Tracking the numbers on basic needs insecurity: The good, the bad, the ugly
Last fall, some of you may have participated in the Real College Survey via email. The survey is annually conducted by the Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice at Temple University to track basic needs insecurity at college campuses around the country. The results of these surveys have provided a wake-up call for university institutions and community stakeholders charged with overseeing the well-being of college students. Basic needs insecurity has become a growing problem nationwide.
The good news is that the numbers tracking basic needs insecurity among students at the University of Montana have improved slightly from last year. In 2018, 42% of respondents reported food insecurity within the last 30 days. In 2019, only 37 % of respondents reported food insecurity within the last 30 days. In 2018, 55 % of respondents reported housing insecurity within the previous year. In 2019, only 44 % of respondents reported housing insecurity within the previous year. In 2018, 28 % of respondents reported experiencing homelessness within the previous year. In 2019, only 23 % of respondents reported experiencing homelessness within the previous year. In all, 67% of respondents reported experiencing some form of basic needs insecurity in 2018. In 2019, only 58% of respondents reported experiencing some form of basic needs insecurity.
The bad news is that the prevalence of basic needs insecurity among students at the University of Montana tracks above the national average. The rate of food insecurity among UM students is 4 points above the average at other four-year institutions. The rate of housing insecurity is 9 points above average. And the rate of homelessness is 7 points above average.
The University of Montana and the Missoula community at large are clearly behind other college communities in addressing the problem of basic needs insecurity. Part of the problem in reaching out to these vulnerable populations is the stigma attached to falling behind in the race to afford basic housing and adequate food. A shockingly large number of people suffering from basic needs insecurity fail to reach out for help. In 2019, only 13% of food-insecure students accessed SNAP benefits. Only 3% of students experiencing homelessness accessed housing benefits. This represents a slight drop in the number of students accessing these services in 2018. In 2018, 14 % of food-insecure students accessed SNAP benefits and 4 % of students experiencing homelessness accessed housing benefits.
By any stretch of the imagination, we have our work cut out for us in ensuring that the basic needs of the student body at the University of Montana are properly attended to. We at the ASUM Renter Center are committed to addressing these issues and assisting any students who find themselves falling between the cracks. Struggling students should not feel ashamed about reaching out for help. Our Food Pantry recently celebrated its first anniversary and looks forward to continuing its mission of providing free nutritional food to students and community members in need. Additionally, our agency is dialed into larger community efforts to address the issue of homelessness in Missoula and can connect students with the proper resources to ameliorate their housing situation. If you are one of the vulnerable students represented in these statistics, we invite you to visit our office in the University Center.
