This past week, various campuses, including the University of South Florida, ranked by US News & World Report as a top 50 school among public universities in 2024, cancelled classes due to a hurricane. In addition to catastrophic events that could shut down a campus, many schools also prepare to help students cope with personal life events that might disrupt their individual learning. A 2024 report in Inside Higher Ed suggested that 24% of college students think about leaving school due to motivation or life changes. As such, students (and their families) should learn about campus resources designed to help students cope with these disruptions.
Dean of Students
Dean of Students Offices are usually designed to support students in their overall academic and personal success. According to my colleague, Dr. Karen Bell Morgan, the Dean of Students at Texas Christian University, “Dean of Students Offices exist to help provide a culture of care for students. This is done by serving as a linking agent for families, students and faculty for important issues that may impact the academic success or personal wellbeing of students.” Most Dean of Students are not therapists; however, their offices have connections across campus and into the community. In addition, these offices usually communicate with faculty if there are concerns such as a student missing an exam because of a family emergency, etc. Unfortunately, many students are not aware that the Dean of Students Office exist or have misperceptions about their services. As Dr. Bell Morgan explained, “There can be a misperception that the Dean of Students Office is where students go when they get in trouble. However, the role of the Dean and this office has evolved over the years as the needs of college students have increased and changed.”
Student Emergency Funds
Many colleges and universities have programs which provide emergency funding for students experiencing financial distress. As reported by The74, a non-profit news organization that covers the educational system in America, a 2022 study by the Heckscher Foundation found that students who received emergency funding displayed significant gains in college persistence, in which 94% of the participants remained enrolled in school. Typically, student emergency funding cannot be used to pay tuition; however, this funding is usually not a loan either.
Similar to emergency funding, many campuses have also established food pantries on campus. A 2019 report in US News & World Report discussed how estimations about the prevalence of food insecurity among college students ranged to nine to over 50%, and that there are over 650 food pantries opened or in development on campuses nationwide.
Tuition Insurance
Forbes Advisor released a report in 2023, which recommended that anyone who could experience a significant financial lost due to a student dropping out of college obtain tuition insurance. This report emphasized that the reason for withdrawing from school must be a specified reason covered in the policy; but stated that policies can cover up to 100% of non-refundable cost for about 1% of the total tuition cost. Such policies can bring peace of mind to students who have a history of health concerns and/or fear that they may not be able to complete their coursework in a given semester.
The above are merely examples of various support services that many colleges and universities provide. When a life disruption occurs, many students first turn to the campus counseling centers for support. However, therapists tend to focus on helping students cope with the emotional aspects of life disruptions. There are additional campus resources, and many of these offices provide practical support. As Dr. Bell Morgan stated, “Life is going to keep living and the world is going to keep turning, and students may not know how that there are offices on campus that can help support them during the highs and lows of college.”