How the pandemic has affected community college students (and how to serve them)
As COVID-19 continues to disrupt higher ed, community college leaders across the country are faced with the difficult task of helping their students navigate the financial, technological, and health-related challenges of attending college during a pandemic. Precipitous declines in summer and early fall enrollments are a testament to the enormity of these challenges and the task ahead for community colleges.
We hosted virtual roundtables with community college leaders across 2020 and early 2021 to discuss the key strategic challenges facing community college executives and their students. Read the takeaways below and take the next steps to prepare for the impact of COVID-19 that will be felt for years to come.
Review the key takeaways
1. Community colleges don’t fully understand the students of the pandemic
There are six mistakes that colleges are making when it comes to serving today’s students, both currently and post-pandemic:
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Prioritizing financial instead of opportunity cost
The outsized enrollment declines at community colleges and among low-income students eligible for significant aid have revealed that the cost of tuition may be irrelevant when compared to the opportunity cost of giving up subsistence-level work or dependent care.
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Attributing enrollment drops entirely to virtual learning
Primarily online institutions have experienced enrollment growth across all demographic groups, suggesting that students’ migration away from the community college is not just about instructional modality.
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Failing to embrace the "student as a customer"
Years of talking about students as customers has produced expected outcomes—students want to feel like they’re “getting what they paid for,” and in a world of remote learning and few perks, many feel that they’re not.
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Expecting students and faculty to raise their hands if they're in need
Insufficient mental health infrastructure places burden on students and staff to self-identify, and counseling center traffic is an unreliable metric during a pandemic.
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Trying to "go back to how things were"
The gaps in access, equity, and success that existed before the pandemic cannot be alleviated by returning to the status quo.
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Not prioritizing removal of existing barriers to success
Compounding effects of learning loss, financial insecurity and mental health concerns means that existing institutional barriers are going to become even greater obstacles to students’ success.
2. Leaders should rethink “accessibility” to support student success
For many students, COVID-19 has made college seem more unattainable than ever before. There are three imperatives for colleges to support student success, during the pandemic and beyond:
- Invest in sustainable online instruction:Â Prioritize online-specific pedagogical and curricular development and ensure students are equipped to succeed.
- Reimagine on- and off-ramps: Treat students as “lifelong learners” by streamlining and destigmatizing reenrollment processes.
- Prioritize the part-time experience:Â Sustain and expand the early-pandemic culture of adaptability.
3. COVID-19 has a big impact on student mental health
The college mental health crisis predates COVID-19, but has been magnified by the stress of the pandemic. Recent data indicates worrying trends in mental health, and many staff members on the front lines feel unequipped to address students needs.
- 80% of college students said the COVID-19 crisis has negatively impacted their mental health
- 63% of college students find it challenging to stay connected with others
- 66% of instructors do not feel adequately prepared to approach students and discuss concerns related to mental health
4. Some pandemic-era transformations will stick around
After a year of many colleges and universities operating virtually, there are several promising trends that will likely endure post-pandemic:
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Virtual advising
Students are making more appointments—and are actually showing up. The virtual appointments are also shorter and more efficient.
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Remote work
Successful pandemic operations and quick adoption of new technologies has disproved long-held beliefs about remote work.
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