Document Category: Case Study

ECMC Foundation Basic Needs Initiative Evaluation Report 1: Sustaining Basic Needs Services at Postsecondary Institutions (2023)

In the past few decades, the cost of college has risen significantly, while federal, state, and institutional financial aid and family income have remained stagnant or declined (Goldrick-Rab, 2018). As a result, many college students struggle to afford the full cost of college attendance, which includes tuition and fees, expenses to cover food, housing, transportation, child care for student parents, school supplies and access to the internet, and other living expenses (Duke-Benfield & Sponsler, 2019). College students may experience basic needs insecurity, including the lack of access to healthy food, stable housing, reliable transportation, affordable child care, physical and mental health care services, the internet and technology, and other necessities they need to survive and thrive in a postsecondary academic setting. Meeting college students’ basic needs is essential to their well-being and ability to learn and succeed in college (Daugherty et al., 2016; Goldrick-Rab, 2021; Hallet & Freas, 2018; Haskett et al., 2020; Maroto et al., 2015; Phillips et al., 2018; Silva et al., 2017; Trawver et al., 2020; Zhu et al., 2018). To support students’ postsecondary success, ECMC Foundation launched the Basic Needs Initiative, funding seven organizations (hereafter “BNI grantees,” see sidebar) to further the development and sustainability of basic needs services at postsecondary institutions through direct service, technical assistance, and research.

Basic Needs Insecurity in Texas Community Colleges: Landscape Analysis (2023)

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Texas community colleges increasingly focused on addressing students’ basic needs insecurities (BNI), such as food and housing insecurity, so that students could continue to make progress towards their academic goals. As colleges continue to recover from the pandemic lockdowns and prepare for the winding down of historic levels of government support, faculty, staff, and administrative leaders are poised to consider how best to refine, scale, and sustain their BNI service offerings to most effectively support student success.
Over the past decade, the research on BNI has grown dramatically, documenting the widespread prevalence of BNI among the student population, the negative effects of BNI on student outcomes, and promising solutions colleges have implemented to best support students. This report documents findings across several critical issue areas relevant for community college leaders to consider as they make plans for enhancing BNI service offerings.

Food Insecurity in College Students: The Role of Environment, Social Networks, and Perceived Food-Related Time, Stress, and Skill (2024)

Using a mixed-methods approach, the purpose of this study was to identify contributing factors and their relationship to food insecurity at a midsize, private university. During semistructured interviews (N = 23), students discussed social and environmental factors related to food insecurity, as well as the individual factors of food-related time, stress, and skill. A short questionnaire measuring the individual factors was developed and implemented with the US Department of Agriculture food security survey (N = 270). Between the food secure and insecure groups, there were significant differences in relation to food-related time, stress, and skill (P < .01). Identifying specific factors can inform campus-specific interventions to address food insecurity.

Persistent and Changing Food Insecurity Among Students at a Midwestern University is Associated With Behavioral and Mental Health Outcomes (2023)

Purpose
To assess associations between persistent and changing food insecurity and behavioral and mental health outcomes in college students.
Design
Online surveys conducted November 2018 and March 2019 (freshman year), and March 2020 (sophomore year) were used to assess food insecurity, which was then used to create 4 food security transitions: persistent food insecurity, emergent food insecurity, emergent food security, and persistent food security.
Setting
Large Midwestern university.
Sample
593 students completing all 3 surveys.
Measures
Dietary intake and behavioral and mental health outcomes (eating disorders, anxiety, depression, sleep quality) were assessed using validated instruments.
Analysis
Associations between food security transitions and dietary intake, behavioral, and mental health outcomes were examined using generalized linear models.
Results
Compared to persistent food security, emergent and persistent food insecurity was associated with lower (7% and 13% respectively) intake of fruits and vegetables combined; persistent food insecurity was associated with 17% lower intake of fruits, 6% lower intake of fiber and 10% higher intake of added sugar from beverages. Compared to persistent food secure students, eating disorder symptom risk was higher for emergent food insecure (OR = 7.61, 95% CI: 3.32, 17.48), and persistent food insecure (OR = 6.60, 95% CI: 2.60, 16.72) students; emergent (OR = 2.05, 95% CI: 1.14, 3.71) and persistent (OR = 2.55, 95% CI: 1.34, 4.87) food insecure students had higher odds of poor sleep quality, and persistent food insecure, emergent food insecure, and emergent food secure students had higher odds of anxiety and depression (OR range 2.35-2.85).
Conclusion
Food security transitions were associated with aspects of low diet quality and poorer behavioral and mental health outcomes among college students.

