Federal relief funds helped higher education institutions meet a host of challenges amid the pandemic, from addressing lost revenue to supporting basic student needs. How did community colleges spend these funds, and what are their priorities now that relief funding has expired? At a recent event, the Community College Research Center (CCRC) and the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) presented findings on community college spending, and a panel discussed distinct approaches colleges chose for applying Higher Education Emergency Relief (HEER) funds on the ground.
The national survey of 170 community colleges across California, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, and represents over 40% of students nationwide. Serena Klempin, CCRC research associate, outlined key areas where most colleges spent relief funds, including campus safety as well as technology and equipment for the pivot to online learning; the largest expenditure by amount went to recovering lost revenue due to reduced enrollment. Furthermore, 70% of institutions—or 120 colleges—used institutional funds to provide additional student aid, often striving to target relief money to mitigate severe student hardship such as homelessness or food insecurity.
For California community colleges, the infusion of HEER funds helped ensure that college was affordable; Olga Rodriguez, director of PPIC’s Higher Education Center, explained that “the primary way colleges helped make college more affordable was by providing direct emergency aid to students.” Schools offered assistance in various forms, from debt forgiveness to assisting with the technology for online learning; colleges often distributed aid based on student needs and circumstances.
Lee College near Houston used HEER funds to offer free tuition. When funds were first dispersed in 2020, it was unclear whether schools could pay students’ tuition across the board. “We took a reasoned risk,” said Lynda Villanueva, president. “We were facing a 50% decline in enrollment in summer; we gave the money to everyone who signed up for classes in summer … and went from 50% down in enrollment to 46% above the previous year.”
At Nashville State Community College, much of the pandemic funding went toward converting to online classes. “We still needed to provide students … with the hands-on practical [training] they were getting in the classroom,” said Johannah Williams, vice president of academic affairs and workforce development. “We were able to implement software where students could remotely access equipment or use simulation.” For courses such as science labs, funds were invested in equipment that allowed social distancing.
As with other schools, Cosumnes River College near Sacramento used relief dollars to cancel student debt and provide laptops and internet. “But we decided to make a significant investment to be the first zero-cost textbook institution,” said Edward Bush, president. No student has to pay for books. “In California, textbook cost is the greatest cost associated with enrolling because of the low fees we have.” Overall, students are saving over $10 million; the strategy eliminates financial decisions such as choosing to buy groceries instead of books.
Thomas Brock, CCRC director, pointed out that many colleges are now concerned with meeting students’ emergency cash needs and mental health needs once federal funds go away. Nashville State Community College found a local nonprofit to fund mental health services and local and state funding will support wraparound services, according to Williams, while Villanueva indicated that Lee College will rely on institutional funds and the college foundation. Cosumnes River College will use general funding and other dollars to contract telehealth and add mental health practitioners. “That’s an area we continue to look at to see how we can sustain and meet the mental health needs of our student population,” Bush said.
