted May through July 2020 at nine universities. In the survey, 7% of respondents (n = 2,112) identified as low-income or poor, 16% identified as working-class (n = 4,970), 42% identified as middle-class (n = 12,815), 32% identified as upper-middle or professional-middle class (n = 9,924), and 3% identified as wealthy (n = 876). The results of our study suggest that students from low-income/poor and working-class backgrounds were significantly more likely than their peers to experience financial hardships, including the loss or reduction of income from other family members, unexpected increases in living experiences and technology, the loss/cancellation of expected jobs or internships, and the loss of wages from off-campus employment. Furthermore, students from low-income/poor and working-class backgrounds were significantly more likely than their peers to experience food insecurity and housing insecurity. Additionally, students from low-income/poor and working-class backgrounds had significantly higher rates of generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder and academic obstacles during the transition to remote learning, such as lack of access to appropriate study spaces, technology, academic advising, and learning support services. As campuses roll out their programs and services for the fall 2020 semester, we encourage them to consider the unique needs and experiences of students from low-income/poor and working-class backgrounds and reconfigure their programs to address those students’ financial hardships, food/housing insecurity, mental health disorders, and academic obstacles.
Undergraduate Student Caregivers’ Experiences during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Financial Hardships, Food and Housing Insecurity, Mental Health, and Academic Obstacles
(SERU Consortium, University of California - Berkeley and University of Minnesota., 2020) Soria, Krista M.; McAndrew, Molly; Horgos, Bonnie; Chirikov, Igor; Jones-White, Daniel
The COVID-19 pandemic has created significant hardships for student caregivers enrolled at large, public research universities, according to the Student Experience in the Research University (SERU) Consortium survey of 30,593 undergraduate students conducted May through July 2020 at nine universities. In the survey, 6% of respondents (n = 1,767) identified as caregivers for children, 11% of respondents (n = 3,236) identified as caregivers for other adults (age 18 and over), and 3% (n = 874) cared for both children and adults during the pandemic. Students who were caregivers for children may have been parents caring for their own children or family members (e.g., siblings). Students who were caregivers for adults may have been caring for their family members (e.g., parents, partners, spouses) or others. The results indicated that the pandemic has heightened caregivers’ financial hardships; specifically, students who were caregivers were more likely to experience the loss or reduction in family members’ income, loss or reduction of wages from off-campus and on-campus employment, and unexpected increases in living expenses or technology expenses compared to their peers who were not caregivers. Students who were caregivers were also more likely to experience food insecurity and housing insecurity compared to their peers who were not caregivers. Additionally, students who were caregivers were also more likely to screen positive for generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder than their peers who were not caregivers. Finally, students who were caregivers were also more likely to lack access to an appropriate study environment and were less likely to be able attend scheduled online classes during the transition to remote learning.
Undergraduates’ Experiences During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Disparities by Race and Ethnicity
(SERU Consortium, University of California - Berkeley and University of Minnesota., 2020) Soria, Krista M.; Roberts, Brayden J.; Horgos, Bonnie; Hallahan, Katie
The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted students who identify as Black, Indigenous, or people of color (BIPOC students). The Student Experience in the Research University (SERU) Consortium survey was administered from May to July 2020 to 31,687 undergraduate students enrolled at nine large public research universities. Among the respondents, 0.1% were American Indian or Alaska Native (n = 36), 19.9% were Asian (n = 6,301), 4.2% were Black (n = 1,336), 3.7% were Latinx (n = 1,171), 0.1% were Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander (n = 42), 53.4% were White (n = 16,917), 13.1% were multiracial (n = 4,152), and 5.5% had an unknown or unreported race or ethnicity (n = 1,732). According to the results, BIPOC students were more likely to experience academic obstacles in the transition to remote instruction, including lacking access to technology, not being able to attend online class sessions, and lacking access to appropriate study spaces. BIPOC students were also more likely than White students to experience financial hardships, including the loss or reduction of wages from on-campus employment, unexpected increases for living expenses and technology, and loss or reduction of income of family. BIPOC students also experienced higher rates of food and housing insecurity, and were more likely to experience symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder. Finally, BIPOC students were less likely than White students to live in places free from emotional or physical abuse, where they felt their identities were respected, and where they felt safe and respected.
Undergraduates’ Mental Health During the Pandemic: New Insights into Links with Financial Hardships, Academic Obstacles, and Support
(SERU Consortium, University of California - Berkeley and University of Minnesota., 2020) Soria, Krista M.; Horgos, Bonnie; Luu, Kevin
The COVID-19 pandemic has looming negative impacts on mental health of undergraduate students at research universities. According to the Student Experience in the Research University (SERU) survey of 31,048 undergraduate students conducted in May-July 2020 at nine public research universities, 35% of undergraduates screened positive for major depressive disorder and 39% screened positive for generalized anxiety disorder. We previously reported about the demographic disparities in students’ mental health disorders during the pandemic. In this brief, we highlight other factors during the pandemic that may compromise students’ mental health. Students who experienced financial hardships, including unexpected increases in spending for technology or living expenses, the loss or wages from on-campus or off-campus employment, the loss or cancellation of an expected job or internship, and food and housing insecurity had significantly higher rates of screening positive for symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder compared to students who did not experience financial hardships. Furthermore, students who experienced academic obstacles in the transition to online instruction had significantly higher rates of screening positive for symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder compared to their peers who did not experience those academic obstacles. Students who felt more supported by their institutions during the pandemic had lower rates of screening positive for generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder compared to their peers who did not feel supported by their institutions.

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