Reframing Higher Ed Spaces and Belonging

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic ushered in changes to higher education, including how campus spaces are used and defined. Institutional pivots to meet health and safety protections impacted the way we think about public and private spaces in lasting ways. The end of the acute emergency presents an opportunity for colleges and universities to reflect about the physical and virtual student experience to cultivate a renewed sense of place and belonging. Campus spaces have historically been linked to students’ sense of belonging, which correlates with student engagement and academic success. Over generations, higher education has been shaped by social factors, evolving to become more equitable and inclusive. Campus spaces are now physical and virtual, and the COVID-19 endemic period presents an opening for higher education to recenter a student’s sense of belonging in community-based locations, physical campus spaces, and virtual learning environments.