Document Tag: pandemic

Food security change in the college student population due to the COVID-19 pandemic: A decline for many, an improvement for a few (2024)

The COVID-19 pandemic killed over one million people in the United States and the disease itself, combined with policies implemented to minimize its spread, dramatically increased both unemployment and food insecurity
throughout the nation. College students, who have high rates of food insecurity during non-pandemic times, were heavily impacted by the pandemic as campus closures caused large changes in living conditions and business closures led to loss of work for many. This study quantified changes in the food insecurity rate, changes in food security status, and associates of these changes for college students at the University of Santa Barbara, CA using data from a survey conducted in the Spring of 2021 (N = 785). Descriptive statistics and a multinomial logistic regression model were used to analyze data and the results suggest that the food insecurity rate increased by about 50% during the pandemic and that food security status changed for about 25% of students. Of students whose statuses changed, one-fifth experienced an improvement in food security status while about four-fifths experienced a decline. Students who lost a job were more likely to experience a decline in food security status while students who moved in with their parents, especially for longer periods of time, were more likely to
experience an increase in food security status. During future pandemics, policy should account for a large increase in college student food insecurity and future research should determine which students move home and
why.

Food Insecurity within a Public University and the Role of Food Assistance Programs Amid the Global Pandemic (2024)

Food insecurity (FI) is a pressing concern among university students in the United States, and the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated this issue. Providing food assistance for university students has become more challenging due to pandemic-related consequences and interventions. This study aims to (1) analyze social inequalities in FI among university students in a large public university during the pandemic, (2) investigate the association of their utilization of campus, community, and federal food assistance programs (FAPs) and FI, and (3) understand the barriers students face in accessing FAPs. Survey questionnaires were distributed to students to gather their socio-demographics, FI, and usage of FAPs. Logistic regression was utilized to assess the relationship between students’ FI and their use of FAPs. Among the surveyed students (n = 282), 33.7% reported experiencing FI. Higher FI rates were observed among socially vulnerable student groups, for example, non-Hispanic Black (62.5%) and Hispanic students (38.7%), compared with non-Hispanic White students (32.1%). FAPs had a limited influence on students’ FI due to low utilization. The primary barriers to FAPs were insufficient information, ineligibility, and social stigma. The findings suggest it is crucial to reduce barriers to using FAPs and develop targeted interventions for marginalized students to address inequalities in FI.

Examining Anti-Poverty Programs to Address Student’s Unmet Basic Needs at Texas Hispanic-Serving Institutions over the Course of the COVID-19 Pandemic (2024)

Many post-secondary institutions have implemented anti-poverty programs to address students’ basic needs insecurities. This study examined the provision of 17 types of basic needs programs at Texas Hispanic-serving institutions over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic with the aim to identify changes in the number and types of programs offered as well as factors that may influence the presence of specific types of basic needs programs on campus. While the average number of basic needs programs per institution varied little over time, the specific types of programs that were offered changed. Institution type as a 2-year or 4-year institution was associated with providing on-campus mental health services, on-campus physical health services, and after-school care for students’ children at pre-pandemic and anticipated post-pandemic time points and employing
students and free food or meal vouchers at the pre-pandemic time point. The percentage of students receiving Pell Grants was associated with basic needs programs to assist students applying for public services and referrals to off-campus health services pre-pandemic and anticipated post-pandemic. The presence of an on-campus free food pantry was associated with the percentage of students receiving Pell Grants at the anticipated post-pandemic time point only. Over the course of the pandemic, there
were changes to the types of basic needs programs offered. Some types of basic needs programs were associated with institutional and/or student characteristics. Given the continued presence of basic needs programs through the course of the pandemic and into the post-pandemic period, the use of these kinds of programs and services to support students, while influenced by external factors such as the pandemic, appears institutionally established as a way to facilitate going to college for students in need.

Food Insecurity and Higher Education: A Review of Literature and Resources (2023)

Research finds food insecurity to be a barrier to postsecondary access and student success. Compared to the general population, college students experience food insecurity at higher rates. Underrepresented, first-generation, non-traditional, and low-income students have food-insecurity rates ranging from 33–51% compared to 10% among U.S. adults.

The factors contributing to food insecurity at institutions of higher education are complex, such as the increased cost of higher education, the limited usage of and eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the social stigma associated with being food insecure, the location of an institution within a food desert, and the institutional setting (a two-year or four-year college). Other barriers linked with food insecurity include ineffective meal plan policies for residential students, limited transportation to and from campus, and whether students come from food-insecure backgrounds. Irrespective of cause, food insecurity negatively impacts college access, retention, and completion. The need to understand the factors contributing to food insecurity and the effective interventions used to mitigate food insecurity are essential to achieving THEC’s mission to increase the number of Tennesseans with a postsecondary credential and THEC’s Master Plan goals relative to student success and family prosperity. This comprehensive literature review conducted sought to answer the following questions.

What does the literature say about food insecurity in higher education and its effects on students and institutions?

What solutions and best practices does existing literature suggest to address food insecurity in higher education?

