Research
DATABASE OF SERU PUBLICATIONS
The SERU Consortium maintains a searchable database of publications (books, articles, reports, chapters) based on SERU Data. If you have published a study that is not included in the database, please e-mail Igor Chirikov, SERU Consortium Director and Senior Researcher (chirikov@berkeley.edu)
SERU RESEARCH
A major objective of the Student Experience in the Research University Consortium is to pursue and support academic and policy-relevant research related to the student experience, and more generally, to how student support and interact in the tripartite mission of research-intensive universities – teaching and learning, research and knowledge production, and public service and civic engagement. In turn, SERU research helps shape the SERU Survey instruments, including the addition of new survey modules that reflect the changing nature of the student populations and the operations and concerns of our member universities.
The SERU Consortium engages a wide array of scholars and institutional analysts in this ongoing effort, often using SERU Data, but not exclusively. Among the areas of research being pursued:
Academic Engagement
Undergraduate Research Engagement
Civic Engagement
Campus Climate
Technology and Learning
Graduate Education
Learning Outcomes
The Experience of Sub-Populations
Race and Gender
Socio-Economic Background
Immigrant Students
First-generation Students
International Students
International Comparative Analysis
SERU COVID-19 SURVEY POLICY BRIEFS
Student Experience in the Research University (SERU) Consortium administered a special survey on the impact of COVID-19 on student experience at 10 US public research universities in May-July 2020.
The SERU COVID-19 Survey assesses five areas of the student experience for both undergraduates and graduate students impacted by the pandemic and campus closures: (1) the transition to remote instruction, (2) the financial impact of COVID-19 on students, (3) student health and wellbeing, (4) belonging and engagement, and (5) future plans.
Graduate and professional students have reported significant hardships during the COVID-19 pandemic which they believe will negatively impact their ability to complete their degrees on-time, according to the Student Experience in the Research University (SERU) Consortium survey administered from May to July 2020 of 15,346 graduate and professional students at ten universities.
The COVID-19 pandemic has looming negative impacts on the mental health of law students at research universities. A survey of 644 law students at four large, public research universities in May through July, 2020 suggests that 27% of law students experienced clinically significant symptoms of major depressive disorder, while 37% of law students experienced clinically significant symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the gradSERU COVID-19 survey, the financial hardships and additional financial stressors experienced by law students during the pandemic are associated with increases in the odds of clinically significant symptoms for major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder.
The COVID-19 pandemic has looming negative impacts on mental health of undergraduate students at research universities. According to the Student Experience in the Research University (SERU) survey of 31,048 undergraduate students conducted in May-July 2020 at nine public research universities, 35% of undergraduates screened positive for major depressive disorder and 39% screened positive for generalized anxiety disorder.
Undergraduates’ Experiences During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Disparities by Race and Ethnicity
The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted students who identify as Black, Indigenous, or people of color (BIPOC students). The Student Experience in the Research University (SERU) Consortium survey was administered from May to July 2020 to 31,687 undergraduate students enrolled at nine large public research universities. Among the respondents, 0.1% were American Indian or Alaska Native (n = 36), 19.9% were Asian (n = 6,301), 4.2% were Black (n = 1,336), 3.7% were Latinx (n = 1,171), 0.1% were Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander (n = 42), 53.4% were White (n = 16,917), 13.1% were multiracial (n = 4,152), and 5.5% had an unknown or unreported race or ethnicity (n = 1,732).
The COVID-19 pandemic has negative impacts on students with emotional or mental health concerns or conditions who are enrolled at large public research universities, according to the Student Experience in the Research University (SERU) Consortium survey administered from May to July 2020 of 30,725 undergraduate students at nine universities and 15,346 graduate and professional students at ten universities. Approximately 40.3% of undergraduate respondents (n = 8,464) reported having an emotional or mental health concern or condition and 24.6% of graduate and professional students (n = 3,125) reported having an emotional or mental health concern or condition.
The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted students with physical, learning, neurodevelopmental, and cognitive disabilities who are enrolled at large public research universities, according to the Student Experience in the Research University (SERU) Consortium survey administered from May to July 2020 of 30,099 undergraduate students at nine universities. Approximately 6% of respondents (n = 1,788) reported having at least one disability (physical, learning, neurodevelopmental, or cognitive).
