Video credit: Michelson 20MM
The Michelson 20MM Foundation recently held a webinar on the state of pregnant and parenting students in California. There are currently over 480,000 student parents in California, representing 20% of all undergraduates in the state’s higher education system.
Despite the size of this demographic, pregnant and parenting students often feel disconnected from their college community, lack information on available resources, and suffer from “time poverty” due to the demands of caregiving.
The webinar focused on the recent passage of Assembly Bill 2881. As a result of the Bill, which was co-sponsored by the Michelson Center for Public Policy, student parents can:
- View services available to them via the newly required student-parent webpage, which is easily accessible from the homepage of their campus website.
- Learn more about the California Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants, and Children through campus orientations, student portals, and basic needs centers.
- Participate in priority registration if they have a dependent minor living with them.
Assemblymember Marc Berman, who authored the Bill, hosted the webinar. He was joined by Heather King, Project and Policy Analyst for Basic Needs at the University of California Office of the President; Kelly King, Executive Director for the Foundation for the Los Angeles Community Colleges and Chief Advancement Officer for the Los Angeles Community College District; Liz Reed, Assistant Director of Enrollment Management Technology in Academic and Student Affairs at the California State University Office of the Chancellor; Marissa Weiss, Transfer Retention Specialist at UC Davis; and Laura Yager, University Registrar and Director of Veterans Services at Fresno State.
The panelists discussed the implementation of AB 2881, establishing an effective system for priority registration, and improving data collection on student parents in California.
Learn more about the Michelson Pregnant and Parenting Student Initiative here.
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