An exploration of trauma-inclusive pedagogy and students’ perceptions of academic success (2023)

While trauma-inclusive approaches to student learning have been well documented in K–12 contexts, postsecondary education has done little to incorporate trauma-inclusive pedagogy into college classrooms. Using a sample (n = 529) of graduate and undergraduate students at a public rural-serving regional serving university, this study aims to explore differences in students’ perception of academic success in courses where trauma-inclusive practices were used and courses where these practices were not. Findings provide evidence that students felt more successful in courses where trauma-inclusive practices were used. Additionally, researchers were able to demonstrate that differences in perceptions of success were more pronounced between students who have been exposed to traumatic life experiences, particularly in the course where participants felt the least successful. Implications for future research, practice, and models of educational development are discussed.

Oregon State University Food Security Study Executive Report (2021)

Food insecurity (FI) is a growing concern on college campuses. Upon request from the Oregon State University (OSU) Food Insecurity Taskforce, this report outlines findings from the first formal assessment of the prevalence and patterns of FI among OSU students on the three campuses—Corvallis, Cascades, and Ecampus—during Fall and Winter terms, 2020-2021. FI was measured using the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) 10-item Food Security Survey Module (FSSM) with a 2-item food sufficiency screener. At Corvallis and Cascades campuses, two sampling strategies were employed in an effort to improve upon existing sampling methods commonly used for estimating FI among college students. Findings from this assessment can be used to inform OSU’s plan to ensure equitable food access among all students.

Oregon State University Food Security Study (2022)

Food insecurity (FI) is an ongoing concern on college campuses across the U.S. Food insecurity is defined by the United Stated Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service as a lack of access to enough food for an active and healthy life (USDA ERS, 2022). This report summarizes findings from the second formal study of the prevalence and patterns of FI among OSU students on the Corvallis campus, conducted in Spring 2022. FI was measured using the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) 10-item Food Security Survey Module (FSSM) with a 2-item food sufficiency screener (as shown in Appendix A). Two sampling strategies were employed in an effort to improve upon existing sampling methods commonly used for estimating FI among college students. These findings can be used to inform OSU’s plan to ensure equitable food access among all students.

Food insecurity among Black college students: An exploratory study (2023)

Literature suggests that food insecurity negatively affects academic well-being and sense of belonging among college students; however, limited research has focused on Black students. This exploratory study examines the prevalence and impact of food insecurity among Black students. The results indicate that a greater proportion of Black students experienced food insecurity compared to White students. Additionally, this study found that Black students to not experience the same negative consequences of food insecurity as White students and that these negative consequences may be offset due to Black students’ higher level of engagement and resource utilization. Implications for social workers are discussed.

The Dynamics and Measurement of High School Homelessness and Achievement (2023)

How school districts measure homelessness among their students has implications for accountability and funding, as well as for supporting student success. Yet, measuring homelessness among high school students is challenging because students move in and out of experiencing it. Using administrative student-level data from a mid-sized public school district in the southern United States, we show that different commonly used procedures to measure which students are considered homeless can yield markedly different estimates of high school graduation rates for these students. This is largely because of differences in how districts classify students who experience homelessness but later become housed. To address the potentially negative effects of housing insecurity on academic achievement, it is important to first identify a common way to diagnose the problem.