Document Tag: housing insecurity

Going without: An exploration of food and housing insecurity among undergraduates (2018)

The rising price of higher education and its implications for equity and accessibility have been extensively documented, but the material conditions of students’ lives are often overlooked. Data from more than 30,000 two- and 4-year college students indicate that approximately half are food insecure, and recent estimates suggest that at least 20% of 2-year college students have very low levels of food security. At least one-third of 2-year students are housing insecure, including up to 14% who are homeless, whereas between 11% and 19% of 4-year students are housing insecure. Most of these students work and receive financial aid, but only a fraction receive public or private assistance to help make ends meet. Implications for research on college affordability and efforts to boost college graduation rates are discussed.

The Dark Side of College (Un)Affordability: Food and Housing Insecurity in Higher Education (2016)

Some students from low-income families are unable to pay their college costs without experiencing material hardship. What they do to make ends meet (e.g., go hungry and homeless) inhibits learning and discourages persistence.

Strategic college leaders investigate the needs of their students and draw on the strengths of their institutions and those of their communities to meet those challenges: for example, by changing school policies and financial due dates, creating short-term interest-free loan programs at the beginning of the school year, hiring counselors with social-work backgrounds, working with local food banks and housing authorities, and offering free tax-preparation services.

Institutions can also collaborate with non-profit organizations such as the College and University Food Bank Alliance, Single Stop, and the Center for Working Families to help students access existing social-safety-net resources.

Changes to federal and state policies that increase access to food stamps or extend the school lunch program to college students could better support students with financial need.