The Effectiveness of Emergency Relief Funding Among Low-Income Undergraduate Students

• In Event: Thursday Roundtable Session 4:20 pm
  In Roundtable Session: Assessing Equity, Success, and Effectiveness in Higher Education (Table 31)

Abstract

This study examines the effectiveness of a one-time financial relief program among low-income undergraduate students across academic and financial outcomes. Using a framework of scarcity and a quasi-experimental approach, we discern the effectiveness of a program that waived small outstanding balances for students in Spring 2015. The sample included 10,168 Pell Grant Eligible students pursuing their first bachelor’s degree and were within 4 years of starting their degree.  The results reveal that financial relief applied to low-income students’ accounts can improve their retention, GPA, and degree attainment with noteworthy variations by race and first-generation status. The results also raise continued concerns about how to resolve the future semester financial holds that are seen at higher rates among Students of Color.

Authors

• Casandra E. Harper, University of Missouri

• Bradley Curs, University of Missouri

• Sangmin Park, University of Missouri