The digital divide that has widened during the pandemic has been more than a stumbling block for many college students trying to adjust to online learning — it's been a closed gate.
But there could be at least some relief in sight from the federal government. The coronavirus relief package signed into law last month includes a $3.2 billion Emergency Broadband Connectivity Fund that will help low-income families with a $50 monthly reimbursement for internet services. College students who receive federal Pell Grant aid are also eligible.
"This is great news for — among others — low-income/minority college students who have not been able to attend in-person classes or study at the library and thus need to rely on broadband access at home for classes and assignments," said USC professor Hernán Galperin, a researcher of internet policy and digital inequality.