Bandwidth tax of uncertainty: Helping students reclaim cognitive capacity post-COVID and beyond

Cia Verschelden is Special Projects Advisor for the Integration of Academic and Student Affairs at the Association of American Colleges and Universities. She taught for over 25 years at two- and four-year institutions in social work, sociology, women's studies, nonviolence studies, and first-year seminar. Her administrative posts have included department chair, institutional assessment lead, and vice president of academic and student affairs.

Her books 'Bandwidth Recovery: Helping Students Reclaim Cognitive Resources Lost to Poverty, Racism, and Social Marginalization' and 'Bandwidth Recovery for Schools: Helping Pre-K-12 Students Regain Cognitive Resources Lost to Poverty, Trauma, Racism, and Social Marginalization' are available in the Douglas College Library.

Bandwidth Recovery website: https://bandwidthrecovery.org/

In Cia's presentation, participants learn about several interventions designed to help students recover bandwidth, beginning with a strengths perspective about what skills and abilities they are bringing to the table – “funds of knowledge.” The interventions include values affirmation, connecting the known to the unknown, growth mindset, and high-hope syllabi.