For many college students, institutions of higher learning address not just academic needs, but basic non-academic needs as well. College offers a reprieve from housing and food insecurity, access to health care and childcare, income through campus jobs, and a sense of community and purpose.
In the wake of the coronavirus however, that stability has been shaken as colleges and universities across Illinois and the United States have had to close or significantly limit access to classrooms, dining halls, residence halls, health clinics, libraries, and computer labs, shift learning to an online environment for an indefinite period of time, and restrict access to critical services and resources for students.
In response to the needs that have emerged from the COVID-19 crisis, the federal government just passed a sweeping stimulus package that includes relief for college students and institutions of higher education.
While this package will provide assistance to many college students, the needs of Illinois’ students and institutions will likely surpass available federal resources. The Partnership offers its recommendations for equitably allocating federal aid and creating state policy that will most effectively and equitably restore the state’s higher education sector after this crisis. Read PCC’s full policy memo, Legislative Action to Support College Students in Response to COVID-19, here.