n the fall of 2019, nearly 550 instructional staff members from four community colleges and oneuniversity responded to a pilot #RealCollege survey designed specifically for faculty and staffmembers. This report describes the results of that pilot survey examining basic needs insecurityamong educators (i.e., faculty members and instructors) in higher education.
At least one in five of today’s college students is parenting a child while enrolled in classes. Ifthese parenting students complete their degrees, both they and their children could expectimproved social, economic, and health outcomes. Nevertheless, degree attainment rates amongparenting students are low, and evidence about their experiences—which is critical to improvingpolicy and practice regarding parenting students—is sparse.In 2019, the Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice began using our tools tofill that gap. Specifically, we added new questions to our fifth annual #RealCollege survey,asking parenting students at 171 two-year institutions and 56 four-year institutions about theirexperiences with basic needs insecurity, childcare, depression and anxiety, and campus and socialsupports
In this report, researchers at the Wisconsin HOPE Lab use data from surveys and interviews conducted with emergency aid program administrators around the country in order to provide details on the current landscape of emergency aid. At least 100 programs are operating— some have support from larger organizations such as Scholarship America’s Dreamkeepers program, while others are sophisticated in-house solutions using predictive data or small local efforts of caring and committed staff. All emergency aid programs seek to help students overcome financial shocks, as sometimes a tank of gas or a grocery store gift card is the lifeline a student needs to remain enrolled.
The novel coronavirus pandemic is testing institutions of higher education in unprecedented ways,
including challenging their ability to address basic needs insecurity among their students. With
the crisis ongoing as a new academic year begins, it is helpful to examine the response thus far.
The Hope Center developed a pandemic-oriented, institution-based survey that was administered
between April 9 and May 29. The survey yielded responses from 165 institutions in 36 states. The
results reveal:
• The number of students with basic needs insecurity on college campuses is substantial,
regardless of the method used to quantify such students.
• More than two-thirds of institutions said basic needs insecurity was discussed “a lot” or “a
great deal” on their campuses, and community colleges were more likely than four-year
institutions to view basic needs insecurity as a hinderance to degree completion.
• Nine of 10 respondents were looking for additional help to address students’ food and
housing needs, which were already areas of concern prior to the pandemic. And as
nationwide eviction moratoriums began to expire toward the end of summer, evidence
emerged that housing needs were increasing.
• A majority of institutions offered support to students seeking Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and had an active food pantry on campus.
• One hundred and seven institutions offered emergency aid. Three-quarters of those
institutions used online applications for their emergency aid programs, easing one of the
main challenges to effectively dispersing aid. However, institutions continued to struggle
with staffing and publicizing the programs, as well as meeting the increased demand solely
via fundraising.
• One in five institutions required students to complete a Free Application for Federal
Student Aid (FAFSA) in order to access emergency aid funds.
• Just three in 10 institutions helped students with basic needs insecurity apply for
unemployment insurance, despite widespread job loss among undergraduates.1
