Open AccessStudents are Humans First
Author(s) -
Sara GoldrickRab
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of postsecondary student success
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2769-4887
pISSN - 2769-4879
DOI - 10.33009/fsop_jpss129262
Subject(s) - equity (law) , psychological intervention , pandemic , public relations , covid-19 , educational equity , basic needs , political science , psychology , medical education , economic growth , pedagogy , medicine , poverty , economics , infectious disease (medical specialty) , disease , pathology , psychiatry , law
The COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly exacerbated the challenging situation facing many students in colleges and universities in the United States. To promote student success and address equity issues in higher education, there is an urgent need to treat students as humans first and attend to their basic needs. In this essay, I present evidence pointing to the fact that the pandemic has made student basic needs insecurity even worse. However, well designed and successfully implemented emergency aid programs and other innovative interventions with equity at the center can help address problems in student basic needs insecurity. I present successful examples in addressing student basic needs insecurity and call for sustained and bold actions.