The COVID-19 pandemic has created significant hardships for student caregivers enrolled at large, public research universities, according to the Student Experience in the Research University (SERU) Consortium survey of 30,593 undergraduate students conducted May through July 2020 at nine universities. In the survey, 6% of respondents (n = 1,767) identified as caregivers for children, 11% of respondents (n = 3,236) identified as caregivers for other adults (age 18 and over), and 3% (n = 874) cared for both children and adults during the pandemic. Students who were caregivers for children may have been parents caring for their own children or family members (e.g., siblings). Students who were caregivers for adults may have been caring for their family members (e.g., parents, partners, spouses) or others.
The COVID-19 pandemic has created significant hardships for students from low-income, poor, and working-class backgrounds enrolled at large, public research universities, according to the Student Experience in the Research University (SERU) Consortium survey of 30,697 undergraduate students conducted May through July 2020 at nine universities. In the survey, 7% of respondents (n = 2,112) identified as low-income or poor, 16% identified as working-class (n = 4,970), 42% identified as middle-class (n = 12,815), 32% identified as upper-middle or professional-middle class (n = 9,924), and 3% identified as wealthy (n = 876).
One in five undergraduates (22%) and graduate and professional students (19%) enrolled at large public research universities experienced food insecurity, according to the Student Experience in the Research University (SERU) Consortium survey of 31,687 undergraduate students at nine universities and 16,453 graduate and professional students from ten universities during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results from the survey suggest that undergraduate, graduate, and professional students from underrepresented and marginalized backgrounds experienced significantly higher rates of food insecurity compared to their peers.
The COVID-19 pandemic has looming negative impacts on mental health of undergraduate and graduate students at research universities, according to the Student Experience in the Research University (SERU) Consortium survey of 30,725 undergraduate students and 15,346 graduate and professional students conducted in May-July 2020 at nine public research universities. Based on PHQ-2 and GAD-2 screening tools, 35% of undergraduates and 32% of graduate and professional students screened positive for major depressive disorder, while 39% of undergraduate and graduate and professional students screened positive for generalized anxiety disorder.
The COVID-19 pandemic has negative impacts on first-generation students enrolled at large public research universities, according to the Student Experience in the Research University (SERU) Consortium survey of 28,198 undergraduate students conducted May through July 2020 at nine universities. In the survey, 26% of respondents (n = 7,233) identified as first-generation students (those whose parents have not earned a bachelor’s degree).
The vast majority of students at research universities—96% of undergraduate students and 88% of graduate students—experienced at least one obstacle in their transition to remote learning, according to the recent Student Experience in the Research University (SERU) Consortium survey of 22,519 undergraduate students and 7,690 graduate and professional students at five public research universities. The biggest obstacle among undergraduate, graduate, and professional students was the lack of motivation for online learning during the pandemic. Other common obstacles included lack of interaction with other students, inability to learn effectively in an online format, and distracting home environments or lack of access to appropriate study spaces. The obstacles vary by students’ social class background and major/program.
In contrast to domestic students, international students at research universities are more satisfied with their academic experiences and institutional support during the pandemic, according to the recent Student Experience in the Research University (SERU) Consortium survey of 22,519 undergraduate students and 7,690 graduate and professional students at five public research universities. International students’ primary concerns are not with universities themselves but with health, safety and immigration issues.
While approximately one-third of graduate and professional students did not experience financial hardships during the COVID-19 pandemic, 27% experienced unexpected increases in their living expenses, 24% experienced unexpected increases in spending for technology, and 24% experienced a loss or reduction in income from other family members. According to the Graduate Student Experience in the Research University (gradSERU) COVID-19 survey of over 7,500 graduate and professional students enrolled at five large, public research universities, an additional 19% experienced the loss or cancellation of an expected job or internship offer and 16% experienced loss of wages from off-campus employment.
Approximately 95% of graduate and professional students plan to re-enroll for the fall 2020 semester, according to a recent survey of over 7,500 graduate and professional students enrolled at five large, public research universities. Data from the Graduate Student Experience in the Research University (gradSERU) COVID-19 survey suggests that less than 1% of graduate and professional students do not plan to re-enroll while 4% are still undecided about re-enrolling for the fall 2020 semester.
Nearly two-thirds of graduate and professional students enrolled at five large, public research universities reported that they were able to adapt to online instruction “well” or “very well” according to the Graduate Student Experience in the Research University (gradSERU) COVID-19 survey of over 7,500 graduate and professional students. Preliminary survey results suggest that 24.2% of students adapted “very well” to the transition to remote learning while 42.1% of students adapted “well” to the transition to online learning implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic.