Redefining Student Basic Needs for Higher Education A Study to Understand and Map University of California Student Basic Needs Global Food July 2020 Initiative How do we redesign our educational institutions to better embody and promote justice and equity for students while supporting their basic student needs? Redefining Student Basic Needs for Higher Education A Study to Understand and Map University of California Student Basic Need Authors: Suzanna Martinez, Erin Esaryk, Laurel Moffat, Lorrene Ritchie THE LANDSCAPE This report was made possible by funding from the University of California (UC) Office of the President Global Food Initiative. The University of California 6 Executive Summary Global Food Initiative addresses one of the critical 8 UC Global Food Initiative targets food security issues of our time: how to sustainably and nutritiously feed a growing world population by leveraging the 10 UC Global Food Initiative explores housing security University of California research, outreach and operations. By building on existing efforts and creating 11 Moving Forward on the Issue new collaborations among UC’s 10 campuses, affiliated national laboratories and the Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, the Global Food Initiative is working THE STUDY to develop and export solutions for food security, health and sustainability throughout California, the United States and the world. For more information, visit: 13 Abstract ucop.edu/global-food-initiative. 14 Introduction ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This study was funded by the UC Global Food Initiative. 18 Methods Special thanks to UC Campus Basic Needs Committees at UC Irvine, UC Santa Cruz, UC San Francisco, UC 21 Qualitative analysis Berkeley, and UC Merced and the UC Systemwide Basic Needs Committee Co-Chairs (Tim Galarneau and Ruben E. Canedo). Extended thanks to California State THE TAKEAWAYS University researchers for their expert review (Rashida Crutchfield, Jennifer Maguire, and Aydin Nazmi), and Gale Sheean-Remotto, Eli Jimenez and Danielle Lee. 23 Study findings And gratitude to Christopher Paguio and Celery Design Collaborative for their illustrations and graphic designs 28 Discussion for this report. 46 Conclusion For general info about the UC Global Food Initiative, please go to ucop.edu/global-food-initiative/index.html. For media inquiries, please contact the University 47 COVID-19 Statement of California, Office of the President Media Line at 48 End Notes (510) 987-9200. For data inquiries, please contact the Dr. Suzanna M. Martinez at [email protected]. Appendices available upon request 4 THE LANDSCAPE Meeting the basic needs of food and housing security is a multidimensional challenge for communities across the country, including those in higher education. REDEFINING STUDENT BASIC NEEDS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION Executive Summary Meeting the basic needs of food and housing security One of the fundamental issues related to the question is a multidimensional challenge for communities across of housing security is the existence of a recognized the country, including those in higher education. Today, or validated set of questions that national, state and expenses other than tuition can account for more than scholarly researchers agree upon as an accurate survey 60 percent of the total cost of attending a college or instrument. university.1 Over the past four decades, the cost of living for college students has increased by over 80 percent.2 In 2018, as part of a GFI funded project, a housing insecurity study was commissioned, “Defining Student The University of California (UC) is dedicated to Basic Needs in Higher Education: An Exploratory Study ensuring the success of its more than 260,000 students on Housing and Food Insecurity Among University and as such, has embarked on a comprehensive effort of California Students.” The purpose of the proposed on how to identify, assess and help solve the housing study outlined in the following pages is twofold: 1) to and food security challenges students experience. UC explore the issue of student housing insecurity across has been focused on food security since the inception our UC campus communities, and 2) to develop, vet of the UC Global Food Initiative in 2014 and has and validate housing-related questions to accurately been instrumental in shaping the state and national measure housing security. conversation around students’ basic needs challenges. FIG 1. TOTAL COST OF ATTENDING COLLEGE FIG 2. COST OF LIVING FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS Average tuition and fees and room & board for undergraduates living on-campus. UC Average $30,300 Tuition $19,204 6 National Average Other costs $12,108 $7,014 $3,859 (food, housing, transportation, books, fees, etc) 1985 1995 2005 2015 2019-2020 * Source: https://nces.ed.gov/... ** Estimated cost for CA residents, on-campus. Source: https://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/... 6 REDEFINING STUDENT BASIC NEEDS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION FIG 3. TIMELINE OF UC GLOBAL FOOD INITIATIVE STUDIES 2014 2017 UC Global Food Initiative Food and Housing Security at (GFI) is founded the University of California study 2015 2020 Student Food Access Redefining Student Basic Needs & Security study in Higher Education study The study builds on two earlier studies all funded by housing needs and identify survey questions to better the GFI: characterize students who are experiencing unstable and unsafe housing. The identified questions can • the 2015 Student Food Access and Security Survey be further used locally and nationally as a validated 3 (SFASS) which was the nation’s largest higher assessment tool on housing insecurity. education study at the time report; and, The research findings outlined within this report • the 2017 Global Food Initiative: Food and Housing captured a broader definition of basic needs to Security at the University of California4 which include not only food and housing but mental health, highlighted 48 percent of the Universities sleep, hygiene, and transportation. The outcome undergraduates and 25 percent of its graduate of the survey can lend support to pilot test items students experience some level of food insecurity within UC’s institutional survey tools such as the UC and five percent of undergraduates experience student experience surveys or in more global tool homelessness, with a broad definition that ranged used nationally. Including a more valid assessment of from “couch surfing” to “living on the streets.” housing insecurity across the UC system, which this To date, there is no agreement nationally on an study aims to support, is critical for positioning UC to assessment tool to evaluate housing security. Through better address holistically our student’s basic needs. cognitive interviews using existing housing insecurity The University has taken numerous steps over the items, this exploratory study aims to identify and past five years to explore ways in which it can capture analyze sources of response error in existing housing data to provide a clearer picture of the basic needs insecurity survey items among UC students from three issues experienced by UC students. This data informs UC campuses and develop survey questions for future how UC can work towards solutions that increase the use. This approach will allow UC to gather critical data opportunity for a more equitable and successful college on the issues students are facing to meet their basic experience for its neediest of students. 7 REDEFINING STUDENT BASIC NEEDS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION UC Global Food Initiative targets basic needs UC launched the Global Food Initiative (GFI) in 2014 • A 2015 study by California State University that to address one of the critical issues of our time: how suggests nine percent of CSU’s 460,000 students to sustainably and nutritiously feed a world population were homeless, while 21 percent lacked consistent that is expected to reach 8 billion people by 2025. The food sources.5 initiative aligns the University’s research, outreach and operations in a sustained effort to develop, • A 2016 study by the Los Angeles Community demonstrate and export solutions for food security, College District (LACCD) that found 63 percent of health and sustainability throughout California, the students surveyed experienced food insecurity, United States and the world. Student food security was with 38 percent experiencing very low food an early focus of the GFI. security. Nineteen percent indicated experiencing homelessness within a year of the time the Universities and other institutions across the state and questionnaire was administered. country are working to better understand students’ basic needs. Research indicates that the challenges • A 2017 survey that included 33,000 students across students face are problems not only in California, but 70 community colleges in 24 states found that 67 also across the nation. Some of the salient findings percent of students experienced food insecurity, among recent studies include: 50 percent experienced housing insecurity and 14 percent experienced homelessness at some point. Researchers also determined that there was minimal geographic variation in hunger and homelessness among community college students.6 FIG 4. TIMELINE OF BASIC NEEDS STUDIES 2016 Los Angeles Community College District study 63% 19% experienced experienced homelessness food insecurity in past year 2015 California State University study 2017 Community college in 24 states study 41k+ 21% 67% 14% (9%) of CSU students lacked consistent of students experiened experienced homeless at were homeless