A Matter of Trust

Abstract

The rising price of higher education threatens educational opportunity and social mobility for the most vulnerable Americans. Increasing college attendance benefits individuals and society, but efforts to reduce the price via financial aid rely primarily on economic theory: emphasizing short-term investments for long-term gains, and aiming for efficiency by targeting a narrow band of the population. Yet financial aid as currently implemented fails to effectively counter price barriers to college attainment. We argue that these failures are due, in part, to policies that were built on a narrow set of behavioral assumptions about the role of pricing in individuals’ decisions to attend college. Insights from social psychology highlight decisions’ relational processes and contexts. Existing policy failures have eroded public trust in financial aid as a legitimate, viable mechanism for college affordability. Cost-effective reforms that rebuild trust are a promising direction for future policy making.

Examining the Relationship Between Food Insecurity and Academic Performance: Implications for Diversity and Equity in Higher Education

“…There are many initiatives around the United States that demonstrate how institutions can connect students with resources and knowledge to ensure basic needs security. As of 2018, nearly 700 institutions around the United States were members of the College and University Food Bank Alliance (CUFBA) (Goldrick-Rab et al, 2018). Many colleges and universities operate some sort of food pantry to aid students with obtaining food and other necessary items (e.g., hygiene products, cleaning supplies, and personal care products).…”

Meal Vouchers Matter for Academic Attainment: A Community College Field Experiment

“…It was intended to have minimal administrative burdens that are all too common in social and financial aid programs. By reaching out to students with the meal card early in their college career, rather than asking them to apply for additional support, the college signaled that they recognized food insecurity as a real program and acknowledged that food-insecure students belong on campus (Broton, Mohebali, & Goldrick-Rab, 2022; Goldrick-Rab & Kolbe, 2016). The flexible way in which the college offered the monetary assistance—as a cafeteria debit card that students could use over the course of the semester as they liked—provided autonomy and indicated that they trusted students (Broton et al, 2020).…”