COVID-19 and HSIs: Students’ Perceptions, Attitudes, and Emotions Surrounding Online Spaces

Marla Franco, Monica Erbacher, & Elizabeth Pope / Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice / January 2023


U.S. higher education institutions have navigated unprecedented challenges to keep their campus communities safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. As the pandemic unfolded, communities of Color and those from low-income households, many of whom attend Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), were found to be disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. In this pandemic-induced context, this longitudinal mixed-methods study explores students’ experiences in coping and adapting to rapid changes to instruction and institutional supports during the pandemic at an HSI located in Arizona. HSIs should evaluate the ways in which the institution centered serving college students during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly those who identify as Hispanic and first generation and those with lower socioeconomic status. This study also leveraged data-informed insights to share with leaders at HSIs in Arizona to guide refinements to institutional practices during the pandemic.

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