As the cost of higher education has risen in the United States, more students are experiencing increased financial stress while pursuing their degree. Multiple studies on higher education have linked financially insecure students to decreased academic performance and overall sense of well-being, so support of these students has increasingly fallen to student affairs as a crucial component of overall student success.
EAB’s research on Scaling Support for Financially Insecure Students has identified food insecurity and textbook costs as two major stressors for this student population. Review the following two-page overviews to better understand the impact of food insecurity and textbook costs on the student experience, as well as learn new strategies from other institutions on how to best address these concerns.
Food insecurityFood insecurity is one of the most pressing concerns for financially insecure students and is increasingly common among undergraduate students. According to a Hope Center Survey in 2019, 41% of four-year students reported that they had experienced food insecurity in the past 30 days.
Common Resources
Campus Food Pantries: Food distribution centers on campus funded through community donations, student groups, and/or local food bank partnerships.
Meal Swipe Donations: Students donate unused meal swipes that staff distribute to students.
Mobile Food Pantries: Pop-up style pantries that bring food to campus and are typically only available monthly or weekly.
Satellite/Pocket Pantries: Mini food pantries, offering refrigerated…