How are postsecondary institutions in Tennessee addressing food insecurity among students?

Exploration of Barriers to Use of Community Food Resources in Community College Students in Rural Appalachia (2023)

Food insecurity in college students worsened during the COVID pandemic. However, students are often hesitant to access food assistance. The purpose of this study was to explore students’ perceptions of barriers to the use of food assistance. In 2021, students (n = 13) were recruited from a Kentucky college. Virtual interviews were conducted. Further research is needed to explore other barriers to use of food assistance. Research is needed to evaluate interventions aimed at decreasing the stigma of food assistance in college students.

Who Received Federal Emergency Aid Funding in Texas? A Closer Look at the Pandemic Funding Awarded to Postsecondary Students (2023)

Executive Summary

More than 1 million Texas students received federal emergency aid through HEERF, nearly half (47%) of all students statewide based on enrollment figures reported by institutions.
Despite having similar average amounts of unmet financial need, Texas students enrolled at public two-year colleges were less likely to receive emergency aid — and received smaller average award amounts — than students enrolled at public four-year universities.
Across all institutions, Black students receiving aid were awarded higher average amounts of emergency aid than other racial/ethnic student groups.
More than 450,000 Pell recipients — nearly 80% of all Pell recipients statewide — received emergency aid and were awarded significantly higher average amounts than non-Pell recipients. Nearly one-third of all non-Pell recipients — over 404,000 students — also received emergency aid.
Across sectors, improved retention rates at the institution level were correlated with larger percentages of students receiving emergency aid. This correlation was consistently stronger for institutions with higher percentages of Pell recipients.

When Care Isn’t Enough: Administrative Burden in Federal Higher Education Pandemic Emergency Aid Implementation (2022)

Departing from traditional financial aid policies, during the pandemic the federal government
introduced emergency aid to higher education for the first time. This study examines the implementation
of that program, including students’ need for and access to the resources and the processes they navigated
to obtain help. We identify multiple forms of administrative burden present, and using both survey data
and focus groups, explain how they affected students and institutions. The psychological costs of
administrative burden were particularly substantial and should be addressed in future programming.

Emergency Aid Distribution in West Texas Community Colleges (2023)

related to food and housing instability, inadequate health care and rising attendance costs. In fact, the U.S.
Department of Education recently released the first-ever national estimates of food insecurity and homelessness
and found that college students are more likely to face these issues than the general population. These financerelated
challenges have a significant and negative impact on a student’s academic performance and are
associated with stopping-out and dropping-out of college – even when the financial challenge amounts to a
relatively small dollar amount. Emergency Aid (EA) programs are one approach that colleges use to assist students
with these unforeseen challenges.
The threats students have faced in meeting their basic needs while in college have increased significantly in the
last 15 years, with less than half of all public community colleges today meeting criteria for being affordable. The
COVID-19 pandemic compounded these affordability issues as the entire sector forced students out of housing,
shut down dining halls, and shifted their instructional model overnight.
In response, Believe in Students and the then-startup mobile app called Edquity – now Beam – partnered with three
colleges in West Texas to provide emergency aid funding over two school years, from fall of 2020 through spring
of 2022, to help keep students in school as well as in their homes with their families intact. In total, $835,750
was disseminated throughout this period to help 1,937 students address food, housing, transportation, and other
expenses.
One of the partner institutions involved, Odessa College, was able to provide persistence and graduation data for
the students who received emergency aid through this program. This data shows that over 90% of all aid recipients
persisted in college the following semester or earned their degree. This outcome is particularly noteworthy
considering the national persistence rate for public two-year institutions (students continuing their education at
the same or a different institution) was 61.5% in fall 2020, while the retention rate (students returning to the same
institution) was 52.4%.
This report describes the unique partnership between community colleges in West Texas, Believe in Students,
and Beam, sharing information about how the dollars were used by students and how the partners adapted as a
result of the project. The findings and recommendations shared here are scalable to other campuses in Texas, and
the student outcomes will serve the region’s workforce and help meet the state’s 60X30 attainment goals and
workforce needs.

Food and Housing Insecurity Among Adult Undergraduates During the COVID-19 Pandemic (2023)

The purpose of this study was to examine the variables associated with adult undergraduates’ food and housing insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were derived from the 2020 #RealCollege Survey, which was completed by 25,838 adult undergraduates (≥25 years old) at 72 4-year and 127 2-year institutions in 42 U.S. states. The results suggest that 43.2% of adult undergraduates experienced food insecurity, and 60.6% experienced housing insecurity. Adult undergraduates who had multiple disabilities, grew up in lower-income families, had previously lived in foster care, attended 2-year colleges, and did not live with a spouse/partner had significantly higher probabilities of experiencing food or housing insecurity. Furthermore, first-generation students, international students, or caregivers, parents, or guardians to children had significantly higher probabilities of experiencing food and housing insecurity. Finally, adult undergraduates who experienced COVID-19 pandemic-related academic and financial and health difficulties also had higher probabilities of experiencing food and housing insecurity.