The authors outline how the dramatic shift in education as a result of the pandemic can be both beneficial and detrimental, in that it allows for the exploration of new ways of providing education, but also presents unique challenges, particularly to disadvantaged students. Some benefits, for example, have been an increased access to education and an opportunity to rethink existing academic structures. However, while online education may provide increased access in some circumstances, it also results in a need for access to technology and a lack of academic/ mental health support which disproportionately affects students of lower socioeconomic status. The dissolution of the physical and social environment of universities affects routine, self-discipline, mental/physical wellbeing, motivation, and isolation, and students with fewer resources and social support are less equipped to handle these challenges. 


Effects of the dissolution of university campuses

Support systems are divided into formal support offered by the university (course team, support services) and informal support, including peer and family connections. The authors note that, in the context of the COVID 19 pandemic, online social networks may play a large role in providing both formal and informal support, and that students who lack access to such networks may lack social support as a result. Social network analysis reveals that social networks provide sociability, support, information, and a sense of belonging, all of which directly impact resilience and mental health. 

It is recommended that educators develop existing professional learning networks, recognize systemic inequalities (eg. access to technology), emphasize the provision of technological devices and online support for students, map formal support services available to students, offer reminders to students to seek and offer informal support. 


Recommendations for student support

This paper discusses how the dissolution of university campuses as a result of COVID-19 has affected student support networks, and proposes a number of recommendations for university staff to consider in order to develop effective student support. 

Macalester College

Also referred to as post-secondary and tertiary education, it is usually taught at universities, academies, conservatories, and institutes of technology. 
Trends in Literature:
- Digital and Technology Inequities 
- Increased Mental Health Resources from Higher Ed Institutions
- Changes in Examination Methods
- Undergraduate Student Perspectives
- Graduate Student Perspectives
- Decreased Enrollment

Higher Education

https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JPCC-06-2020-0032/full/pdf?title=the-covid-19-pandemic-and-the-dissolution-of-the-university-campus-implications-for-student-support-practice

The Covid-19 pandemic and the dissolution of the university campus: implications for student support practice


Higher Education References

The COVID-19 pandemic affected higher education. Nodes for deeper study on the topic include:
- Higher Education Challenges during Pandemic: A Case Study
- The Balance of Roles: Graduate Student Perspectives during the COVID-19 Pandemic
- Challenges and Opportunities for Higher Education amid the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Philippine Context
- Covid-19 and Medical Students
- Longtitudinal Study on the  effects of COVID-19 on first year college students' mental health
- Reimagining higher education during and post-COVID-19: Challenges and opportunities

Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Higher Education

Incoming students to higher education institutions often have false expectations of university life. These false expectations make the transition difficult for incoming students, and may result in delays in academic achievement. Staff and instructors also have beliefs and expectations that don’t align with the beliefs and expectations of their students, resulting in some dissonance. 

Expectation Issues Students & Instructors Face When Transferring to Universities or Colleges, or Receiving Transferring Students

Walden & Cowen (2024) discuss the prospect of changing the narrative on mental health and mental health support services for university counseling centers. 

The authors recognize the systems change perspective, which involves interconnected support systems and institutional factors in addressing students mental health. For example, the theory would suggest that rather than counseling centers taking on the sole role of providing mental health services for college students, that these services be spread out across departments so that students have more than one avenue to access services. 

The authors advocate for integrating multiple support systems together, such as multiple campus departments collaborating to provide support to students. This shift in paradigm calls for a change in attitude surrounding college students mental health and university counseling centers provision of services. 

Walden & Cowen (2024): Systems change in university counseling centers  


University counseling centers are instrumental in providing services to students in the college population. These centers provide necessary services to support the health and well-being of college students. 

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